As a lifelong student of human nature and a certified “people watcher,” I am amazed how much better people will perform with the right people around them! With the right amount of reassurance and mentoring, employees grow and learn. Thus, the magic of support, compassion and hope! Hope is the lens we view the world through.
What is your source of hope? No doubt, your list includes your family, friends, faith, mentor and, perhaps, your leader – a hopeful leader that fills our tank with hope, which compels us to do more and succeed.
“Whatever a man can conceive and believe he can achieve” – Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
The hopeful leader validates our dreams and ideas and ignites the spark of true passion. One of my favorite words. Hope provides us with clear focus, and enables us to see the world around us. Question: Is hope in your business vocabulary?
If we take the time to really look, we can see hope in the eyes of the people we interview, the customers we call on, people who wait on us, and yes, even our families. A leader who understands and appreciates the power of hope helps us align our goals, attitudes, professional passion and motivation.
A dealer in hope cultivates a mind-set that indeed the future will be better than the past and articulates a business strategy that elicits a shared passion and belief throughout the organization, that they can make good things happen. And indeed they will. Think of how we all watched what Mayor Rudy Giuliani did in New York after 9/11.
“People will not believe in the message until they believe in the messenger. – James Kouzes and Barry Posner.
We all seek a leader with integrity – the truth carries the day. Leaders who display compassion and warmth bring sunshine when they walk into a room. Can you relate to this?
Dealers in hope do not view it as an abstract concept but rather as a high-octane fuel. Hope gets us out of bed in the morning; it is our inner fire.
A probe if I may: Have you ever asked a group of employees if they were hopeful regarding the future of your organization? You may be surprised at their insights and responses. The gift of working in organizations and for a dealer in hope is the essence of job satisfaction and happiness in life. True leaders live this creed each day. Work can be as meaningful as play when employees are treated as a valued and respected partner.
A leader who is a dealer in hope provides us the fuel for our journey to excel. They light our fire. They are our North star, who guides us through stormy and uncharted waters. The days of the military model of leading with command and control are no longer the norm in successful and progressive organizations. In days past, the boss was rarely questioned regarding decisions he or she made.
Employees in today’s organizations question and challenge leaders and want a more human approach as well as a roadmap to a better tomorrow.
Hopeful leaders are the keepers of the flame with a watchful eye on the will of the people. They are cognizant of each employee’s special and unique spirit and needs. A leader of hope works to heal us during times of stress. Their head and heart are in the game, thus, they have a keen awareness of what is happening around them and are well aware of who they are as a person. The dealer of hope is positive and persuasive and builds consensus.
To lead with hope, involves having a vision to learn from the past, while being able to confront the realities of today and at the same time, lead us into the future. It is a true intuitive quality to appreciate the common good in all of us. A dealer in hope is a skilled, empathetic listener and listens with the intent to learn.
The pillars of hope are the desire and passion to find our purpose and true meaning in life, and a belief in something larger than ourselves.
“We are born for meaning, not pleasure, unless it is pleasure that is steeped in meaning.” – Jacob Needleman.
Dealers in hope understand the essence and power of this thought-provoking quote – we all thirst for a reason to do what we do. Data assists us in making correct decisions. Positive human experiences connect us to our inner self and meaning.
Hope gives us meaning and helps us avoid negative emotions and events. It helps center our life on gratitude, kindness, forgiveness and optimism. The true dealer in hope understands that technology, products and services will change. However, the character of a leader who is indeed a dealer in hope will not change!
They encourage employees to:
- Create a better future
- To have faith in them and the organization
- To share their collective wisdom
- To believe in themselves and others
Are you a dealer … in hope?
