Reflections From 36,000 Feet: A View on Leadership Lessons in 2025

2025 has been a whirlwind, in the best possible way. I have just finished my last big trip of the year.

From Hong Kong to Riyadh, I’ve had the privilege of connecting globally with bold, brilliant leaders facing a world in flux.

Executive education, like every other sector, is also in a state of constant change. Exciting tech. New delivery models. Rising expectations. Leaders need to continually level up their skills, and we must be ready to support that growth.

What’s on leaders’ minds?

While there was no shortage of wide-ranging topics explored in my conversations with leaders this year, a few consistent themes kept showing up.

Leading with a Global Perspective

Everywhere I went, the message was the same: leaders can no longer rely just on knowing what’s happening in their regional and local markets. Global macro trends, geopolitical shifts, cross-cultural norms, supply chains, talent dynamics, and technology developments are all connected. Not everyone needs to be a geopolitical expert, but effective leaders are the ones who can spot big patterns and act on them. They also maintain a strong external focus even when day-to-day noise and urgent deliverables narrow the view.

Why does this matter? Leaders who understand current and emerging global forces make more informed decisions and stay ahead of disruptions that could otherwise catch them off guard. They are also better prepared to spot and capitalize on emerging opportunities.

Digital Fluency is Everyone’s Job

Leaders need to continually elevate their technical and digital proficiency. AI, automation, and digital disruption aren’t side projects, or exclusive to the CTO. It is essential to understand what’s emerging, to stay familiar with relevant tools, and to consider potential implications. The best leaders are always sharpening their digital capabilities and building digital confidence.

Why does this matter? Leaders who are digitally fluent set themselves up to guide smarter investments and ensure their teams and organizations don’t fall behind.

Thinking in Scenarios, Moving with Agility

In a world defined by fast tech shifts, rising customer expectations, economic uncertainty, and intense competition, detailed multi-year plans alone don’t hold. You need to think in scenarios, and be ready to experiment, make fast adjustments, and rewrite assumptions again and again. Quick thinking. Deep thinking. Constant learning and recalibration. This is the new baseline for leadership.

Why does this matter? Leaders who plan flexibly can respond quickly, reduce risk, and capitalize on opportunities others are too rigid to see.

Change Saturation Has Set In

Leading change used to be seen as a project with a clear start and finish. Not anymore. Today’s change is far more obscure, and changes are often layered on changes. Big transformations are mixed with constant micro-adjustments. We’re not wired for endless waves of change. And this challenge sits alongside already significant staffing pressures: teams are stretched, under-resourced, and exhausted.

Paying attention to the ripple effects on others and setting a realistic pace are important. As are frequently check-ins and communicating simply and clearly. Supporting teams through the emotional side of change is a foundational leadership skill.

Why does this matter? Leaders who manage change thoughtfully offer critical support to overwhelmed teams, reduce the risk of burnout, protect performance, and maintain trust during nonstop transformation.

Recognize the Quiet Leaders

Earlier this year I wrote about leadership that happens outside of the spotlight. The quiet and often unseen leadership work that is essential. You need to anticipate and address issues before they escalate. And it’s not just senior leaders. Informal leaders and individual contributors are stepping in more often to fill gaps and keep momentum alive. They spot something that needs attention and jump on it. Organizations that recognize and reward quiet leadership position themselves to move faster and outperform.

Why does this matter? Leaders who surface and support the hidden leadership that helps get things done strengthen resilience, accelerate progress, and build a healthier leadership culture.

Where are leaders focused?

Successful leaders are both broad in perspective and deep in execution. The best leaders I spent time with had a few things in common. Here’s what they’re doing that helped drive results.

Breaking down the impossible

At a time when the risk of inertia is real, the best leaders are consistently turning overwhelming challenges and priorities into manageable, bite-size steps. They create momentum with small wins, especially as momentum seems to consistently beat perfection. These leaders are helping their teams move forward, even when the path isn’t entirely clear, and unlocked progress when others got stuck. This ability to make the “impossible” feel doable has become a signature leadership skill.

Balancing the now and what’s next

Almost every leader I spoke with acknowledged the dynamic tension between navigating urgent daily pressures, delivering results, and making space for long-term strategy and planning. One cannot be done at the expense of the other. Finding time to look six months ahead feels nearly impossible most of the time, and more decisions now need to be made with incomplete information. Expectations pile up quickly. The leaders who stood out are delivering on their necessary short-term priorities while still advancing long-term objectives.

Building culture and empowering teams

Leaders need teams that execute well, take ownership, and move with intention. The strongest leaders are building environments where people feel supported, are clear on expectations, and most of all, are trusted to deliver. They pair high standards with empathy and shift from phrases like “I didn’t have time” to “I didn’t prioritize it.” Prioritizing and re-prioritizing is critical. As is supporting others to do the same. This mindset is helping teams navigate responsibilities, manage trade-offs, and hold one another accountable.

Developing decision-making capability

Leaders are making more decisions than ever, often with higher stakes and less clarity. I found the differentiator was the leaders who balanced speed with depth while maintaining confidence and composure. I saw great decision-makers building these muscles through repetition: making choices, learning from them, adjusting, and improving the quality of their judgment over time.

Creating meaningful connections

Leaders who were considered exceptional by their teams, were taking time to check in, ask thoughtful questions, listen deeply, and offer personalized support. Teams have long craved better communication, not just more. Ambiguity slows progress leads to confusion, and creates unnecessary rework. To build true alignment, the leaders who rose above were communicating with precision, transparency, and compassion. They were consistently clear, personal, and intentional in their communication. This is not a nice-to-have, it’s the standard.

Some final thoughts

Across all the conversations this past year, five core attributes of successful leaders stood out.

1. Stay agile and adaptive. Staying plugged into what is happening in the world, and being ready to iterate, shift, and course correct as needed. Reflecting often and evolving quickly as circumstances change.
2. Prioritize time and energy. Focusing on doing the work that truly matters and avoid getting pulled into unnecessary noise. Balancing immediate pressures with long-term goals so time and energy stay aligned with what’s most important.
3. Lead with empathy, compassion and humility. Showing up as a human first and creating an environment where people feel safe to share and do their best work. Caring deeply and expecting excellence.
4. Communicate deliberately. Communicating with clarity and intention to help teams understand the plan and what’s changing. It’s not just about frequency (although that matters) as much as it is about communicating what is relevant to others in a way that resonates. Effective communication is a genuine leadership superpower.
5. Be curious and learn continuously. Staying curious, thinking bigger, and actively seeking out opportunities to build knowledge and practice. Keeping forward momentum and growing, no matter how experienced you are.

I see 2026 picking up right where 2025 leaves off. So, leaders:

1. Be curious.
2. Expect the unexpected.
3. Stay agile.
4. Execute with intent and hold others accountable for the same.
5. Try something (lots of things) new.
6. Communicate clearly and often.
7. Keep close and support your teams.
8. Take care of yourself. Prioritize health, energy, focus and rest.

2026 won’t wait. Be ready, be bold, and bring your team with you.