This post from Curt Rosengren really struck a cord with me… It’s a great question for leaders….
If we’re going to make a positive change in the world, hope is a prerequisite. And that sense of hope can be either fed or depleted by what you choose to let into your brain to begin with……. Two simple questions.
- What information am I choosing to focus on? Does it feed or drain my sense of hope?
- Who do I surround myself with (literally or through reading their blogs, etc.)? Do they feed or drain my sense of hope?
Then, of course, comes the all important step of taking action….
- What steps can you take to bring more of what feeds that sense of hope into your life?
- What steps can you take to reduce or eliminate more of what drains it?
It’s important for leaders to give people hope, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte knew this too he is quoted saying that "leaders are dealers in hope". Hope is one of a leaders greatest possessions, without it a leader ceases to lead! What worldview are you creating?
Technorati Tags: Hope, Pessimism, Optimism, Positive, Negative, Quotes, Question, Leadership, Attitude
Related posts:
John Riley
uberVU - social c...
Atsu23 (Atsu Sakaki)
Calvin Bacon
Cassandra
Christine Polewar...
dagnabbit_ (auburn)
davidburkus
donna wells
eliza
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
This was really timely for me today – thank you!
Hi George. I really enjoy your posts as you manage to address key issues so well.
On this post, looking at tomorrow’s leaders, I think we have so many potential young people who are creative, entrepreneurial and could impact SA in a BIG WAY! But sometimes it seems like the system is against them [leading to more of those negative world views than are actually necessary - my rant here -> http://out-think.blogspot.com/2007/11/calling-all-real-players-in-sa-put-your.html
My question is how do we empower these young lions before they either get totally bogged down by organisational rubbish, or head off for greener pastures elsewhere? Tough one, but if we can find the answer to that and let them loose on SA [and the world] – what possibilities!
I have to disagree that hope is an important posession of leaders. The first definition of hope is: To wish for something with expectation of its fulfillment. Yikes!
Confidence and optimism are, to me, hardier than the vague and flimsy hope.
As the great book by Rick Page asserts, Hope is not a Strategy. Hope is passive.
In my own life, I have personally found that giving up hope creates a space for extraordinary and unexpected things to happen.
Thanks, George.
While you may have posted this a couple of years ago, I found it via a Google search today when I got fed up with all of this negative posturing I’ve been finding on the web and in the world! What the F?! Anyway, I choose positive uplifting expanding evolving hope and truth. We wouldn’t have been put here just to experience the crap that so many people want to infect us with. Jeez Louise!
Thank you again for reminding me that I have the choice to believe in the good and prosperity that is available to ALL of us.
Let’s continue to spread the good word (not meaning at all to sound religious although the organized have seemed to commandeer that term). Life is awesome and always worth the experience!