Fostering hope: a leader's first and last task

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the article is to call upon educational leaders to consider the forces that hinder hope‐giving and to consider viewing their work as inspiring warranted hope among their constituents in situations of well‐defined reality.

Design/methodological/approach

The author argues that hope is an essential component of leader agency which when unhindered and defined in a multidimensional fashion may be used to transform the experiences of learning communities.

Findings

The author argues that leaders who foster warranted hope in constituents will gain transformational leverage to improve educational practice and the experiences of learners and their communities.

Practical implications

The author provides leaders with an overview of the utility of a reality‐based notion of hope that may serve to legitimate and focus constituent energies and make sense of key organizational challenges.

Originality/value

Provides a unique framing and synthesis of the multi‐dimensional concept of hope into the context of educational leadership, association with relevant allied constructs, and the challenges of education in the twenty‐first century.

Citation

Walker, K.D. (2006), "Fostering hope: a leader's first and last task", Journal of Educational Administration, Vol. 44 No. 6, pp. 540-569. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578230610704783