What Followers Want From Their Leaders

A recent Gallup study confirms that globally, followers need trust, compassion, and stability from their leaders, but above all, they need hope. More than half (56%) of desired leadership attributes focus on hope. And, if leaders deliver what followers need, they can improve others’ wellbeing, Gallup found.

Regarding the workplace specifically, leaders hold tremendous potential to improve lives. More than one-third (34%) of employed individuals cite someone from their work environment (manager, colleague, or organizational leader) as most influential, just slightly fewer than those who name a family member (44%). Again, most (65%) followers emphasize the need to see hope from organizational leaders.

Family leadership plays an integral role in daily life, though, with 57% of adults naming a family member as the most influential leader in their lives. Including those who mention a friend (5%), more than three in five adults cite a loved one.

Overall, hope (56%) stands out as the dominant need among followers, and trust (33%) is also fundamental. Compassion (7%) and stability (4%) together account for about one in nine positive leadership traits.