What Leaders Carry (January Expectations)

2026 is here. What the HECK!!!

So 2026 is here and I sure you are asking "How do I start strong?"

I had to take a moment as the calendar flipped. For most of us, this should be a time of reflection.

In the past, I have turned my attention immediately to plans, priorities, and what success should look like this year, rather than making time for reflection.

For us as leaders, we have to realise that work goes beyond strategy and targets. Much of what shapes the year ahead happens quietly, before any results show up.

I have found that the unseen work often looks like this:

• Making time for reflection and lessons learnt

• Learning to be comfortable with discomfort

• Sitting with uncertainty while still giving clear direction

• Taking on pressure so teams can stay focused on their work

• Making early decisions without all the answers

• Being mindful of your own tone and reactions, because they set the mood

• Holding onto clarity when pace increases, and noise creeps in

None of this appears in dashboards or reports. But it directly affects trust, focus, and momentum.

If you don’t recognise this part of leadership, you won’t make space for it.

And when it’s ignored, it affects you directly over time.

As the year begins, some of the most critical leadership work may be the work no one notices.

What is your first focus in 2026?

#StartingStrong #2026Leadership #NexusConnectNZ