#359 Why Hope Is a Leadership Skill - Jen Fisher
The Being Human Podcast with Richard Atherton
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Show Notes
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Is hope naïve or is it the missing ingredient in modern leadership?
In this episode of Being Human, I speak with Jen Fisher, former Chief Wellbeing Officer at Deloitte and author of Hope Is the Strategy. After experiencing severe burnout herself, Jen discovered that hope isn’t wishful thinking — it’s a measurable, actionable skill grounded in research.
We explore why burnout may actually be a symptom of hopelessness, how leaders unintentionally kill hope through language and behaviour, and why cultivating agency, multiple pathways, and honest truth-telling transforms culture. Jen shares practical tools, including hope audits, hope spotting, and the power of vulnerability in leadership.
We discuss:
- Burnout as a crisis of hopelessness
- What real hope actually means
- Leadership language that builds or kills hope
- Practical tools to cultivate hopeful cultures
Links:
Jen’s Website