The Four Pillars of Leadership: What People Need Most to Thrive

Leadership isn't just about authority - it’s about trust, support, and the ability to inspire. Gallup’s recent Global Leadership Report: What Followers Want highlights what people worldwide truly seek from leaders. Across 52 countries, four key traits emerged as essential for effective leadership: hope, trust, compassion, and stability.


Hope: The Foundation of Great Leadership

The most frequently cited leadership trait - by a wide margin - is hope. Hope accounts for 56% of all attributes tied to positive leadership, far surpassing trust (33%), compassion (7%), and stability (4%). When leaders provide hope, they create a sense of possibility, direction, and confidence in the future.


Data shows that when people associate hope with their leaders, their overall well-being improves. Thriving - measured by how positively people rate their current and future lives - rises from 33% to 38% when hope is present, while suffering declines from 9% to 6%. This demonstrates the profound impact hope has on engagement, motivation, and performance.


Trust: The Cornerstone of Reliability

Trust is the foundation of any successful leader-follower relationship. Leaders who are honest, transparent, and consistent in their actions build credibility and foster a culture of engagement.


Research shows that when employees trust their leaders, one in two are engaged, compared to just one in twelve when trust is lacking. Trustworthy leaders create an environment where employees feel safe to share ideas, take risks, and collaborate effectively.


Compassion: Leading with Empathy

Compassion in leadership means recognising employees as individuals beyond their job roles. Leaders who show genuine care and empathy build stronger connections, leading to increased morale and loyalty.


When employees feel valued and supported, retention improves, and they become more motivated to contribute their best work. A culture of compassion fosters teamwork, enhances communication, and creates a more fulfilling workplace experience.


Stability: Creating Confidence in Uncertain Times

In a rapidly changing business landscape, stability is crucial for maintaining employee confidence and productivity. Leaders who provide clear direction, consistent communication, and a sense of security help teams navigate uncertainty effectively.


Employees who believe in their company’s financial stability are nine times more likely to be engaged at work. Stability reassures employees that they can focus on their roles without fear of sudden disruptions, fostering long-term commitment and organisational success.


The Link Between Leadership and Performance

Gallup’s research reaffirms that leadership directly influences employee engagement, productivity, and retention. Leaders who provide hope, trust, compassion, and stability create workplaces where people not only stay but thrive. The most successful leaders understand their strengths, lean into them, and apply them to meet these core needs.


Leadership for the Future

As businesses navigate AI-driven changes, market shifts, and evolving workforce expectations, leadership must remain people-centric. Understanding and meeting the fundamental needs of followers isn’t just a leadership strategy - it’s a business imperative.


Kaliba is a search and recruitment firm dedicated to the recruitment of executive and specialist professionals working in tech and IT sales. If you're looking for leaders who drive performance and business success, get in touch with us today.




Kaliba is a specialist executive search and recruitment agency, connecting leaders with the companies shaping the future of technology. Follow us on LinkedIn for more great news and insights.

Recent Posts

Tech Sales Pros: 10 Ways to Win the New Financial Year (Australia)

By Shazamme System User • June 16, 2025
With the Australian financial year reset in July, tech sales professionals have a fresh runway to exceed targets, refine strategy, and stay ahead in a market shaped by smarter buyers, AI acceleration, and shifting expectations. Here’s how to approach FY25 with purpose and precision.

AI Is Becoming a Teammate – What That Means for Tech Hiring

May 12, 2025
Microsoft’s latest Work Trend Index confirms what many of us in tech recruitment are already seeing: AI isn’t just a tool, it’s reshaping how teams are built, how work gets done, and what skills employers need most. From a survey of 31,000 people (including 1,000 in Australia), three clear trends emerged: 1. Productivity Pressure Is Driving Change  47% of Aussie leaders say productivity needs to improve. But 79% of employees and leaders feel they’re already stretched thin. Constant interruptions - meetings, notifications, emails - mean tech talent often lacks the space to do deep, focused work. 2. AI Agents Are Joining the Team “Frontier Firms” are leading the charge. These are businesses using AI agents not just to automate, but to make decisions. They’re thriving: globally, 71% of their workers report strong business performance, versus 37% in more traditional firms. In Australia, 75% of leaders expect to use AI agents to scale workforce capacity in the next 12–18 months. Microsoft describes the next evolution as AI becoming a “digital colleague.” Not just doing tasks, but contributing to strategy, internal comms, and GTM planning, with human oversight. 40% of Aussie leaders are already automating entire workflows. And while 37% are considering headcount reductions as AI adoption grows, 70% are planning to hire AI-focused roles. 3. It’s Not AI or People — It’s Both Removing people to cut costs with AI might be tempting, but it risks weakening innovation and resilience. The businesses that win will be the ones that balance automation with human expertise, and upskill their teams to work alongside AI. That’s especially true in the tech sector, where demand is rising for professionals who can: Work effectively with AI systems Understand how to train, prompt, or oversee AI agents Blend technical know-how with sound judgement 4. The Real Gap? Confidence, Not Tech 71% of leaders say they understand AI agents Just 31% of employees do That’s a wider gap than the global average, and one that needs urgent attention. This isn’t just a tech rollout problem. It’s a leadership and hiring challenge. What It Means for Tech Hiring At Kaliba, we’re already seeing a shift in role briefs: More focus on AI integration , data literacy , and change leadership Demand for professionals who can balance human-centred thinking with AI-enabled efficiency Leaders hiring for AI fluency , not just coding skills Hiring in this new era means building hybrid teams - where humans and AI collaborate - and hiring people who are ready to lead in that environment. Curious how other tech businesses are hiring for this shift? We’d love to hear from you: How is your business adapting its hiring strategy around AI? Are AI agents already part of your team? Need help hiring for your team across APAC? Reach out to our Directors for a chat.
Social Share

Tech Sales Pros: 10 Ways to Win the New Financial Year (Australia)

By Shazamme System User • June 16, 2025
With the Australian financial year reset in July, tech sales professionals have a fresh runway to exceed targets, refine strategy, and stay ahead in a market shaped by smarter buyers, AI acceleration, and shifting expectations. Here’s how to approach FY25 with purpose and precision.

AI Is Becoming a Teammate – What That Means for Tech Hiring

May 12, 2025
Microsoft’s latest Work Trend Index confirms what many of us in tech recruitment are already seeing: AI isn’t just a tool, it’s reshaping how teams are built, how work gets done, and what skills employers need most. From a survey of 31,000 people (including 1,000 in Australia), three clear trends emerged: 1. Productivity Pressure Is Driving Change  47% of Aussie leaders say productivity needs to improve. But 79% of employees and leaders feel they’re already stretched thin. Constant interruptions - meetings, notifications, emails - mean tech talent often lacks the space to do deep, focused work. 2. AI Agents Are Joining the Team “Frontier Firms” are leading the charge. These are businesses using AI agents not just to automate, but to make decisions. They’re thriving: globally, 71% of their workers report strong business performance, versus 37% in more traditional firms. In Australia, 75% of leaders expect to use AI agents to scale workforce capacity in the next 12–18 months. Microsoft describes the next evolution as AI becoming a “digital colleague.” Not just doing tasks, but contributing to strategy, internal comms, and GTM planning, with human oversight. 40% of Aussie leaders are already automating entire workflows. And while 37% are considering headcount reductions as AI adoption grows, 70% are planning to hire AI-focused roles. 3. It’s Not AI or People — It’s Both Removing people to cut costs with AI might be tempting, but it risks weakening innovation and resilience. The businesses that win will be the ones that balance automation with human expertise, and upskill their teams to work alongside AI. That’s especially true in the tech sector, where demand is rising for professionals who can: Work effectively with AI systems Understand how to train, prompt, or oversee AI agents Blend technical know-how with sound judgement 4. The Real Gap? Confidence, Not Tech 71% of leaders say they understand AI agents Just 31% of employees do That’s a wider gap than the global average, and one that needs urgent attention. This isn’t just a tech rollout problem. It’s a leadership and hiring challenge. What It Means for Tech Hiring At Kaliba, we’re already seeing a shift in role briefs: More focus on AI integration , data literacy , and change leadership Demand for professionals who can balance human-centred thinking with AI-enabled efficiency Leaders hiring for AI fluency , not just coding skills Hiring in this new era means building hybrid teams - where humans and AI collaborate - and hiring people who are ready to lead in that environment. Curious how other tech businesses are hiring for this shift? We’d love to hear from you: How is your business adapting its hiring strategy around AI? Are AI agents already part of your team? Need help hiring for your team across APAC? Reach out to our Directors for a chat.

Hiring in #GTM? Here’s what you need to know right now!

By Shazamme System User • March 13, 2025
The Go-To-Market (GTM) landscape is evolving rapidly. Whether you're hiring AEs, SEs, Sales Leaders, or Customer Success professionals, competition for top tech sales talent is intensifying. As tech recruiters, we see what’s working – and what’s not – every day. Here are three key hiring trends GTM leaders should be aware of: Tech sales professionals want more than a high OTE Compensation is always a factor, but today’s candidates are weighing culture, career growth, and flexibility just as much. If your offer isn’t competitive across all three, you’ll lose top talent to companies that provide a more well-rounded opportunity. Speed is critical in 2025 The best GTM candidates don’t stay on the market for long. If your hiring process drags out, they’ll be off the table. Two-stage interviews are becoming the standard – anything beyond that, and you risk losing strong candidates. Product-market fit matters – to candidates too Top GTM talent isn’t just looking for a job; they want to sell solutions that genuinely solve a problem and have clear market demand. Companies should be prepared to sell themselves to candidates as much as candidates sell to customers. Here's how to secure the best GTM talent... ✔️ Have a clear hiring process – and move fast ✔️ Ensure your compensation and culture are competitive ✔️ Engage candidates early – they are assessing you too! What has been your biggest challenge in hiring GTM talent lately?  Whether building your GTM team or exploring new career opportunities, consider partnering with Kaliba to optimise and elevate your experience in the technology landscape across APAC. Connect with us today!