Episode recap:

This episode focused on hope in the workplace, starting with a discussion with Dr. Alex Lovell, head researcher and vice president at the O.C. Tanner Institute, and covering a recent O.C. Tanner study that revealed a decline in employee hopefulness. Marcel transitioned to a lively conversation with Jen Fisher, author of Hope Is the Strategy, and one of the world’s first chief well-being officers. They explored how leaders can cultivate hope by using language that builds rather than kills hope, emphasizing curiosity, empathy, and transparency. Jen explained that hope requires clear goals, acknowledgment of current reality, and identifying multiple pathways to achieve those goals. They also discussed the limitations of wellness programs alone in improving employee well-being and the need to address cultural and behavioral factors in the workplace. The conversation concluded with Jen encouraging listeners to become “hope dealers” by helping others identify possibilities and support their potential. 

Guest Bio:

Jen Fisher is a global authority on workplace well-being, the founder and CEO of The Wellbeing Team and the author of Hope Is the Strategy: The Underrated Skill That Transforms Work, Leadership, and Wellbeing.  

Dr. Alex Lovell is the Vice President of the O.C. Tanner Institute and a political psychologist focused on the human side of work—specifically, how organizations can better foster appreciation, identity, belonging, and fulfillment to unlock human potential. 

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Show Notes

Quotes:

• Alex Lovell
  • Employees are seven times more likely to be engaged when they feel hopeful 
  • When people don’t see a path forward and don’t believe they can follow that path, there is no way they can get there 
  • Recognition and belonging are one of the strongest antidotes to hopelessness 
  • When teams aren’t inclusive, employees are 513 percent more likely to feel burned out 
  • Our younger workers don’t see a future anywhere, not personally and not professionally 
• Jen Fisher
  • Hope is not an emotion; it is a cognitive and behavioral process 
  • Do you want to lead a hopeful organization or a hopeless one? 
  • People need to believe that your strategy will leave them better off tomorrow than they are today 
  • Never in the history of telling someone not to worry have they not worried 
  • Be a hope dealer and help people see possibilities 

Takeaways:

1. Hope is a measurable leadership skill that requires clear goals, multiple pathways, and agency 
2. Employees who feel hopeful are significantly more engaged and resilient 
3. Gen Z workers are struggling to see a personal and professional future, making belonging and recognition essential 
4. The language leaders use can either build hope or quietly destroy it 
5. Transparency and telling the whole truth reduce anxiety and strengthen trust 
6. Wellness programs alone cannot fix broken work design or culture 
7. Rebuilding hope starts with identifying and taking the next small step 
8. The future of work must intentionally preserve humanity alongside advancing technology. 

Timestamps:

0:00 — Welcome to the Love and Action Podcast 

0:33 — Topic Introduction: Hope 

2:05 — Introducing Dr. Alex Lovell 

4:06 — AI Helping Us to Find Solutions 

8:20 — Key Findings: Hopelessness at Work 

11:10 — Generational Divide in Hope 

14:10 — Gen Z and the Need to Feel Seen 

18:05 — Inclusion, Belonging, and Recognition 

20:10 — Engagement Link: Hope Drives Performance 

22:05 — Practical Solutions: Connection and Relationships 

23:10 — Practical Solutions: Goals and Small Wins 

24:05 — Where to Find the Report + Resources 

23:30 — Jen’s Story: Burnout, Cancer, Caregiving 

29:42 — Setting Clear Goals 

32:11 — Be the leader Setting Examples 

37:10 — Hope as Strategy: Goals, Pathways, Agency 

40:10 — Hope in Practice: Leadership Communication 

44:07 — Language of Hope: Builders vs Killers 

46:00 — Hope Dealers and Possibility Thinking 

48:13 — Leading with the Whole Truth 

55:15 — Why Wellness Programs Aren’t Enough 

55:15 — Human is the Path Forward in Leading Organizations 

1:00:05 — Final Takeaways & Closing 

Conclusion:

Hope is not wishful thinking, and it is not a soft leadership trait reserved for idealists. It is a disciplined, practical skill that drives engagement, fuels resilience, and restores belief in the future of work. From global research to personal recovery stories, this episode makes one thing clear: when leaders cultivate belonging, speak possibility, and tell the whole truth, people perform differently. In a time when burnout is rising and uncertainty is constant, hope becomes the competitive advantage. The leaders who choose to become hope dealers will not only transform their teams, but they will also shape the future of work itself. 

 Links/Resources:

Dr. Alexander Lovell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderlovell/

OC Tanner Global Culture Report: https://www.octanner.com/global-culture-report

Jen Fisher website: www.jen-fisher.com

Jen Fisher on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jen-fisher-cwbo/

WorkWell Podcast with Jen Fisher: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-workwell-podcast/id1381561571

O.C. Tanner website: https://www.octanner.com/

O.C. Tanner Global Culture Report: https://www.octanner.com/global-culture-report

Inc. Article Summary: https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/human-resources-hopelessness-epidemic-work-leadership/91246729

Episode #112 with Jen Fisher: https://www.marcelschwantes.com/jen-fisher/

Jen Fisher’s Book “Hope Is the Strategy: The Underrated Skill That Transforms Work, Leadership, and Well-Being”: https://a.co/d/0glJUsxN

Substack: https://marcelschwantes.substack.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcelschwantes/

Twitter/X: https://x.com/MarcelSchwantes

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9fO2r_ZQ3wy5ie522f-DTQ

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