Napoleon Bonaparte said, “A leader is a dealer in hope.”
That describes every start-up CEO I represented as a corporate attorney in Silicon Valley. Each one was hard-working and demanding. Yet each one intentionally painted a picture of the future to inspire people to join the company and contribute to its success.
Research conducted by Gallup asked 10,000 individuals what they want from their boss, and they discovered four overarching desires:
- Compassion: care personally and individually
- Stability: job constancy
- Trust: behavioral predictability
- Hope: inspiration for a better future
Hope is the conviction that our work today actually matters and that tomorrow will be even better as a result.
So how can we practically “deal in hope” on a regular basis?
- Shout a battle cry (a vision, a purpose)
- Choose positive, encouraging language (“That was a great insight.”)
- Connect activity with impact (“Your work makes a difference because…”)
- Employ inspirational posters, emails, and tag lines (“Success is on the other side of fear”)
- Be a role model (people mold their own behavior by watching what we do)
- Recognize effort (“I appreciate your attempt at helping the client.”)
- Celebrate small victories (“We’re getting closer! woo-hooo!”)
- Express belief in others (“You can do this!”)
The opposite of dealing in hope is trafficking in fear. And fear shuts down motivation, enthusiasm, collaboration, and innovation. Just ask anyone who hates their boss. They don’t feel hope. They feel fear… fear of being judged, criticized, blamed, and even fired.
Jeff, a manager in one of my Managing and Leading programs, shared how he regularly deals in hope. He doesn’t just delegate an assignment or project; he makes an invitation with a simple yet powerful phrase delivered enthusiastically, yet sincerely:
“This is your chance for greatness.”