Is HOPE becoming mainstream in business? I certainly hope so. Two events inspired me to make this the topic of today. The Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (#CECP2023) is an association made up of senior leaders in some of the largest organizations in our country who are responsible for their corporate giving. They come together to share best practices on how they continue to invest millions of dollars in community programs that make the world a better place. I was so inspired to be one of their keynote speakers, and it was an honor to learn of their extraordinary efforts to change the world for the better.
The second event is coming up next month in Aix en Provence put on by the Cercle des économistes (#REAIX). It is an economic summit that is held every year for leaders in France and other countries to discuss ideas to make the world better. They just announced their theme: “Re-creating HOPE”. They will be discussing the evolution of societies and learning from the resiliency of the past. They believe that collectively, they have the capacity to overcome societal economic challenges. They are willing to optimistically find solutions. How cool is that?
These are two groups that bring together extraordinary leaders from powerful entities and the theme is around changing the world through hope and corporate giving. What can we learn from this? It got me thinking of three things we can do to bring hope to the forefront at our jobs, at a local level.
1. Celebrate your own wins. Look at how far you’ve come. Give yourself a moment to realize that what you’ve gone through can give you hope to continue to fight the good fight. Know that if you face challenges today, then tomorrow is another day to make things better.
2. Create a culture of hope around you by reminding team members of the purpose and vision for your company. Celebrate how close you are to meeting team goals. Give people a reason to engage in their work knowing that they are making a difference. And, when you are reminded of how you make a difference, then that brings hope to you and those around you.
3. Be more cognizant of hope. Look for it. I guarantee if you look for things that bring you hope, you will find them.
Here’s to hope being mainstream and may you be filled with hope today.
Your Head Usher,
Marilyn
