It’s whether people feel heard in meetings.
Whether different communication styles are respected.

The leaders who choose to treat diversity as a core business strategy will be the ones who shape the future.

This year, I encourage leaders to think about how their teams can make a meaningful difference, not only today but all year long. Small actions, multiplied across an organization, create extraordinary impact.

Whether it’s mentoring someone who’s early in their career, donating to a cause that aligns with our values, or offering our time and skills where they’re needed most, generosity fuels progress.

Building cultures where courage guides decision-making will be key to success moving forward.

Because courage compounds.
And the future will belong to the organizations bold enough to lead with it.

Sometimes it’s showing up authentically even if it goes against the norm. And sometimes it’s refusing to stay silent when silence protects fear instead of people.

I believe that in the future, values alignment will be as critical to retention and performance as compensation or career mobility.

In a world where certainty is rare, clarity of process becomes one of the most powerful leadership tools we have.

I believe that the leaders who will succeed in the future will be those who can lead through uncertainty with transparency, grounded judgment, and a willingness to choose a path when none of them feel easy.

1) Map the tradeoffs
2) Pressure-test the plan
3) Use principles to guide decisions, not just policies
4) Name the change

These habits lead to a more sustainable future when purpose becomes practice and not just a performance.

But that doesn't mean that organizations aren’t abandoning their values. They’re simply evolving how they express them.

We’re now seeing the rise of quiet corporate activism, which focuses less on making headlines and more on making habits.

I believe that cultivating balanced courage, the kind that listens as much as it leads, may be one of the most critical differentiators in leaders moving forward.

What does “exercising courage” look like in your work right now?

Finding the balance between the two is key. Too little courage leads to hesitation and inaction. Too much can tip into recklessness or overconfidence.

It’s not about keeping up with every new platform or metric; it’s about having the courage to stay human, to listen, to empathize, and to make trust the measure of success.

I believe that the strongest marketing and communication strategies begin where all relationships do — with understanding people.

The courage to engage thoughtfully and to reflect the values that define you without fueling division may be the most essential leadership skill of our time.