It started with a simple realisation: a principal noticed that teachers were disengaged, students lacked motivation and the school felt stagnant. Was it the policies? The initiatives? No – it was the invisible habits.
Every morning, the principal went straight to emails and administrative tasks, unintentionally staying in the office most of the day. He believed he was leading, but his habits were actually making him invisible.
When he started changing one thing – walking the halls for 30 minutes daily – everything shifted. Teachers opened up, students felt seen and engagement skyrocketed. The invisible habit was the key.
The Science of Psychological Hope and Leadership
As an educator and researcher focused on psychological hope, my goal is to measure and raise hope in leaders and with the people they lead.
Psychological hope isn’t just about wishful thinking; it is a measurable and research-backed construct that combines goals (having a clear and compelling direction), agency (belief in one's ability to achieve goals) and pathways (strategic thinking to overcome obstacles). Hope is not passive optimism; it is an active framework that leaders can cultivate to drive motivation, resilience and long-term success.