I’m kicking off 2026 by sharing a series of leadership lessons that have been especially impactful for me over the past few months. These are lessons I’m actively learning—or, in some cases, relearning. My aim is to help you examine your leadership and make any necessary adjustments.
The week before Christmas, I had a candid conversation with one of my direct reports. It was one of those conversations where we openly shared what was on our hearts. Given that the final months of 2025 carried their share of difficulty and stress, there was a lot beneath the surface for both of us.
Of all the feedback I received, what was most convicting was this: my lack of encouragement.
My employee pointed out that I had been an encouraging leader earlier in 2025—but frankly, I was not one during the last few months of the year.
I owned and accepted that feedback because it was accurate. I shared that one of my deficiencies as a leader is my tendency to become so fixated on tasks and performance that I fail to offer encouragement. That’s not an excuse, but an explanation. I acknowledged that, as an Enneagram 1—wired toward perfection—it can be especially difficult to lead well if I’m not operating from a healthy place. When that happens, it can be challenging for others to work under my leadership.
Then, I apologized for my lack of encouragement.
Going forward
As a leader, I can’t go backward—but I can always go forward. To that end, I’ve set up a weekly reminder to intentionally practice encouragement with this individual and others on our Executive Team. For example, in early January, I spoke up during an Executive Team meeting to express my appreciation for the team’s efforts the previous week. Several people had worked all weekend on a project to ensure our customer had what they needed by Monday morning. I shared that my sisters and I noticed their sacrifice and were genuinely grateful.
I’ve also doubled down on expressing appreciation to the individual who brought this issue to my attention—not because they asked for it, but because I now see their work more clearly and sincerely value it. None of this is performative. It’s genuine, and it shines a light on their unique giftedness.
There is someone on your team who needs encouragement.
Seek them out this week. Say the thing you’re hesitating to say.
You are worth following when you do.