You Are A Creator Of HOPE!

Hi everyone,

This week as I was reading through some of my previous articles and I came across a concept that I spent many years promoting and that was the responsibility of leaders to create HOPE.

As I read through it, I was encouraged again to realise how important the role of leadership is, and how vital it is that we not just fix things, but we offer HOPE, especially in these very uncertain times.

HOPE is not just a short-term gain or experience, real HOPE is being able to look ahead and know deep down inside that whatever happens, it is going to be OK and we are all in this together.

So many leaders are speaking gloom and then wondering why gloom happens.

The fact is that people will follow us to HOPE or to HOPELESSNESS – We determine where we take them.

If we choose the path of HOPE then a group of individuals can achieve anything, but if we choose HOPELESSNESS then we are in for a world of pain, frustration and conflict. The problem is that if we don’t consciously choose HOPE then we usually head down that HOPELESSNESS track without even realising it.

So, here is what creating HOPE means for our leadership role. Our responsibility is to:

H – Health – Look after the health of your organisation – Culture, DNA. Create a sense of pride in who you are and what you do.
O – Opportunity – Look for opportunities and take them with both hands but bring our people with us.
P – People – Look after our people, encourage them and help them to discover where they can play a role in working towards something exciting both personally and professionally while also understanding exactly where they fit in.
E – Expectation – create the expectation that if we look after each other and the organisation and we seek opportunity and follow through, then things will get better. That is what HOPE is.

Every week I like to challenge myself and others to be a better leader and this week is no exception.

Ask yourself, “what message am I putting out there?”

Do I believe that there is HOPE or am I getting caught up in the spiraling path of HOPELESSNESS and wondering why my team are displaying those behaviours also.

We will continue to go through tough and frustrating times, but it is up to us as to how we handle those times and how we come out the other side.

Hey leaders, it is our responsibility to foster HOPE, but it must start with our own lives.

If you don’t believe in HOPE for yourself, then you find it hard to foster it in others. It has to start with us.

So, lets flick the switch of HOPE on this week, because what is the alternative?

Have a great week full of HOPE.

Des Penny
Co-CEO & Founder
Proteus Leadership