“I hope so” is the go-to response to questions ranging from trivial to world changing.

However, wishing and hoping – as the legendary 1960s singer Dusty Springfield reminded us – won’t consistently yield the desired result.

And yet, Napoleon – who was by all accounts a results-oriented leader – said that “A leader is a dealer in hope.”

So which is it? Is hope your Achilles heel that dooms you to obscurity? Or, is hope your greatest source of motivation and inspiration?

The answer is both.

While you can’t overlook the impact of good fortune and luck, hope has never been an effective strategy for achieving your goals. The Roman philosopher Seneca was correct: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

Hope, on the other hand, is the state of mind that sustains commitment to your purpose. It is the internal drive that keeps you and your team moving forward in the face of resistance. Hope inspires engagement, and it is the nourishment that feeds resilience.

Hope isn’t a useful strategy. It is crucial to your culture in a world where demands are high, competition is fierce, disruption is everywhere, and people feel as if the world is changing faster than they can keep up.

Here are three things you can do right now to inspire hope that motivates action to deliver positive results.

Be a realistic optimist

Valuing candor and honesty is a consistent presence in cultures that deliver positive results. Nothing ever changes until you tell yourself and others the truth.

That said, no one voluntarily follows a leader into battle when the rallying cry is, “We’re doomed! Now go give it your best!”

Realistic optimism is what Napoleon meant when he talked about being a “dealer in hope.” Be honest in the challenges on the road in front of you, and be optimistic in your confidence that your team can succeed.

Focus on strengths

I overheard a disturbing conversation in the Charlotte AAdmirals Club last Thursday. A man in an obvious leadership role was on a call to one of his employees. His entire conversation was focused on the employee’s poor performance on an assignment and culminated with these words: “I thought you were going to be different, but you are just as worthless as all of our other employees.”

Only the most hardcore, old-school, “my way or the highway” leaders would even imagine this statement although that doesn’t prevent the rest of us from less blatant transgressions. Leaders destroy hope when they constantly belittle their people.

Encourage others’ hopes and dreams

The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s  “I Have a Dream” speech has inspired the world since he gave it in 1963. Did you know that Dr. King didn’t use his now famous phrase until approximately 11 minutes into it? In fact, the phrase that has become synonymous with leaders inspiring hope was part of his planned text.

The famous words “I have a dream” were inspired by a shout from legendary Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson who was seated near him: “Tell them about the dream, Martin. Tell them about the dream.”

If Dr. King had stopped after the first 11 minutes, his speech would likely be remembered for the phrases “Now is the time” and “We cannot be satisfied.” The difference is because someone encouraged him to articulate his hopes and dreams.

Inspiring and encouraging hope is your job as a leader. Don’t rely on it as a strategy, but never underestimate its power to galvanize action toward positive results.

Our wish for you as you enter 2020 is simple. May all your hopes be supported by action to deliver positive results.