In today’s changing world of work, leadership is no longer measured only by financial results. It is measured by the ability to humanize workplaces, to create environments where people thrive, connect, and find meaning. Few embody this shift more authentically than Fatma Alabdulaali, a pioneering voice in workplace culture and leadership development in Saudi Arabia. With over 16 years of experience across healthcare, construction, hospitality, and manufacturing, she is reshaping how organizations approach employee well-being.
A Journey Shaped by Experience
Fatma began her career in Human Resources, where she gained a close view of organizational dynamics and employee struggles. Across industries, she noticed recurring challenges—burnout, disengagement, and untapped human potential. These patterns became deeply personal when she experienced burnout herself. What could have been an ending became a turning point, fueling her conviction that clarity, compassion, and well-being are not nice-to-have but must-to-have for sustainable performance and meaningful leadership.
Over time, she came to see that these struggles were not individual shortcomings, but systemic issues requiring systemic solutions. This realization set her on a path of leadership development, coaching, and workplace culture transformation, helping leaders and teams approach well-being as both a human and organizational priority.
Founding We Belong
This conviction took shape in 2024 with the founding of We Belong, a professional community dedicated to workplace culture and well-being. Designed as a safe space for dialogue, peer learning, and collective action, the community brings leaders, experts, and employees together to share knowledge and tackle real challenges.
Through workshops, book circles, and applied learning sessions, We Belong has opened conversations on psychological safety, professional well-being, and leadership practices rooted in compassion. Its purpose is clear: to move beyond surface-level wellness initiatives and address the deeper systems that affect how people experience work. For Fatma, well-being is not an afterthought but a shared responsibility—an investment that strengthens both people and organizations.
Professional Portfolio
Her expertise spans IT, HR, organizational behaviour, leadership development, and executive coaching. She has designed and led leadership programs and workplace culture initiatives for universities, hospitals, and national projects that reached hundreds of professionals across Saudi Arabia.
Fatma integrates evidence from neuroscience and psychological safety with cultural insights, including the Japanese philosophy of Ikigai, which she deepened during her time in Japan. By blending scientific research with cultural wisdom, she provides leaders with tools that are both rigorous and relevant to local contexts. This approach has made her a trusted advisor for organizations seeking not only higher performance but healthier, more sustainable systems of work.
Recognitions and Firsts
Fatma’s pioneering work has earned international recognition. She was named among the Global 200 Women Power Leaders 2025, an accolade affirming her growing influence on the global stage. She also holds a series of firsts: the first Saudi certified in psychological safety facilitation (United States), the first Saudi certified in Ikigai coaching (Japan), and the first Saudi certified in public narrative and storytelling coaching (United States).
These achievements highlight both her pioneering spirit and her global outlook. They position her as a bridge between cultures and as a voice shaping the future of work in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
Values and Leadership
What sets Fatma apart is not only her achievements but the values that guide her. Inspired by her father’s lessons on compassion and integrity, she sees leadership as service. Colleagues describe her as approachable and caring—someone who makes people feel safe and heard.
She embraces her vulnerabilities too, acknowledging her tendency to carry too much alone. For her, leadership is about courage and humility in equal measure: knowing when to act, when to listen, and when to let others share responsibility.
Her philosophy is shaped by the work of Professor Marshall Ganz, who defines leadership as enabling others to achieve shared purpose under uncertainty. Fatma sees leadership as a choice, not a title. She emphasizes that in today’s world, leaders must be servant, systems thinkers, and adaptive. Above all, she champions storytelling as the chief currency of leadership—the skill that allows leaders to inspire agency and collective action during disruption.
Balance and Renewal
Sustaining such work requires intention. Fatma follows a rhythm of renewal, taking short retreats every six weeks to step back and recharge. She also prioritizes family, friends, and personal practices such as journaling, walking outdoors, going to the gym, and listening to music.
These rituals of reflection are not indulgences but essential practices that help her maintain clarity, energy, and compassion. They allow her to model the very balance she encourages in others—showing that leaders, too, must invest in their own well-being if they are to guide others effectively.
A Message of Urgency and Hope
Fatma’s message to leaders and organizations is both urgent and hopeful: work is not just a place to complete tasks. It shapes people’s identity, health, and sense of belonging. Creating cultures of safety, respect, and connection is not only a moral responsibility—it is a strategic one.
She reminds leaders that when employees feel valued and supported, organizations unlock creativity, resilience, and growth, the very qualities needed for long-term success. This is not theory—it is what she has witnessed firsthand through her years of leadership, coaching, and community-building.
Grounded in Purpose
For all her accolades, Fatma remains grounded in her purpose: to make work more humane, meaningful, and life-giving. She does not see herself as only building better organizations, but as contributing to the flourishing of individuals, families, and communities.
Her vision is clear: belonging should not be a privilege, but a norm—and leaders must see themselves as stewards of both people and performance.
