Leadership insights 2026: What we’ve noticed so far this year.

January has been busy. But more importantly, it’s been revealing. Across very different organisations and industries, the same leadership themes keep surfacing… Different contexts but very similar realities. Here’s what leaders are really working on right now:

1: Alignment beats talent

Strong individual leaders don’t automatically make strong leadership teams. The real work is aligning around how decisions get made, who owns what, and how teams commit together — especially in complex, matrixed organisations.

2: Trust = Speed

Trust isn’t about comfort or consensus. It’s about whether teams can challenge hard, decide fast, and still leave the room fully committed when the pressure is on.

3: Ownership at all levels

There’s a clear shift away from “someone else will handle it” to personal accountability:

  • What do I own?
  • How do I show up?
  • What do we need from each other to perform?

4: AI is forcing a leadership behaviour shift

AI adoption isn’t a technology problem – it’s a mindset and behaviour challenge.
Leaders are being asked to: Be bolder, faster, and more experimentalLet go of certainty and controlLearn on the go, adapt quickly, and role-model curiosity even when you failTransformation now favours those willing to act before everything is clear.

5: Presence over Perfection

In environments of constant change, people don’t expect leaders to have all the answers. They’re watching how leaders show up — with openness, clarity, and commitment.

6: Shared Language creates momentum

When teams share a language for decision-making, commitment, recognition, and accountability, energy lifts – and behaviours stick long after the sessions end.

The Big Insight

The organisations that will outperform in 2026 won’t be the ones with the most polished strategies.

They’ll be the ones with teams who can:

  • Make bold decisions with imperfect information
  • Build trust under pressure
  • Embrace AI-driven change through behaviour, not just tools
  • Commit fully — and move together

Reach out to Explore if you’d like to learn more about how we can support