The Leadership Trait that Transcends All Sectors in 2025

Leaders from all aspects of life (organizational, medical, political, celebrity, family, religious, etc.) succeed if they are able to meet the four needs of followers: hope, trust, compassion, and stability, according to Gallup’s 2025 Global Leadership Report.

Why it matters: Since the initial study in 2005, the four needs that followers seek from any leader has remained consistent without regard to sociopolitical change.

By the numbers: Hope and trust emerge as fundamental.

• 56% of respondents identify hope as a primary need. 

• 33% identified trust as the second-most desired trait in leaders.

• 7% identify compassion and 4% stability as positive leadership traits.

Takeaways for business leaders: 

Employed respondents are “only slightly less likely to name someone from their work environment (34%) as they are to name a family member (44%) as the leader who has the biggest positive impact on their lives.”

Organizational leaders, educators and celebrities are most likely to be identified as leaders from which followers desire hope, as opposed to family or friends.

• 64% of followers look to the organization’s leader for hope compared to managers (59%) and colleagues (58%) in the same organization.

• Young people, aged 18 to 29 in particular, seek hope from leaders (57%) nearly twice as much as trust (32%), and more than their older colleagues.

The bottom line: People worldwide seek the four identified traits from their leaders, with hope and trust as foundational. Understanding these needs can help CHROs and other business leaders build relationships and inspire others to lead people through changes in the world of work.