TLP454: The pain train is coming. Are you ready? with Dr. Hope Zoeller

Dr. Hope Zoeller is the Founder and President of HOPE (Helping Other People Excel), LLC, a consultancy dedicated to helping organizations cultivate effective and impactful leaders. 

In this episode, Hope shares why so many leadership programs fail and what companies must do to see real results. Drawing from her experience in corporate leadership, academia, and executive coaching, she unpacks the critical gaps between theory and practice, the hidden power of institutional memory, and why most organizations struggle with succession planning.

Hope also challenges leaders to rethink how they engage their teams, emphasizing the importance of asking the right questions in 1:1 conversations and creating a culture of accountability. She dives into why so many leaders today feel burned out and reactive—and what they can do to regain control and lead with intention. 

If you’ve ever wondered how to build stronger leaders, make training stick, or future-proof your organization, this conversation is for you. Listen now and start leading differently.

https://bit.ly/TLP-454

 

Key Takeaways

[04:19] Hope shares how her time in corporate America shaped her leadership perspective. She worked in training and development for years, but when she was pushed into a different role despite her passion, she knew it was time to make a change. "It wasn't about the benefits or the stock. It was about making a difference."

[07:06] Leadership training often fails when it’s just a checkbox exercise. Hope emphasizes the need for intentional development tied to company values. "If you're just checking a box, you might be better off not checking it at all."

[11:11] Institutional memory can be a roadblock to progress. Hope describes employees who are "keepers of the failure data"—they remember every past mistake but don’t help find solutions. She reframes the conversation: "You were here when it was bad—so what would it look like if it worked?"

[20:42] Leaders often resist one-on-one meetings, seeing them as unnecessary, but Hope argues they are essential. "How many of your meetings are actually valuable? Wouldn't your time be better spent investing in your people?"

[23:30] Many companies neglect succession planning because they haven’t felt the pain of not having a pipeline. Hope warns, "The pain train is coming." Organizations that fail to prepare will struggle as the workforce shrinks and leadership gaps widen.

[29:41] Many leaders today feel burned out and disconnected from their workforce. Hope believes companies need to make it safe for leaders to talk about these challenges. "We have to make it okay to say, 'I'm tired. I need support.' Otherwise, we risk losing our best people."

[33:44] Hope shares a powerful analogy: "I can’t help every leader, but I can help some. If we all do that, think about the collective impact we can have."

[35:58] And remember, “It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed.” -  Napoleon Hill 

Quotable Quotes

"It wasn't about the benefits or the stock. It was about making a difference."

"If you're just checking a box, you might be better off not checking it at all."

"The pain train is coming. Are you ready?"

"People don’t leave organizations. They leave people."

"It’s not your people who quit and leave that you have to worry about—it’s the ones who quit and stay."

"We’re not aiming for perfection. We’re aiming for progress."

"I can’t help every leader, but I can help some. If we all do that, think about the collective impact we can have."

“Coaching should not be punitive. It should be positive.”

"I say as a leader, we need to be asking regularly how we're doing and be checking in.”

"Keep showing up. Keep doing the work. Don't, you know, I've got a leader that right now she's so—she thought she was making progress. She got some feedback, and it just set her back to zero. She's like, is this even worth it? And days are going to be hard, and they're going to be harder. I think we're not moving into easier times, we're moving into harder times. So keep showing up and know that you're doing the work, and it will eventually pay off. It will eventually pay off. It's a long game."

 

This is the book mentioned in this episode

 

Resources Mentioned

• The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com

• Sponsored by | www.darley.com

• Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com

• Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com

• HOPE LLC Website | www.hopeforleaders.com

• Hope Zoeller Facebook | www.facebook.com/hopeforleaders

• Hope Zoeller LinkedIn  | www.linkedin.com/in/hopezoeller

• Hope Zoeller Instagram | @hopezoeller