Dr. Victoria Ann Hasson is a distinguished international democracy specialist and thought leader who has reimagined political leadership and governance. Born in Cheshire, England, she holds an MSc in International Public Policy from University College London and a PhD from The University of Sheffield, where her research focused on “The Democratization of Parliamentary Practice in Post-apartheid South Africa.” Based in South Africa, Dr. Hasson’s work spans democracy-building, political leadership consultancy, and coaching, strongly emphasising political wellness and representative practice. She champions innovative tools to integrate mental well-being, values, and identity into political leadership. She is a regular contributor to academic publications and international conferences and is celebrated for her insights into transformative democratic practices.

Your background is rich with experience in democratic governance and political leadership. What pivotal moment or experience in your early career sparked your passion for reimagining political leadership?

The pivotal moment came when I was 30 and working for the opposition in the National Assembly of South Africa. I realised that when politicians operate on the basis of their highest self, their highest ideas emerge. There were several individual politicians who had the political freedom to do just that and hearing them speak had the ability to stop you in your tracks. It was then that I realised that the role of democratic institutions is to nurture that sort of leadership. Democratic institutions must allow the highest sorts of ideas to emerge for our societies.

As an expert in political leadership consultancy and coaching, what do you think are the most critical skills that emerging political leaders need to develop?

The ability to recognise the relationship between one’s own inner currents, behaviour patterns, policy debates and outcomes for society is crucial for transformational leadership and transformed societies. I try to take political leaders on a journey to map this out so that within the constraints of their personal political lifeworld they can begin adding strength to their inner power, cultivate authentic leadership and change norms of practice. 

You provide unique tools and approaches for mental well-being, values, and identity within the political sphere. Why do you believe these aspects are essential in today’s political landscape?

Every politician has their ‘why’, most have several big and little ‘why’s’ that almost always connect their sense of self with their sense of how their society should look and feel – their values. The mental wellbeing, which I view as a politician’s cognitive freedom to make the connection between values, self and society, is the frontline of transformational political leadership. For this reason, I am so compelled to raise it as an issue and support leaders to cultivate their mental wellbeing. 

With your international experience, how do you adapt your leadership consulting strategies to cater to different political cultures and environments?

Deep listening is essential for understanding the personalised pressure points and pain points each individual is facing within their country’s context. I take the same approach of going one layer down into the political experience; and from there I can see the impact that different countries and their contexts have on democratic practice.  

Your services include reimagining democratic governance. In your opinion, what are the most pressing changes needed in global political structures to better serve societies?

We need a change in the norms of democratic practice. Electorates need to change their mindsets, political parties need to progressively promote and reward new types of leadership, and institutions of parliament need to instal advanced duty of care politics to begin shifting norms of practice within democratic institutions.  We get the best out of people, including leaders, when people feel safe, this includes the best ideas; inspired new ways of thinking, seeing and doing democratic governance. So, the most pressing change needed is identifying the levers that will bring about that sort of safety within an institution of democratic governance. 

As a regular contributor to academic publications and international conferences, what emerging trends in governance and public policy do you find most intriguing or promising?

Increasingly we are beginning to recognise that rules matter but not as much as norms of practice. Increasingly, we are coming to accept that the focus of our attention must be on both the rules that govern and the feelings that shape democratic practice – that is, the psycho-social patterns that determine how political leaders behave. It is a relief to see the increased attention to the mental health of politicians and how this shapes democratic outcomes, as well as trauma-informed democratic assistance programmes within countries at work or post-conflict. 

Can you tell us about a particularly impactful project or initiative you’ve led that brought positive change in democratic practice or leadership?

Recently I had the opportunity to work with newly elected MPs in the Solomon Islands which allowed me to see the world of democratic representation from a totally different lens, and from that place begin to walk them through what democratic representation could look like within their own particular and extremely unique lifeworld and context. 

Your work emphasizes the importance of political wellness. How do you define ‘political wellness’ and what steps can institutions take to support it effectively?

Political wellness is the ability to share, show, and lead from your inner resonance as a political figure without fear of being humiliated, ridiculed, attacked, abused, or destroyed. Political wellness is about the cultivation of inspired, authentic and soulful political leadership so that our democratic institutions can become hubs of transformative discussions and decision-making. 

Having worked across diverse political settings, what common challenges do you see leaders face when it comes to governance and decision-making?

Politicians share the common challenge of needing to be a lawmaker, government watchdog, and champion of the people – three distinct and time-consuming tasks. The democratic system requires almost systematic schizophrenia in that each of these tasks requires different mindsets, working cultures and systems, and yet one individual is expected to carry them out flawlessly (with their personal reputation, family life, and career depending on it). This is a shared inner tussle for politicians across all parts of the world, and it does tremendous damage to the quality of leadership and outcomes citizens get in terms of the laws created, oversight, 

Lastly, what advice would you give to young professionals and students aspiring to enter the field of democratic governance and political consultancy?

Be clear on their ‘why’ and be clear on what integrity means and entails so as to ensure they are able to stay close to the part of themselves that feels inspired, hopeful and visionary.  

This interview was conducted by our Head of outreach, Ansh Vachhani, The Social Digest on 03/09/2024. If you have any interview recommendations or have a story that you want to share with our readers, get in touch with our editor Vedant Bhrambhatt, at editor@thesocialdigest.com