Ice-breakers
A handy and flexible tool to make your meetings more dynamic and engaging!
Friday night, my manager called me into his office to discuss Gallup’s 2025 report: Gallup Global Leadership Report – What Followers Want. And guess what ranked as the number one need? Hope.
This report highlights the importance of hope as a fundamental need for employees and emphasizes the crucial role of leaders in transmitting it. This reading deeply troubled me. A strange coincidence, I was just thinking about the exchange that took place earlier today in the Oval Office between Presidents Zelensky and Trump. An "exchange" that, instead of inspiring, plunged me into deep despair.
That night, I had trouble sleeping. I had always associated hope with those facing extreme hardships: patients with serious illnesses, people living in war zones and conflict areas, etc. But realizing that I, too, as a simple employee in a prosperous company in a "rich" country, feel the need for hope from my leaders haunted me for hours. By morning, I had found some answers and concrete actions that I want to share with you.
In a world of uncertainty - economic crises, geopolitical tensions, climate disruption - we all seek solid anchors, both external and internal. But in turbulent times, confidence in a brighter future flickers like a fragile flame.
This need for hope is not limited to the personal sphere; it is also reflected in our professional environments, which play a major role in our lives. We expect from our leaders not only clear direction but also an inspiring vision that gives meaning to our work and our future.
Hope is essential, but it cannot rest solely on the leader’s shoulders. Leaders aren’t expected to be the single source of light in a sometimes-dark world. Their role isn’t to offer magical solutions or mask difficulties with blind optimism. Instead, they must cultivate an environment where hope naturally emerges, allowing people to look toward the future with confidence and purpose.
Here is how:
A leader can’t always change external realities, but they can help their teams understand why their work matters. When we lose sight of the impact of what we do, motivation crumbles—along with hope.
👉 Example: Instead of telling a team, "We need to achieve 10% growth this year," a leader can say, "Thanks to your work, our clients are receiving faster and more efficient solutions. You are making their daily lives easier and building our reputation."
Hope arises when we see that our effort goes beyond just completing a task: that it serves a vision, a mission, something greater.
Hope cannot grow on unstable ground. When uncertainty prevails, employees need to know they can rely on solid foundations: transparency, consistency in decisions, and clarity in expectations.
👉 Example: A manager who announces a strategic change without explanation creates stress. On the other hand, if they take the time to say: "Here’s why we are changing course, what this means for you, and how we will support you.", he provides anchor points. Even in uncertainty, we can trust if we know where to step.
Hope is believing that tomorrow will be better than today. But for that to happen, we need to feel that we're making progress. A leader who celebrates small victories helps their team see that every effort leads somewhere.
👉 Example: A collaborator who is making progress but doubts themselves needs an outside perspective to recognize their growth. A simple "I noticed how you handled that difficult file, and it was impressive." is enough to revive his motivation and hope. It’s not flattery for the sake of flattery, it’s making visible what deserves to be acknowledged.
One of the greatest engines of hope is the belief that a better future is possible. A leader doesn’t just promise growth - they create the conditions for it.
👉 Example: Instead of saying: "You're good in what you do, keep on", a leader can ask: "What would you like to learn this year? How can I help you progress toward your ambitions?" It transforms hope into something concrete: a trajectory, an opportunity, a perspective for growth.
Hope at work isn’t just the leader’s responsibility. It emerges through interactions, company culture, and the opportunities an organization provides. A leader initiates the movement, but they cannot be its sole driver.
In a rapidly changing world, a leader’s role is to open doors to new possibilities and nurture hope. They are not expected to carry their team’s emotional weight, but rather to create an environment where trust, transparency, and collective commitment sustain hope.
Hope isn’t a burden - it’s an energy to be shared and cultivated. It is this energy that pushes us forward, fuels our evolution, and helps us believe in a better future - one that we shape together.
Thus, a leader is not a savior but a messenger of a realistic, lasting, and inspiring hope. And in this shared hope lies our true strength.
[1] What Do People Need Most From Leaders?
A handy and flexible tool to make your meetings more dynamic and engaging!
"Janine, we're equals here. I just have a different role and responsibilities than you. You don't respect me less or more by calling me by my first name. I want to earn respect from my colleagues."
Identify the practices you already master and those that need to be implemented
Deploying modern, effective, and deeply human leadership is not easy. It's demanding. Sometimes uncomfortable. But above all, it has become essential.
C’est exactement ce que
The art of asking questions is a leader-coach's primary tool, enabling him to stimulate learning, facilitate creativity, improve performance, mitigate risk and build confidence.
What happens when trust is weakened within a team? Jorj tells us about it in this video, in collaboration with the Ordre des CRHA.
We look forward to hearing from you to learn how we can support you.