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What Iceland's youngest PM can teach us about influence

Dec 15, 2025

How important are role models to you?

A female leader asked me this last week after one of my webinars. She told me how much it changed things for her when she started studying how other female leaders actually lead — not just their achievements, but what they do day to day.

I knew exactly what she meant. When I joined Chief and other senior women’s networks, something shifted. I stopped asking “Can I do this?” and started seeing “I can do this.”

That conversation got me thinking. What if I wrote a series about famous female leaders? Not just who they are, but what they do that we can steal for ourselves.

Today, we’re starting with Kristrún Mjöll Frostadóttir.

Who is Kristrún?

In December 2024, she became Prime Minister of Iceland at just 36 years old — making her Iceland’s youngest-ever Prime Minister.

Here’s what surprised me: Iceland has a strong tradition of female leaders. Their current government has more women than men, and all party leaders are female.

But what really caught my attention is how Kristrún leads. She wants politics to be “more humane and less elite,” and she’s known for bringing together people who don’t naturally agree.

I found three practices she uses. They’re simple, and we can all use them.

#1: She focuses on the shared goal, not the disagreement

Kristrún’s government includes parties that disagree on almost everything — left and right, spend more versus spend less.

Most leaders try to win these arguments, or they water everything down until nobody’s happy. Kristrún did something different. In her first speeches, she didn’t talk about ideology. She talked about what families actually need: affordable housing, stable income, a welfare system that works.

She made it about the shared purpose, not the different positions.

Think of it like this: A family argues about where to go on holiday — beach versus mountains. You could debate for hours. Or someone says: “We all want to relax and reconnect. What gets us that?” Same people, completely different conversation.

Try this at work: When your team disagrees, say: “We see this differently, but we all care about [X]. Let’s start there.”

#2: She sounds hopeful and realistic at the same time

Kristrún trained as an economist, and you can hear it in how she speaks.

Many leaders fall into a trap. They either promise big things without explaining how they’ll deliver, or they focus only on limits and end up sounding boring. Kristrún does both at once. She says things like: “We want strong healthcare, and we need to balance the budget.”

She doesn’t pretend there are no trade-offs — she names them. This makes people trust her.

Think of it like this: You’re renovating your kitchen. You could dream big with no budget in mind, or obsess over every cost and end up with something you hate. The smart move is to say: “Here’s what we want, here’s what we have, let’s find the best option within that.”

Try this at work: When you propose something, say: “Given [constraint], this is the path that makes sense.”

This takes your ego out of it. You’re not saying “I want this” — you’re saying “The situation requires this.”

#3: She shares power to build trust

One of Iceland’s most divisive issues is whether to join the European Union. Past governments either avoided the topic entirely, or picked a side and made enemies.

Kristrún chose a different path. She said: “Let the people decide through a referendum.”

She could have pushed her own view — she’s the Prime Minister, after all. Instead, she handed the decision to the public. This isn’t weakness. Only a secure leader gives power away like this.

Think of it like this: A manager who decides everything alone might look powerful, but their team never feels ownership. A manager who says “Here’s my recommendation — what do you think?” gets real commitment.

Try this at work: When you need buy-in, say: “My recommendation is [X]. I want us aligned before we move forward.”

You’re still leading, but you’re inviting others in.

What this means for you

You’re not running a country, but you probably face the same challenges: people who disagree, limited resources, the need to build trust.

Kristrún’s formula is simple:

When people disagree, focus on what you all care about.
When resources are tight, be honest about trade-offs.
When you need commitment, share ownership.