Hope isn’t just a feel-good emotion; it’s a powerful leadership tool for driving success. Unlike passive optimism, hope combines willpower—the drive to get the outcome you’re hoping for—and waypower—charting a clear path to follow—making it a strategic force in workplaces that want to thrive. Here’s how to cultivate hope and turn it into a competitive advantage.

Set shared goals. Unite your team by grounding goals in shared values. When people recognize their common purpose, they’re more engaged and motivated. For example, Patagonia’s mission, “We are in business to save our home planet,” resonates deeply with its employees. What’s your organization’s unifying mission?

Empower autonomy. Hope thrives when people feel like they have control over their future. Delegate meaningful tasks, loosen managerial constraints, or introduce initiatives that allow employees to explore their own ideas. Focus on what people can control, like building skills or achieving milestones, to foster hope at the individual level.

Celebrate progress. Small wins matter. Recognize and celebrate accomplishments, no matter how incremental. Highlighting achievements reinforces a sense of agency and creates a positive feedback loop that fuels hope for future success.
This tip is adapted from “The Strategic Power of Hope,” by Jamil Zaki.
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