Hope: the essential quality we seek in our leaders

I think it’s fair to say that we are living in difficult times – so much so that regularly find myself limiting the news I read to maintain my own sanity!  From recent client projects, I know I’m not alone in this –even senior leaders can find the current global economic and political climate dispiriting!

However, this is also the time when our people need to maintain their motivation, energy and resilience to face the challenges in the workplace – and its our job to help them with this, even if we are feeling uncertain ourselves…

So, I was reminded today about some powerful research from Gallup which has been updated in 2025 with their “Global Leadership Report: What Followers Want”. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/655817/people-need-leaders.aspx  

This extensive, global research revealed yet again what people need from their leaders, above all else is hope.

Why Hope Matters

One simple definition of hope, is knowing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel – the feeling that with effort, energy and skill we can achieve our goals and overcome even the most demanding challenges.   It’s been shown that leaders who inspire that hope can create a workplace where people are more willing to tackle those challenges and measurably perform better.

So as leaders, what do we need to do?

8 Practical Ways Leaders Can Inspire Hope

Building on Gallup’s work and from our own 30 years’ experience of working with leadership teams, these are my top 8 suggestions…

1.    Articulate a Compelling Vision:

When things are tough in the present, people need to see beyond the here and now and ‘future-orientation’ is consistently one of the most valued leadership characteristics.  So, regularly share your personal vision for the future. A clear, ambitious, but achievable vision helps individuals see a path forward and believe in the possibilities.

2.    Talk Straight:

The vision of course needs to be believable – so inspire them but also be honest about the challenges and the effort that will be needed to achieve that vision.  Be authentic and don’t spin the message

3.    Set Clear Direction

When employees understand their roles and how their efforts contribute to the larger vision, they will feel more hopeful about their work – so make sure that each and every team member knows exactly what they need to do to achieve the overall goal.   It’s also useful to provide clear milestones along the way to keep their motivation up (see point 6 below!)

4.    Involve Your Team in the Plan:

People will follow you and feel hopeful if they are genuinely valued and one way to show this is to actively involve them in both the planning and execution of the vision.  So, encourage two-way conversations, genuinely seek out their views and show how they can be involved and influence the introduction of new ways of working.

5.   Celebrate Small Wins:

Recognize and celebrate smaller achievements like hitting those milestones mentioned above along the way.  This boosts morale and creates a sense of progress, enhancing hope. If you already have a recognition process in your organisation – take the time to use it every week– it will also encourage others to praise their colleagues.

6.    Encourage Innovation:

Encourage people to explore new ideas and take calculated risks. A culture of innovation fosters excitement and hope – especially if achieving the team goals requires creativity and working differently.  A top tip here is to make sure everyone understands that new ideas don’t always work first time and that its OK to make mistakes – in other words, encourage a ‘growth mindset’ where we learn from our mistakes and then move forward to make things better.

7.    Create a Climate of Learning

Invest in employee development by offering regular training and growth opportunities. Encourage managers to develop and practice their coaching skills so that development becomes an everyday process.

8.    Model the Way:

If you want people to feel hopeful, then make sure you appear hopeful yourself!  So – visibly demonstrate integrity, resilience, enthusiasm and a positive attitude.   In challenging times people need a leader who is also hopeful for the future.

So, why not score yourself on a personal checklist against these behaviours and identify 3 things you are going to do this week to encourage hope within your team!