As a new year begins, leaders everywhere are looking for clarity: what actually mattered last year, and what’s worth carrying forward. This inaugural edition of the Leadership Development Digest (formerly Leadership Development Carnival) offers exactly that—a curated collection of the most thoughtful, practical insights from 2025, selected to help leaders strengthen their impact and support others’ growth in the year ahead. Inside, you’ll find 18 standout articles that challenged assumptions, sparked meaningful reflection, and translated big ideas into real-world leadership practice. Consider this your reset and your head start.
Alongside my colleagues, Diana Peterson-More, Jennifer Kuhlman, we’re excited to host this monthly resource—one that brings fresh voices, more actionable resources, and a continued focus on what it truly takes to lead and grow well, right now.
So (drumroll please)…. enjoy the best articles of 2025, and I wish you all the best in 2026!
Four Reflections to Recalibrate and Re-energize – Priscilla Archangel
This is a time to recalibrate for the coming year and re-energize for the work ahead. So here are four areas to reflect on in order to prepare you for the new year. Connect with Priscilla on LinkedIn.
Managing a Polarized Workforce Without Abandoning Your Values – Dana Theus
2025 was a tough year for civil dialogue, some of which challenged business cultures more than ever before. As Dana outlines, successfully managing a polarized workforce–including deciding whether to take public stances–requires a crucial mindset shift: move away from trying to align personal beliefs and instead focus on aligning teams around shared professional objectives and the organization’s overarching goals. Connect with Dana on LinkedIn.
How to Handle Accountability Questions: 6 Tough Questions Answered – Karin Hurt and David Dye
Struggling with accountability conversations? Learn how to handle six of the most challenging scenarios—tears, defensiveness, blame, and more. Connect with Karin and David on LinkedIn.
Is America’s Foundation for Innovation Crumbling? – Due Quach
In her latest article, Due Quach examines how constant crises are pushing Americans into fear-driven and distraction-seeking survival modes that undermine innovation and collaboration. She explains that accessing “Brain 3.0,” the collaborative and creative mode where true innovation happens, requires strengthening our neurobiological inner foundation through four key neural systems: resilience, attention, meta-awareness, and connection. Quach argues that individuals and organizations who strategically build this inner foundation will have the stability to operate in Brain 3.0 and thrive as leaders in an increasingly volatile world. Connect with Due on LinkedIn.
The Hidden Cost of Fear in Your Organization – Bill Treasurer
Fear rarely shows up on a balance sheet—but it quietly drains performance, innovation, and trust every day. When fear drives behavior, people play it safe, withhold ideas, and stop taking initiative. The real question for leaders isn’t whether fear exists, but whether they’re fueling it—or replacing it with courage. Connect with Bill on LinkedIn.
What Kind of Trust Are You Feeling? A Simple Map to the 4 Ways We Connect – Randy Conley
There’s a kind of magic that happens when we trust someone—but have you ever stopped to wonder what kind of trust you’re feeling? In this insightful post, Randy Conley shares a model that helps you understand the different types of trust in your relationships. Connect with Randy on LinkedIn.
“Can we all just get along?” Rodney King: Tips for Combating the Political Divide in the Workplace – Diana Peterson-More
Sadly, the political divide has infected the workplace: 91% of employees have witnessed or experienced political clashes at work; 51% actively avoid colleagues with different political views; and 93% believe leadership’s political bias influences workplace policies and promotions. Never fear, there are “tried and true,” proven tactics to effectively manage these conflicts that quell fear and can result in effective compromise and fairness, all of which can rebuild trust. Connect with Diana on LinkedIn.
Free Falling: How to Experience a Fulfilling Life – Marcia Reynolds
Free-falling is a leap of faith, but the more jumps you take in business and life, the more fulfillment you’ll experience. This post will help you know when and how to jump. Connect with Marcia on LinkedIn.
When Faced with a Mountain, Don’t Just Stand at the Base—Find a Path to the Summit – Eileen McDargh, CSP, CPAE
When working with a diverse team, it is essential to chart a path forward using a future-focused, collaborative approach—one that celebrates differences while bringing everyone together around a shared goal. Begin by establishing a plan that intentionally honors those differences while uniting the team under a common purpose. Connect with Eileen on LinkedIn.
You Don’t Need to Do More — You Need to Be Seen Differently – Susan Mazza
Struggling with visibility at work? Discover why doing more isn’t the answer and the mindset shifts that help you get noticed. Connect with Susan on LinkedIn.
What’s Depleting Your Energy? – Ann Van Eron
What is it for you that drains your energy? Maybe it’s the news, or an interaction with a colleague, or a stressful situation at home. It could also be a long commute, a cluttered workspace, or a lack of personal time. The question is, how do we stop these things from taking away our energy? Connect with Ann on LinkedIn.
Find the Good in Every Situation – Frank Sonnenberg
Think how much happier you’ll be if you choose to be positive, see the silver lining, and appreciate all the wonderful things in your life. Connect with Frank on LinkedIn.
Mastering the Art of Making the Business Case for Change – Jon Lokhorst
Many worthy ideas fall by the wayside because those who propose them don’t show how the ideas will move important organizational priorities forward. Here are nine steps to increase the likelihood of getting your proposal heard and approved—making a solid business case for your initiative. Connect with Jon on LinkedIn.
The Power of the Pivot: Read the Room and Ditch Your Plan – Lisa Kohn
Lisa Kohn of Thoughtful Leaders™ Blog presents The power of the pivot: read the room and ditch your plan, where she offers valuable strategies for letting go of your agenda so even better outcomes can emerge. Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn.
Year-End Finish Line Finance: Close Strong and Hit January Running – Jon Verbeck
As the year winds down, most SB owners fall into one of two camps. Some coast, assuming December is already lost, and push decisions to January, hoping momentum magically appears. Others treat the final weeks as both a finish line and a starting line, cleaning up numbers, tightening cash, and entering January with clarity instead of chaos. Connect with Jon on LinkedIn.
What You “Know for Sure” Could Destroy Your 2026 Strategy – Marcella Bremer
Regarding your 2026 plans, the biggest threat isn’t what you don’t know – it’s what you’re absolutely certain about that’s actually wrong. Check out this simple planning exercise to challenge your assumptions and improve your strategy! Connect with Marcella on LinkedIn.
Why Few Leaders Are Equipped for Today’s Demands and What to Do About It – David Grossman
New research reveals a growing gap between what we face as leaders and the capabilities we rely on. David Grossman’s new book, The Heart Work of Modern Leadership, examines why only a small percentage of leaders feel prepared for today’s complexity and explores the mindset and differentiators needed to lead more effectively and build stronger, more resilient organizations. Connect with David on LinkedIn.
Why Hope Might Be the Most Powerful Leadership Strategy of All – Julie Winkle Giulioni
In a world rife with uncertainty and low workplace confidence, employees are craving one thing above all: hope. Learn why leaders who intentionally cultivate hope can transform engagement, performance, and culture – and more importantly, how to do it yourself. Connect with Julie on LinkedIn.