"The past year saw unprecedented change and turmoil in the labor market, from pandemic-era layoffs to AI fundamentally and tangibly turning the workforce on its head. But it's in these times of uncertainty and transition that leadership becomes of paramount importance. In 2025, the very nature of leadership itself morphed along with the times, and specific themes resonated with readers in specific ways. And they're bound to remain very much in the game heading into 2026."
"We live in a world of quiet quitting and more workers rejecting hustle culture and the rise-and-grind that defined the last couple of decades. While there are valid reasons fuelling some of this behavior-workers holding steadfast in their desire for work-life balance, for example, or resisting corporate control when they can be brazenly let go at the drop of a hat-other team members may simply be phoning it in or slacking."
"Entrepreneur. Author. Executive. Board member. Founder. Teacher. Storyteller. These are just a few labels business leaders may gravitate toward when describing their careers, or even current roles. Nowadays, multi-hyphenated monikers not only better describe the full dimensionality of a leader's skills, but also how success involves lots of paths, not a straightforward ladder to a single title. Awareness of this multifaceted quality gained more attention in 2025-especially for women, write Alison Moore and Nada Usina."
The labor market experienced unprecedented change and turmoil, driven by pandemic-era layoffs and rapid AI adoption that reshaped jobs and expectations. Leadership rose in importance as organizations navigated uncertainty, shifting how leaders operate and what skills they need. Managing underperformers became a priority amid quiet quitting and rejection of hustle culture, with underperformance often linked to prioritizing optics over coaching and compensation over addressing issues. Leaders increasingly embraced multi-hyphenate identities—entrepreneur, author, executive, teacher—recognizing multiple career paths and transferable skills. The multifaceted nature of modern leadership fostered resilience and adaptation, and these themes are likely to continue influencing leadership into 2026.
Read at Fast Company
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