Introduction.
Hope is increasingly invoked as a vital resource for addressing grand challenges such as climate change, geopolitical conflict, and societal polarization. Yet, paradoxically, this resurgence comes at a moment when hope itself appears in decline, particularly in the Global North, where disillusionment, fragmentation, and ecological anxiety undermine collective well-being. This paradox invites critical reconsideration: might prevailing, individualistic conceptions of hope be part of the problem? How might hope be reimagined in a more collective manner so that leaders of organisations can more readily confront the complexities of a polycrisis world?


Purpose.
The purpose of our study is to examine whether decline in hope reflects the limits of traditionally individualistic conceptions (cf. Snyder, 2002). From preliminary data collection in the Global South, we observe that hope can endure despite profound adversity.


Method.
We adopted an abductive research approach and conducted two waves of in-depth interviews with not-for-profit leaders in Southern Africa. Initial analysis drew on resilience literature, but iterative comparison with other literatures redirected our focus toward hope. To sharpen this lens, we conducted additional interviews explicitly addressing hope, pro-social motivation, and identity.


Results.
Our findings suggest two refinements to existing theory. First, hope may extend beyond individual agency and pathways to include a relational dimension, sustained through belief in the agency and efficacy of others. Second, relational hope appears grounded in a deep sense of connection, not only among humans but also with the natural world.


Conclusions.
If hope remains confined to individual agency, global challenges may increasingly outstrip personal capacity, risking despair and eroding resilience. We discuss, based on our findings, whether framing hope more in terms of relationships and interconnectedness (with other humans and nature) could enable leaders in the Global North (of non-profit and other organisations) and society more generally to cultivate shared agency, meaningful responses and well-being in relation to the polycrisis.