Stop Saying 'Hope Is Not a Strategy' (Science Proves You Wrong) with Kathryn Goetzke

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide and suicidal thoughts that may be triggering for some listeners. If you're experiencing thoughts of suicide, please know you're not alone - you can reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline 24/7 by calling or texting 988.

In this episode of The WorkWell Podcast™, Jen Fisher opens with a powerful personal reflection on her own journey with hope, challenging the dismissive phrase "hope is not a strategy" and reframing hope as both a comfort and a challenge—not just something we feel, but something we do. She then speaks with Kathryn Goetzke, CEO and Chief Hope Officer of The Shine Hope Company, whose evidence-based work proves that hope is a measurable, teachable skill with profound implications for workplace wellbeing, productivity, and retention.

Episode Highlights:

• How Kathryn's personal experiences with loss and recovery led to her mission of teaching hope as a skill
• The SHINE Hope Framework: Stress skills, Happiness habits, Inspired actions, Nourishing networks, and Eliminating challenges
• Why hopelessness is the single consistent predictor of suicide and a primary symptom of depression
• Evidence that as hope increases, anxiety and depressive symptoms decrease
• How hope scores directly correlate with workplace engagement, productivity, and retention
• The business case for hope: 53% of parents miss a day of work each month due to their children's mental health
• Practical ways leaders can model and foster hope in workplace settings
• The distinction between hope as a wish versus hope as an evidence-based strategy

Quotable Moment:
"Hope is a strategy. We've done the research to prove that the higher in hope your workforce is, the more likely they are to show up to work, be engaged, achieve goals, and overcome obstacles." - Kathryn Goetzke