The Leadership Reset: What Every Executive Should Reevaluate Going into 2026

Have you ever noticed that the most transformative conversations happen in the quiet weeks before the new year?

Recently, we’ve spoken with several technology and operational leaders who are excited, and sometimes cautiously, to “make 2026 the year things finally get better and improve.” They have new projects in mind, new tools to implement, and new ways of working they want to introduce.

But many leaders, regardless of sector, confess… “We’ve tried to improve things before… but real change hardly ever seems to stick around here.” This is where the real leadership reset begins, not with new ideas or technologies, but with a critical look at how organizations plan, communicate, execute, and absorb change.

As 2026 approaches, here are the core areas every executive should reevaluate.

1. Reconnect Your Vision, Strategy, and Roadmap Most organizations create their strategic plans with the best of intentions. But over time, plans drift, roadmaps get outdated, and initiatives start competing for attention instead of reinforcing one another. The reset starts here:

   • Does your 2026 roadmap still reflect your actual priorities?

   • Are your improvement efforts tied directly to mission, goals, and measurable outcomes?

   • Are your technology, cybersecurity, and operational plans aligned or functioning separately?
     

   When leaders reconnect these pieces, they stop managing a collection of unrelated tasks and start steering a single, coherent direction.
   

2. Make Change Management a First-Class Citizen

   Many organizations treat change management as something “we’ll get to if we have time.” But the truth is straightforward, an unplanned change will always cost more and achieve less. Heading into 2026, executives should evaluate:

   • Do your project plans include communication, training, and feedback cycles?

   • Are you proactively preparing staff for change rather than surprising them?

   • Is there a structured way to anticipate resistance and respond?

   
   

   A roadmap without change management is just a wishlist. A roadmap with change management becomes a plan people can follow.

   
   

   For additional insight, this aligns closely with the concepts in Embracing Change especially around education, communication, and reinforcement .

   
   

3. Leverage One Change to Support Another

   One of the most underused leadership tools is change chaining, using the momentum of one positive shift to create readiness for the next. For example:

   • A new ticketing system can become a catalyst for simplifying workflows.

   • A cybersecurity upgrade can spark conversations about broader cyber culture improvements (as highlighted in Integrating Cyber Into Your Culture).

   • A communication update can open the door to new transparency or performance dashboards.

   
   

   Leaders often treat changes as isolated events, when in reality, they can, and should, support each other. When you intentionally align changes, your organization isn’t “starting over” each time. You’re building a rhythm.

   
   

4. Build and Reinforce a Culture of Change Acceptance

   Change acceptance isn’t something you turn on in January and turn off in June. It’s an ongoing cultural foundation—one rooted in:

   • Listening to those closest to the work

   • Explaining the why, not just the what

   • Rewarding positive behaviors, not punishing mistakes

   • Creating safe spaces to raise concerns or suggest improvements

   
   

   This echoes several principles from both Embracing Change and Operational Optimization observing real workflows, learning from staff, and seeking new perspectives. Change sticks when people feel seen, heard, and supported. Organizations that normalize change become organizations that excel at it.

   
   

5. Strengthen Executive Collaboration and Consistency

   Perhaps the biggest leadership reset is the simplest, your teams will follow the example you set. If executives are aligned, consistent, communicative, and modeling the behaviors they want to see, change becomes far easier. If they are fragmented, uncertain, or contradicting one another, even unintentionally, change slows or stops entirely. Executives should enter 2026 asking:

   • Are we communicating as a unified leadership team?

   • Do we model transparency, accountability, and adaptability?

   • Are we collaborating across departments or working in silos?

   
   

   In many cases, fractional leadership support can help bring clarity, focus, and stability echoing the advantages described in Fractional Leadership Resources.

   
   

6. Plan for People, Not Just Projects

   Every improvement, technology, process, or operational, ultimately affects people. Those people:

   • Need clarity

   • Need time

   • Need to understand the purpose

   • Need support adjusting

   
   

   Executives who build their 2026 plans with the human experience at the center will see higher engagement, better adoption, and stronger long-term success.

2026 will reward leaders who are:

• Strategic

• Coordinated

• Communicative

• People-focused

• Change-ready

It’s not about doing more, it’s about doing what matters, and doing it with intention.

Now is the moment to step back, reassess, and reset your leadership approach.

Not because change is coming but because change is already here.

If this topic resonates and you’d like to discuss how change management, strategic planning, or leadership alignment could support your 2026 goals, Sage 497 Consulting LLC would be happy to schedule a conversation.