Over the course of 2025, I’ve spent a lot of time sitting at leadership team tables.
Tables where the agenda is full and the conversations move quickly.
Tables where leaders show up prepared, committed, and deeply invested in their schools and organizations.
And no matter where I am, I keep noticing the same thing.
Leadership teams are carrying far more than whatever shows up on the agenda. They’re holding the tension between instructional priorities and behavioral realities. They’re balancing support for teachers with accountability. They’re navigating staffing challenges, parent expectations, compliance demands, and the daily work of culture—often all in the same meeting.
In the middle of it all, they’re also trying to take care of one another.
Those repeated conversations throughout 2025 have shaped what I’m seeing as we head into 2026. The trends below aren’t predictions or theories—they’re reflections grounded in the real leadership work happening in schools and organizations every day.
If you’re a leader—or part of a leadership team—my hope is that naming these trends helps you pause, reflect, and move forward with greater Clarity and intention.
This isn’t just individual fatigue.
It’s collective.
Leadership teams that care deeply are carrying the cumulative weight of sustained effort. They’re supporting staff through change, navigating complex student and Family needs, and absorbing pressure so others can keep doing their work.
What feels different now is the honesty.
More leaders are naming their exhaustion out loud—in leadership meetings, Coaching conversations, and even with their teams. That honesty matters because it creates space for healthier conversations about workload, priorities, and support.
This isn’t a sign of weakness.
It’s a sign that leaders are becoming more self-aware and more willing to acknowledge the human side of leadership. And that awareness is often the first step toward sustainable change.
Overwhelm isn’t coming from too much work.
It’s coming from unclear priorities.
When leaders and leadership teams lack clarity, everything feels harder. Decisions take longer. Energy gets scattered. Tension builds—often not because people disagree, but because they’re not aligned.
Clarity changes the experience of leadership.
Clarity around what matters most right now.
Clarity around how success is defined.
Clarity around what can wait—and what cannot.
As we head into 2026, clarity isn’t a luxury. It’s a survival skill that helps leaders focus their time, energy, and attention where it will have the greatest impact.
Culture work can’t be postponed or delegated.
Leaders are seeing the cost of neglecting culture—Burnout, turnover, fractured trust, and disengagement. They’re also seeing how intentional culture-building can stabilize teams, strengthen Relationships, and create environments where people want to stay.
Culture isn’t built by one leader.
It’s built daily by leadership teams through the behaviors they model, the conversations they allow, and the expectations they reinforce.
What leaders choose to address—or ignore—sends a message.
What they celebrate shapes what people value.
In 2026, culture will continue to be a defining factor in whether organizations can retain people, rebuild trust, and sustain momentum over time.
A noticeable shift is happening.
Leaders are moving away from compliance-driven approaches that rely on checklists, mandates, and top-down directives. Instead, they’re leaning into coaching—asking better questions, offering feedback, and supporting Growth.
Compliance may produce short-term results.
Coaching builds long-term capacity.
Leadership teams that adopt a coaching mindset are creating environments where people feel seen, supported, and challenged to grow. That approach not only improves practice, but also strengthens trust and engagement.
As we move into 2026, leaders who invest in coaching—rather than control—will be better positioned to develop their people and navigate complexity.
One of the most powerful trends I’m seeing is this:
Leadership teams are finally saying, “We’re doing too much.”
And then they’re acting on it.
They’re stepping back to evaluate initiatives, questioning long-standing practices, and letting go of work that no longer aligns with their priorities or values.
Simplification isn’t about lowering expectations.
It’s about focusing on what matters most and doing that work well.
As leaders head into 2026, this willingness to simplify—to say no, to narrow focus, and to protect time—may be one of the most impactful leadership moves they make.
These trends aren’t separate—they’re deeply connected.
Tired leaders need clarity.
Clarity supports culture.
Strong culture is built through coaching.
Coaching and clarity make simplification possible.
As you look ahead to 2026, consider taking time—individually or as a leadership team—to reflect on which of these trends resonates most with your current reality.
Not to fix everything.
But to get clear.
Because the leaders and teams who will thrive in the year ahead won’t be the ones doing the most—they’ll be the ones leading with intention, alignment, and purpose.
Tune in this Sunday to the “Leaning into Leadership” podcast, where I’ll further unpack this along with some reflections from 2025, plus a look back at 2025’s #oneword and unveiling my one word for 2026.
