People will either be empowered, empower themselves or leave. All the time of course we are talking about Western, market-driven economies. For example, it is suggested that Americans enjoy a more optimistic outlook than Europeans. Enthusiasm comes essentially from your love of the work you are doing. Optimism is more an innate predisposition to view the world in a certain way.
European cultures are older and more cynical than American ones.
But optimism is also a question of the environment. It would be difficult to be optimistic in Kosovo at present. Yet, at the edge of our consciousness is a feeling that it won't last. So optimism is a function of both environment and genes. The most consistent criticism of CEOs I have met within my studies is that they were aloof, reluctant to get out and mix it with the troops, to listen and argue, even to change their minds occasionally, genuinely to share with their colleagues their vision of the future.