What does a team really expect from a leader? The four pillars of leadership according to the Gallup Institute

For years, I have been working with leaders and teams who want to better understand themselves and others. And although each of them works in a different industry—from IT to education—their questions are the same: “How can I be a leader that people really want to listen to?”

The answer is provided by the latest Gallup Global Leadership Report: What Followers Want (2025). Gallup researchers asked more than 30,000 people from 52 countries what they need most from their leaders.

It turned out that regardless of culture, industry, or age, people around the world expect four things from their leaders: hope, trust, compassion, and stability.

These are simple words, but in my work with leaders, I see how they translate into real decisions and emotions within teams, and I also see that they encapsulate the entire psychology of effective leadership.

1. Hope – the energy that drives action

According to a Gallup report, as many as 56% of respondents indicated that their most influential leaders give them hope. This is not a motivational slogan, but a concrete feeling that “I know where we are going” and “it makes sense.”

In my coaching practice, I often see that leaders with talents such as Strategist, Visionary, or Maximalist naturally bring a vision of the future. When they help the team see the meaning of change, resistance disappears.

Reflection exercise:

Think about the last time you told your team where you are going, not just what needs to be done. For many employees, this is the difference between “work” and “mission.”

2. Trust – consistency between words and actions

The second most important need identified by observers in the Gallup study is trust. For 33% of people, it is what makes them want to follow someone.

Trust comes from consistency and transparency. Not from perfection, but from authenticity.

Teams don’t need infallible leaders, but ones who can admit, “I don’t know yet, but let’s look for a solution together.”

Talents such as Responsibility and Impartiality help build a culture based on credibility.

In many coaching sessions, I heard the phrase, “When I started saying outright that I needed time to think about decisions and learn more, the team began to trust me more.”

3. Compassion – see the person, not just the result

Gallup uses the word compassion here – empathy, caring. Although only 7% of respondents indicated this need, it has the greatest impact on well-being and engagement.

In a team where people feel seen, burnout levels decrease and mental resilience increases.

From the perspective of CliftonStrengths, this sensitivity is often brought about by relational talents – Empathy, Closeness, and Developing Others.

4. Stability – calm amid change

The last pillar identified by Gallup is stability – a sense of security and clear rules in times of uncertainty.

In an era of remote work, reorganization, and strategy changes, it is stability that gives people a solid foundation.

It is not about the absence of change, but about how it is communicated.

When a leader clearly states, “We are changing direction, but the goals remain the same,” the team feels predictability and calm.

In CliftonStrengths, this dimension is supported by talents from the Execution domain, such as Organizer and Accountability — those that provide structure and a sense of security.

Why teams today need leaders, not managers

A Gallup report shows that leaders in the workplace today have almost as much influence on people’s quality of life as their loved ones.

This is a huge responsibility — but also an opportunity.

When a leader gives hope, builds trust, shows compassion, and provides stability, they realistically improve the well-being of their team.

In the Gallup study, people who have such a leader are more likely to feel that their lives are satisfying (38% vs. 33%) and less likely to experience suffering (6% vs. 9%).

In a world where so much is changing, it is the quality of the leader-team relationship that determines whether people want to stay, engage, and trust.

Summary

Strengths-based leadership starts with self-awareness.

When a leader knows their talents and understands the four needs of people—hope, trust, compassion, andstability—they can have a real impact on the motivation and peace of mind of their team.

In my coaching work, I often see the moment when leaders realize:

“I don’t have to be someone else to be effective. All I have to do is learn to consciously use what I already have.”

This is the essence of strengths-based development.

If you want to get to know your talents better and understand how to build leadership based on them, I invite you to reflect, talk, or have a first session.

Sometimes one meeting is enough to see that the way you lead people really matters.