Leadership and Hope

So many leaders are focused on leading their group or team through the day-to-day grind. The work accomplishments are important to short- and long-term success, to be sure. However, the ability and desire to inspire sets the best leader apart from the rest. 

Hope is a powerful force that can instantly turn around someone’s life and the world from negative to positive. Those who are called to lead others must insert hope in the team mission and their lives. Ignoring this duty can and does lead to disastrous consequences. 

To encourage and convey hope, the leader must first have it themselves. To move others to feel inspired is not just to talk the talk but to walk the walk when it comes to hope. As leaders, we must find hope in the world and our own lives. It can come from many sources, including faith, action, an event, mentors, family, and friends. 

It is not only the leader’s responsibility to ensure success but to inspire improvement, joy, and hope in those they are leading. Our children, families, teams, workplaces, cities, and countries need us as leaders to lead through hope! 

Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.

• Andy Dufresne, Shawshank Redemption