5 Leadership Skills You’ll Actually Need in 2026

So, here’s the state of play for the majority of the world’s working population:

• Remote working is pretty normal now.
• The growth of AI continues to be an intriguing, and maybe slightly terrifying prospect.
• There’s more pressure than ever on leaders to be caring, authentic people... not frighteningly authoritarian machines.

And wouldn’t you look at the time? It’s getting pretty late in 2025.

While there’s still time to get plenty done this year, let’s preview season 2026 of Earth, and the leadership skills you’ll want to develop (in yourself and your team) to make it another successful one.

Strategic Agility: Because Plans Are Suggestions, Not Laws

What is the five-year plan?
Well... whatever it is, don’t get too attached. Sticking to it rigidly could end up doing more harm than good.

This isn’t a new idea, but if recent history has taught us anything, it’s that planning for the future as though today’s reality will still apply tomorrow is... brave.

Market shifts, tech curveballs, bizarre political activity… take your pick. The real skill is being able to pivot without spiralling and bringing your team with you in the process.

The companies thriving right now? They’re not clinging to tradition. They’re curious, adaptable, and genuinely in love with the process of evolving - optimising, rethinking, and building back stronger every time.

Your strategy needs to be malleable so it bends without snapping, whilst also being manoeuvrable so it can be steered somewhere better should its current route begin to unravel before your eyes.

Picture this: your competitors have just integrated new AI tools into their operations and are now delivering in days what used to take weeks. Meanwhile, your team’s still grinding through spreadsheets like it’s 2015.

Do you freeze? No. You call a meeting, assess the gap, explore tools that make sense for your context, and pivot.

You’re not expected to have every answer. What matters is showing you’re willing to adapt, learn, and move with purpose. That kind of clarity under pressure? It builds trust... and keeps you in the race.

And here’s the kicker, none of this works without clear, honest communication. Pivoting isn’t just about making the right move; it’s about bringing people with you.

When you explain why you’re changing course and how it ties back to the bigger picture, you turn confusion into alignment. Agility without context just feels like chaos.

Agility with clarity? That’s leadership.

Tech-Comfortable Beats Tech-Phobic

You don’t need to be a coding genius. But you do need to get increasingly comfortable with tech, data, and analytics.

The leaders who’ll thrive are the ones asking smart questions, embracing new tools, and using data to make more informed decisions, not just gut calls. It’s not about knowing everything; it’s about staying open to what’s possible.

Don’t be afraid of what you don’t yet understand. Stay curious. Use what’s at your disposal. Learn as you go. The goal isn’t perfection… it’s progress, guided by insight, not guesswork.

Being digitally savvy isn’t about mastering every platform. It’s about having the appetite to learn, the humility to be an amateur sometimes, and the wisdom to know that evolution beats ego every time.

Leadership is increasingly driven by data over instinct, so knowing how to spot opportunities for efficiency, innovation, and competitive advantage? That’s a modern-day superpower.

Take this… your company’s rolling out a new AI-powered analytics tool. Some leaders might resist, preferring the comfort of the old way. But that comfort comes with a cost: falling behind.

The digitally savvy leader takes a different route. They champion the new tool, highlight how it’ll automate the tedious stuff, and frame it as a chance to focus the team’s energy on more meaningful, impactful work.

It’s not about hype and trends… it’s about progress.

Speak With Purpose, Listen With Intent

Nobody likes to feel left in the dark, or worse, like what’s being said isn’t really for them.

For years, we’ve been drowning in mumbo jumbo. People saying things because they sound important, not because they are. It’s performative at best, confusing at worst.

Teams don’t want that. People want clarity. Authenticity. No fluff. Say what you mean, and say it with meaning. Be transparent with the “why” behind your message. It helps people actually understand what you’re saying... and more importantly, why it matters.

But communication is a two-way street. If one lane is a clear, fast road to somewhere useful, the other can’t be permanently blocked and gridlocked.

If lane one is talking, lane two, of course, is listening.

The first part of this is being the kind of person people want to speak to, which means being visible, open, and approachable.

Listening isn’t just sitting quietly while someone talks. It’s being fully present and actually taking in what’s being said.

It also means creating space for people who might not naturally speak up. Not everyone’s going to raise their hand in a meeting or dive into a group chat. A good listener knows when to invite someone in... and when to shut up and let the silence do its job.

It’s in the follow-up too. When someone shares feedback, do they see it reflected in what happens next? If not, it wasn’t listening, it was a performance.

Listening builds trust. It shows respect. And if you’re trying to lead people without it? Good luck. Because nobody follows someone who makes them feel unheard.

Great communication also leans heavily on emotional intelligence, understanding not just what’s being said, but how it’s landing.

It’s about noticing the unspoken signals, adapting your tone, and responding with a level of empathy that builds real connection.

Leadership When the Calm Turns to Chaos

You can’t work in today’s world without expecting interruption.

Now, imagine if your entire working life played out under the exact same, unchanging circumstances. Like floating down a calm stream, no surprises, no turbulence, just blissful tranquillity from start to finish.

Maybe that sounds idyllic, but it’s also far removed from reality.

Leaders who stay steady, empathetic, and forward-thinking when the water rises, or when that calm stream turns into unpredictable rapids tilting the boat left and right, those are the ones who succeed.
Not because they avoid the chaos, but because they know how to stay upright in the middle of it.

This doesn’t mean you need to pretend everything is fine all the time. It means helping your team face uncertainty without being overwhelmed by the potential magnitude of it.

And this isn’t a skill you develop when the moment arrives. The time to learn how to use a fire extinguisher is not while the house is already on fire. Today is a better time than any to get started.

Cooking Up Collaboration

Here’s one for the metaphor fans:
Leading is a lot like cooking. You’ve got all these brilliant ingredients that, when combined properly, can create something even more brilliant.

But leave out a key part of the recipe or throw it all into an oven that’s way too hot, and the end result is... less than ideal.

Your team is a mix of diverse talent and voices, and it’s your job to bring those elements together in a way that delivers something outstanding.

That means no one gets left out. And it means the environment you create has to support the outcome you want. If people don’t feel included or the conditions aren’t right, the whole thing falls flat, no matter how good the ingredients are.

The best leaders in 2026 will be team builders. They’ll create inclusive, psychologically safe spaces where people feel empowered to do their best work, and where momentum builds naturally as others contribute theirs.

Collaboration shouldn’t feel like a nice occasion. It should feel like the default. A steady rhythm where ideas bounce, voices are heard, and the outcome is stronger because everyone had a seat at the table.

Get that right, and you won’t just have a team... you’ll have a recipe for real, repeatable success.

Wrapping it up...

Leadership in 2026 won’t be about having all the answers.

It’ll be about having the right mindset, agile, tech-aware, clear in your communication, calm under pressure, and ready to collaborate.

The world’s moving fast. The tools are changing. Expectations are rising.

But the good news? These skills aren’t reserved for a select few. They’re learnable, buildable, and absolutely worth the effort.

So, whether you’re leading a team of ten or influencing across an entire organisation, start now. Lean into the discomfort, try new things, and create an environment where others can do the same.

Future you, and your team, will be glad you did.

We support people and teams to achieve exactly this, so if you are unsure where to start or if you are looking to get started with these development opportunities, talk to us today here.

Many thanks,