What Anne Frank teaches us about leadership
On the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Bergen-Belsen, where Anne Frank died just weeks before freedom came, Emari Group CEO Em Wilson reflects on the enduring power of Anne’s words and what they still teach us about leadership today.
Anne Frank’s diary was the first book I ever bought with my own money. I was 9 years old - the quintessential weird kid who didn't have many friends. I saw her face on the front cover & thought "she looks friendly!"
On 1st August 1944, Anne wrote her last journal entry. She was 15 years old.
She wasn’t a leader in the traditional sense. She never held a position of power, never made policy, never commanded armies. Yet her words hold some of the most powerful leadership lessons we have.
Her diary reminds us that leadership is about responsibility. It’s about meaning & truth.
It’s about how we respond to crisis, not when it's convenient, but when it matters most.
🟡 Leadership begins with self-awareness.
In her final entry, Anne wrote about the tension between how people perceived her & who she really was.
She recognised her own contradictions, her strengths, her weaknesses, her longing to be understood.
She acknowledged her complexity & didn’t pretend to be infallible. She reflected, she grew, she took responsibility for who she was & who she was becoming.
🟡 Leadership requires moral courage.
Anne Frank’s story isn’t just about her diary, it’s about the people around her.
Leadership is not about standing by when things are easy; it’s about making the right decision when stakes are high.
Miep Gies & others had no official power, they took action at great personal risk - a title doesn't make a leader, actions do.
🟡 Leaders tell the truth, even when people don’t want to hear it
Anne documented the reality of her situation with unflinching honesty.
She wrote about fear, injustice & cruelty; hope, love & the future.
She refused to sugarcoat reality; she also refused to give in to despair.
She confronted difficult truths, & provided a vision for what could come next.
🟡 Leadership is about resilience, but resilience alone is not enough
Anne found ways to keep learning, growing & expressing herself, even in hiding, but resilience shouldn’t be the only expectation placed on those who suffer.
Leadership isn't just about enduring hardship, it’s about preventing unnecessary suffering. If the world had had better leaders, Anne wouldn't have needed to be so resilient.
🟡 The failure of leadership is written in the margins of history
Anne Frank should have lived.
Her story is a failure of leadership at every level. Weak leadership doesn’t always announce itself with fanfare; it’s found in complacency, in silence, in the refusal to make difficult choices.
Leadership isn’t neutral. Every decision, every failure to act, shapes the future or steals from it. Anne Frank died because hatred was allowed to thrive.
Leadership isn’t about power, it’s about accountability. It’s about using whatever influence you have - a diary, a position, a platform - to make a difference.
Leadership isn't about words alone & we have to prevent the next Anne Frank from having to write them.
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Strengthen your LinkedIn presence with Emari Group LTD
At Emari Group, we work with leaders who understand that influence isn’t just a tool, it’s a responsibility. Whether you're a founder shaping a new category, a CEO navigating crisis, or a subject matter expert using LinkedIn to educate others, your words carry weight.
Anne Frank’s diary is a stark reminder that what we write, what we share, what we choose to say — and what we choose not to — shapes how people think, act, and lead. Her legacy is proof that even a voice without official power can shape the conscience of generations. That’s why we do what we do.
We help leaders use their platforms with purpose. We help businesses communicate with clarity, courage, and impact. We don’t believe in leadership for its own sake — we believe in leadership that serves, informs, includes, and uplifts.
Because silence is never neutral. And communication, done right, is one of the most powerful forms of leadership there is.
LinkedIn is your digital handshake
Think of LinkedIn as a networking event that never closes. Your profile is your first impression—and if it’s outdated or empty, it sends a message: I’m not ready.
At Emari Group LTD, we help professionals build strong, strategic LinkedIn profiles that position them as industry leaders, especially in times of economic uncertainty.
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