“Hope is the only medicine to deal with uncertainty courageously.” - Berna Merih
Leaders create working environments that cultivate hope. Cultivating hope is one of the essential components of resilience, our ability to deal with uncertainty and adversity. Hope is often considered an emotion, a feeling of optimism, the belief that all will turn out better. However, hope goes beyond optimism. Optimism itself is passive, but hope involves an action-oriented strength. So, What is HOPE ?
Hope is a way of thinking, an active cognitive process that can be learned, taught, and even measured. According to the American Psychologist Charles R. Snyder’s Hope Theory, there are three components associated with hope: "Goals, Pathways, and Agency."
🎯 Goals: Having a clear vision about where you want to be or whom you want to become.
🎢 Pathways: Thinking of options and possibilities while exploring and trying alternative ways to reach your goal.
🦸🏻♀️ Agency: It is the motivation and perseverance to pursue pathways towards the desired goal. It is the belief in the self and the power of “I can.”
Hope is the combination of motivation, planning, and achievement. Hope is about working through what is possible by experiencing small victories as well as setbacks towards the desired big goal despite obstacles, with a sense of purpose, feeling of motivation, and sense of agency. Hopeful thinking requires the ability to stay flexible, be open to disappointments, and be tolerant of obstacles.
It is important for everyone and especially for a leader to spotlight “hope,” because working intentionally on developing and nurturing hope not only improves physical, psychological, and social well-being, it increases the motivation levels, boosts confidence and belief in a brighter future.
Cultivating hopefulness now, helps us get the most ROI from the future.
📌 Create awareness and alignment around purpose and desired goals
📌 Build flexible systems and processes that support problem-solving and possibility thinking
📌 Facilitate the communication channels to anticipate and discuss obstacles
📌 Empower, motivate, and encourage your people
📌 Design an appreciative environment to celebrate small wins
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