Leading From Every Angle: Annie Johnson – Cofounder and Chief of Product at Humaneer

How do you define effective leadership, and how has your definition evolved over time?

My understanding of leadership has evolved through a few pivotal moments in my career.  One of the most transformative experiences was working under a leader who profoundly shaped my growth and confidence and taught me what great leadership looks like.

At the time, I was stepping into a new leadership role, navigating unfamiliar territory in a completely new industry. I had stepped away from an industry I had spent 15 years in and jumped into a role that was all based on my weaknesses and areas for development.  I was pretty nervous and self-doubt sat with me all day every day.  What set this leader apart was his ability to see my strengths and potential clearly. He knew how far to push me safely without overwhelming me, creating an environment where I felt supported yet stretched. That balance of challenge and safety became one of the biggest catalysts for my growth in my career to date.  

He trusted me to take ownership of my development, backing me even when I doubted myself. He helped me understand not just the skills I had but also how capable I truly was. Through his guidance, I gained the confidence to take on challenges I might have avoided and step into spaces I thought were beyond my reach.  To this day when I feel I am wobbling, I still ask myself “What would Mike say”

Mike taught me that great leadership is a partnership. It’s not about telling people what to do but working with them to navigate challenges, decisions and growth. It’s about empowering your team to take safe risks, make decisions, and discover their own path with them knowing that you are in their corner and you are there to catch them if they fall. A great leader builds confidence in the mission and in each individual player by recognising where the limits lie and helping their team push those boundaries safely.

This experience shaped my own leadership philosophy. Leadership isn’t about status or authority; it’s about behaviours, values, and the legacy you leave in the people you support. It’s about creating a ripple effect -helping others grow in a way that influences how they lead in the future.

Ultimately, my understanding of leadership has evolved into a deeply human perspective. It’s about learning from both the mistakes we experience and the brilliance we witness, then using those lessons to lead with intention and authenticity. Leadership is a partnership – it’s not about control but about collaboration, trust, and leaving a legacy of growth in those you support. The best leaders don’t just manage people; they guide them to become the best versions of themselves, and their impact resonates long after the job ends.

What strategies do you use to build and inspire a high-performing team?

Building a high-performing team starts with understanding that people thrive when their work aligns with their natural strengths and allows them to enter a state of flow. Having studied psychology and neurochange, I’ve learned how critical it is for people to feel engaged and energised by what they do. When work feels like a constant uphill battle, cumbersome, draining, or misaligned with someone’s natural style it leads to disengagement and burnout. Life is simply too short to spend it in roles that don’t fit. 

That’s why I’ve always been passionate about supporting team members in finding work that naturally suits their style.  I make it a priority to understand each individual’s strengths, preferences, and what truly drives them. I also don’t shy away from having honest conversations with team members. Having respect for your team and helping them to understand what makes them great and what doesn’t serve them well is a huge responsibility for any leader and I have taken that responsibility very seriously.  It’s not about putting people into boxes; it’s about helping them see how their unique qualities can contribute meaningfully to the team and the organisation.

Having spent a lot of time in the People strategy space I also know how important it is for teams to focus on creating clarity and alignment. People perform at their best when they understand their role, how their work contributes to the bigger picture, and how their success aligns with team goals. Then as leaders, we need to enable them and then get out of their way.  Regular check-ins, open communication, and celebrating wins – big or small – are all part of keeping that clarity and connection alive.

I’m also intentional about building a culture of growth. Whether through stretch assignments, coaching, or simply giving people space to try something new, I want a team to feel supported in their development. When people see that their growth matters, they’re more motivated to invest in the team’s success.

High-performing teams don’t happen by accident.  It takes deliberate actions to build trust, alignment and growth and it certainly doesn’t happen overnight. 

Can you share an example of a leadership challenge you faced and how you overcame it?

One of the biggest leadership challenges I’ve faced – and one that’s completely shaped who I am today – was my experience with burnout as a young leader in HR. I was in a big role, trying to prove myself, and I felt an overwhelming responsibility to my team and the leaders I supported. I pushed through exhaustion and deep insomnia because I thought that’s what a good leader was supposed to do.  I had this mentality that you had to show perseverance, toughness and grit to be a great leader. I worried constantly about my team and how I was showing up.  I worried whether they felt protected by me or whether I was letting them down. But I ignored the most important thing: my own wellbeing.

When I finally admitted I was struggling and asked for help, it was a huge step for me. But the response I got from my leader made things worse. Instead of support, I felt dismissed. That moment stuck with me long into my career because it showed me how much harm a poor leadership response can do to someone.

Looking back, that experience was a wake-up call. It forced me to confront the pressure I’d been putting on myself to be ‘everything to everyone.’ I started a long journey of learning how to set boundaries, let go of perfectionism, and embrace vulnerability. I also began to understand how your mindset can shape your reality – how important it is to focus on what gives you energy rather than draining it and how to learn what unhealthy thinking habits are not serving you well.

My journey with burnout didn’t just teach me about myself; it actually taught me how to show up better for others. HR, as an industry, suffers from some of the highest levels of burnout. We’re often the ones supporting others through tough times, and we carry that emotional weight while juggling a million competing demands. It’s a tough space, and I’m passionate about helping others in our profession learn how to protect themselves from the same burnout I experienced. Particularly the younger generation coming through.

Now, I make it a priority to share my story. I’ve had some amazing coaching relationships where I’ve been able to help others set healthy boundaries, recognise their limits, and understand that leadership doesn’t mean sacrificing yourself. I want the next generation of HR professionals to know that it’s okay to ask for help, it’s okay not to have all the answers, and it’s okay to put yourself first sometimes.

Burnout was one of the hardest things I’ve ever faced, but it’s also become one of my greatest drivers. It’s why I care so deeply about creating environments where people feel enabled, supported and safe to be vulnerable. And it’s why I’m so passionate about helping others build their leadership brand in a way that’s sustainable and healthy – so they don’t have to repeat the mistakes I made.

What role do mentorship and networking play in your approach to leadership? 

Mentorship has been one of the biggest influences on my career, and it’s something I’m really passionate about paying forward. My first HR role was where I met an incredible mentor. Being a young HR practitioner was a difficult phase to navigate. You’re thrown into incredibly complex challenges – managing high risk situations that impact a business and people’s lives – all while working with colleagues and stakeholders who often have much more corporate and life experience than you. It can feel overwhelming, and without the right guidance, it’s easy to doubt yourself. My first mentor, Tina had this amazing ability to navigate such a complex industry, and she shared so much wisdom with me that I still carry today.

One of the most valuable lessons she taught me was around my need to get everything right. I was putting so much pressure on myself to always get it right, to always have the answer. She gave me this simple mantra: ‘It’s practice for the big game.’

That phrase has stuck with me through a lot of challenging moments. Whether it’s imposter syndrome, feeling out of my depth, or second-guessing myself, it reminds me to step back, take the pressure off, and see challenges as opportunities to learn. It’s become a mantra for my growth mindset and has helped me focus on growth over perfection and prepared me for those big moments when everything I’ve learned comes together.

Now, I’m lucky enough to mentor young HR practitioners myself, and it’s something I find deeply rewarding. It’s not just about giving advice – it’s a two-way street. I learn so much from the people I mentor, and I think that’s a real privilege having such a deep relationship with the younger generation coming through. The challenges I navigated as a young professional are still the same challenges they face today, and I love that trust you build with a mentee when brush the dust off the experiences you faced and support them to navigate situations with the tools and advice that I also needed.  Watching their confidence grow or seeing the relief in their eyes when they know you are in their corner never gets old. 

I really believe more practitioners and young leaders need mentors. The work we do in HR is hard, and the stakes are high. Having someone to guide you, to share their experiences, and to remind you that it’s okay not to have all the answers is so important.

For me, mentorship is about creating that safe space to practice, grow, and prepare for whatever comes next. It’s not about being perfect – it’s about learning and finding your own path from those who have walked the path before you.

How do you balance maintaining authority while fostering collaboration and inclusivity?

Balancing authority with collaboration and inclusivity is such an important part of leadership, especially in HR, where relationships and trust mean everything. As humans, we’ve been conditioned to think that authority means being aggressive, forceful, or always pushing back.  For me, authority isn’t about control – it’s about being accountable and responsible. Authority is earned through empathy, confidence, clarity, not by trying to hold power over people.

I’ve found that leading with humility and authenticity makes all the difference. When you’re open, honest, and transparent, it builds trust, and that trust turns into courage – for you and for the people you lead. When it’s time to make a tough decision, people respect it because they’ve seen how you’ve thought it through and the way you’ve operated to get there. They know your decisions aren’t about ego or control but about what’s best for the situation.

I really believe that authority, collaboration, and inclusivity can all work together and they’re not in competition. In fact, they’re all key ingredients to effective leadership. It’s all about how you frame authority. Authority shouldn’t stifle collaboration or inclusiveness but create the space for those behaviours and qualities to support decisions.

Inclusivity is a big one for me. I’m a firm believer that the best decisions come when everyone feels safe to share their perspectives. That means making sure all voices are heard, especially those who might hesitate to speak up. It’s about asking thoughtful questions, listening deeply, and showing people that their input matters and they have something to offer.

At the same time, there are moments when you need to step into your authority, especially when decisive action is required. Throughout my career I have had to navigate making some really big difficult decisions for organisations.  But when you’ve built that foundation of trust with collaboration and inclusiveness, it’s so much easier for people to respect and support those decisions. They may not like what you have to say but they trust you because they’ve seen the road you’ve walked to get to that point.

What is the most challenging obstacle you’ve faced in your career, and how did you navigate it?

The most challenging obstacle I’ve faced in my career was burnout. It’s the kind of experience that forces you to hit pause and take a brutally honest look at yourself. At the time, I didn’t just hit pause – I crashed. And yet, that same experience shaped the purpose I carry with me today.

I was a young leader in HR, in a role that demanded everything from me. I felt an enormous responsibility – not just for the outcomes but for the people I led and supported. I carried the weight of some incredibly big decisions on my shoulders, decisions that impacted livelihoods, careers, and sometimes entire families. There were moments when I was threatened by employees who didn’t agree with those decisions or felt their world was being turned upside down. I internalised all of it. I felt deeply responsible for these outcomes, constantly questioning whether I was doing the right thing. 

From the outside, I looked strong and capable. Inside, I was running on fumes, battling deep insomnia, and constantly second-guessing myself. Every decision replayed in my mind like a bad soap opera: Did I do enough? Did I say the right thing? Am I secretly the villain in someone else’s story? And yet, I pushed on. I couldn’t bear the thought of letting my team down or showing any weakness.

Coming back from burnout is incredibly difficult and eventually, I realised I had to completely reevaluate my mindset and how I approached work. 

I worked hard to understand what gave me energy and what drained it. I also started studying neurochange and the power of mindset and thinking habits. The brain is an incredibly powerful machine, and I’ve come to see this as a lifelong journey – understanding how to reframe your thoughts and create sustainable habits that support both your work and your wellbeing.  I learned that I was in fact incredibly resilient and I had coped with way more than would should be expected of an individual.  I learnt to safeguard my actions and behaviours and not absorb the decisions of others.  I learnt that I can still be deeply driven, work incredibly hard and step up as a leader, but boundaries both personally and within your mindset are a habit that needs to be baked into the way you operate very early on in your career.  Adversity will also teach you the areas that you need to keep practicing.

My experience with burnout gave me my ‘why.’ Today, I’m deeply passionate about combatting the problem of burnout in our industry. It’s such a pervasive issue in HR because we’re so often the ones supporting others through their challenges, yet we rarely stop to look after ourselves. For me, this isn’t just a professional mission – it’s personal. I know firsthand how burnout feels, and I don’t want anyone else to go through it the way I did.

Burnout taught me that you can’t lead others until you’ve learned to take care of yourself.  You can still be successful, take big risks, grow and develop – all with the right.

And while it’s a journey I wouldn’t wish on anyone, it’s one that has made me a more empathetic, intentional, and human leader.

How do you maintain resilience and focus during periods of uncertainty or failure?

It’s taken me a long time to learn how to take back my power over my thinking, but it’s been one of the most transformative lessons of my career. Facing adversity and setbacks is part of everyday life and they are incredibly important for anyone’s growth.

I’ve always had an internal locus of control, which means my drive and motivation come from within. I don’t rely on external validation to push me forward. But the flip side of that is the constant presence of a strong internal critic. For a long time, I viewed failures with a very fixed mindset. That internal critic would replay every mistake on a loop, and I believed those failures defined me.

It wasn’t until I started studying neurochange that I understood how much power our beliefs and biases hold over our thinking. Because our minds are incredibly powerful machines, if we’re not careful, they can run on autopilot in ways that are deeply unhelpful. I realised that my fixed mindset and self-criticism had become habits – ones that weren’t serving me.

Learning to rewire some of my personal beliefs and biases and engage a growth mindset has been an absolute game-changer. It’s not about silencing the internal critic entirely, but rather recognising when it’s speaking and choosing to understand the response and rework that if it’s not serving me well. A growth mindset allows me to see challenges and setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow, rather than as personal failures.

Now, when I face uncertainty or adversity, I remind myself that my power lies in how I respond. It’s about shifting the narrative from, ‘I’ve failed,’ to, ‘What can I learn from this?’ It’s a practice that takes time and effort, but it’s given me a completely different perspective on resilience.

Failure is no longer something I fear it’s something I see as a necessary part of growth. Adversity has taught me to focus on what I can control, let go of what I can’t, and approach every challenge as a stepping stone. That shift in mindset hasn’t just changed how I work, it’s changed how I lead, how I coach others, and how I approach life.”

What are your go-to strategies for managing stress and avoiding burnout?

I’ll be honest, I’m a bit of a workaholic. I work long hours, and I’m someone who throws everything into what I do. But I’m also a mum to two young kids, have a pack of fur babies, and a husband who co-owns a busy architectural practice. Life is full-on, and managing stress is something I’ve had to get really intentional about.

I’m incredibly lucky to have a partner who understands my drive and supports me unconditionally. He’s my biggest champion but also the voice of reason when I need to put the tools down.

We live on a rural property and it’s my perfect escape. Getting into the garden, feeding the chickens with the kids – it’s my opposite world. I’m a big believer in having an opposite world. Shifting context, stepping away from work, and giving your brain something completely different to focus on is one of the best ways to rest and reset.

I’m also so grateful to have cofounders who are mums too. We have all faced burnout at some stage in our careers. We get it. We know there are days when any one of us might need to step back, and we support each other to find balance. It’s not always perfect – especially when you’re building new tech and juggling the chaos of start-up life -but having that mutual understanding is huge.

For me, managing stress is not about a perfect routine or rigid self-care habits; it’s about finding what works for you in the moment. Some days, that’s diving into the garden. Other days, it’s having a coffee on the deck, listening to the bellbirds and just taking a breath.  As Chief of Product, I spend a lot of my time deep in technology and data so getting away from my screens and in front of humans is important. 

Burnout is something I’ve faced before, and I know the slippery slope it can be. That’s why I’m so intentional now about recognising when I’m stretching too far and giving myself permission to step away in my opposite world, even if it’s just for a small moment.

Can you share a time when you turned a significant setback into an opportunity for growth?

One of the most significant lessons I’ve learned from setbacks is the danger of staying in situations that aren’t serving me- or trying to turn the wrong door into the right one. There have been times in my career where I’ve walked through a door that, deep down, I knew wasn’t right for me. I stayed on not wanting to disappoint anyone or clung onto hope that I could make it work so that I didn’t look weak, sometimes in some pretty toxic situations.

What I’ve come to realise is that your subconscious, your gut, is usually trying to tell you something long before your conscious mind catches up. Ignoring it can lead to staying in the wrong place for too long, and by the time you decide to move on, the reset can feel like a mountain to climb. 

These moments, as tough as they’ve been, have taught me to tune in and trust that inner voice. When I reflect on those setbacks, the real growth has come not just from the eventual decision to move on, but from the deeper lesson: never let someone else define your success or the limits of what you can achieve. 

That’s a boundary I fiercely protect now. My career, my growth, my success – they’re mine to define, and I won’t give that story telling away to anyone else. Turning these setbacks into opportunities for growth hasn’t been easy, but they’ve made me more self-aware, more intentional, and much quicker to act when something doesn’t feel right.

Ultimately, these experiences have shaped how I approach every opportunity. I don’t just ask if it looks good on paper – I ask if it feels right in my gut. And when I know it’s not, I’ve learned to walk back out that door unapologetically and take the path that serves me better. Every setback has reminded me of one that your career is yours to shape, and the only person who can define your limits is you.

How has your perspective on resilience changed as your career has progressed?

As my career has progressed, my perspective on resilience has shifted dramatically. I’ve come to see it not as an endless reserve of grit or the ability to push through no matter what, but as the wisdom to make choices that align with your values, your wellbeing, and your purpose.

Life is full of choices, trade-offs, and unintended consequences. And honestly, we need all of those experiences to figure out what we truly want and don’t want in life. There have been times in my career when I’ve leaned into adversity just to see what I’m capable of, to test my limits and learn. It’s been those situations where you decide to walk in the opposite direction to where everyone is running. Those moments have been invaluable for my growth, and it showed me just how much grit I have, but they’ve also taught me an important lesson: resilience isn’t about endlessly enduring. Take on the challenge but learn when to call it a day if that environment is no longer serving you well.

The key is knowing the limit between learning and growth versus the slippery slope to burnout and hurt. It’s a very fine line, and the only way to stay on the right side of it is to learn where that limit is for you and act decisively when you find it. That might mean stepping back, pivoting, or even walking away from something entirely. And here’s the thing: you have to do it unapologetically.

We get one life, and you don’t owe anyone your soul. Resilience isn’t about sticking it out to the detriment of your health or happiness; it’s about having the courage to choose a path that serves you, even if it’s uncomfortable or unexpected.

This shift in perspective has made me much more intentional about how I approach challenges. I no longer see resilience as something to prove but as something to protect. It’s not about how much I can endure – it’s about how I can navigate life in a way that honours my drive, who I am and what I stand for.

What habits or routines have been instrumental in your personal and professional growth?

For me, the habits that have been most instrumental in my growth, both personally and professionally, are rooted in discipline and an unshakable, stubborn curiosity (someone once described this as my personality trait). I have this innate drive to keep moving forward, to learn, to take risks, and to challenge myself. Sitting idle doesn’t suit me; it makes me restless.

I’m naturally future-focused, innovative, and strategic. My mindset isn’t for everyone – some people find my pace exhausting – but for me, it’s this curiosity that fuels my energy. It’s about constantly peeling back the layers to discover what’s out there, what can be improved, and what’s worth chasing, what else can be done.

Discipline is another key habit for me. I’m intentional about how I approach growth, whether it’s leaning into learning a new skill and being patient with the time it takes and how uncomfortable it can feel to be in the conscious incompetence phase, saying yes to opportunities that scare me, or taking calculated risks. I don’t just want to do what’s comfortable -I want to be challenged. My curiosity might be the engine, but discipline is what keeps me on the right track

Ultimately, it’s this blend of stubborn curiosity and relentless discipline that has shaped my journey. I want to be constantly learning, evolving, and pushing boundaries- not just for myself, but to inspire others and most importantly my kids to do the same. For me personally growth is about having the courage to build your own legacy- even when the path is uncertain or scary.

What advice would you give your younger self when you were just starting out?

I’d start with this: You have what it takes. You just have to believe it yourself. That self-belief is the foundation for everything else. No one can give it to you, and no one can take it away, but you have to nurture it.

I’d also tell myself to never stop surrounding yourself with smart, supportive people who bring wisdom and positivity into your life. Find the people who challenge you to think differently, who lift you up when you’re doubting yourself, and who you can learn from. Those relationships are gold and people are so willing to give you their time.

Another big one is to bake in good habits and boundaries from the start. Don’t let people breach them. It’s so much harder to fix poor habits or reset boundaries once they’ve been crossed, so protect them fiercely and learn to be confident in your defence of these.

Learn to accept progress over perfectionism. It’s something I wish I’d learned earlier because chasing perfection is exhausting and often unnecessary. What really matters is that you’re moving forward, learning, and adapting as you go.

If I could leave my younger self with one last piece of advice, it would be this: Growth isn’t linear, the wobbles, the pivots, the change are what makes the journey so worthwhile. Lean in and just keep going.

What role does feedback play in your journey of self-improvement, and how do you approach it?

Feedback has been a transformative part of my journey, especially as someone who thrives on curiosity and self-development. When I started out, I used to think you picked a career and stuck with it for life. It felt like a one-way path. But over time, I’ve learned that with valuable feedback, especially from people who have good intentions and genuinely want to see you grow, you can take incredible steps forward in your career and personal growth.

There’s the saying “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.” But I also believe everyone in the room thinks just like you, you’re also probably in the wrong room too.

Over my career I have come to learn that when we surround ourselves with like-minded people, it’s comfortable. There’s less conflict, less questioning. But that comfort comes at a cost, it hides our blind spots. The gaps in our thinking, the challenges we don’t see coming, and the opportunities we overlook stay hidden and will pop up down the line when it’s too late.

For me, stepping into the world of tech development has been a leap of courage. It’s a space I never thought I’d be in, but it’s also one I wouldn’t have entered without the support of those around me who pushed me to see something in myself that I didn’t think I had. Their coaching and mentoring reminded me that everything I’ve built to date, the skills, experiences, and lessons has equipped me to take this step. Feedback has been the bridge from where I was to where I want to go.  

Of course, feedback isn’t always easy to take. It can feel uncomfortable or humbling. But one of my favourite questions when receiving feedback is, “What are we not saying?” It’s a simple prompt, but it often uncovers the truths we’re avoiding, the perspectives we’re missing, and the opportunities to go deeper and understand more.

This mindset has vital for me, especially in a field as complex and fast-moving as tech. By staying coachable and embracing diverse perspectives, I’ve avoided making decisions in an echo chamber and reduced unnecessary risks. It’s not always easy, but I’ve learned that leaning into that friction of different opinions makes ideas sharper, plans stronger, and solutions more effective.

Ultimately, feedback is more than a tool for improvement. It’s a way to expand your thinking, uncover hidden opportunities, and push yourself further than you thought possible. It’s been central to my ability to navigate new spaces and continue evolving, both personally and professionally.