Manager School Series - Year-End Leadership Mastery
- Week 1: Budget Season Survival Guide - Financial planning for managers
- Week 2: The Manager’s Holiday Party Playbook - Team building during celebrations
- Week 3: Setting Your Team Up for Q1 Success - Strategic planning
- Week 4: Managing During the Holiday Slowdown - Practical tips for December productivity
- This Week: 2026 Vision: Trends Every Manager Should Watch - Forward-looking insights
As we wrap up 2025, remember that great managers aren’t born—they’re made through continuous learning, practice, and adaptation. The trends of 2026 present both challenges and opportunities and your success will depend on how well you prepare for and respond to these changes.
AI and Automation: Beyond the Hype
In 2026, AI won’t be a shiny new toy—it’ll be a core part of how work gets done. The managers who thrive will be those who help their teams adapt and leverage these tools effectively.
Start experimenting with AI tools in your own work and help your team understand which tasks are likely to be automated.
The Skills Revolution
The half-life of skills is shrinking rapidly. What your team knew two years ago might be partially obsolete today. Continuous learning isn’t optional—it’s essential for survival.
Read, read, and read some more. More books, articles, websites, and the news. Find the best business books for the year and read at least one. You’ll gain something relevant because it’s frequently referenced when people talk about that subject this year.
Economic Uncertainty and Staffing Optimization
Economic volatility is becoming the norm rather than the exception. Managers need to become experts at doing more with less while maintaining team morale and performance.
Mental Health and Well-being
Mental health support is moving from “nice to have” to “business critical.” The managers who prioritize team well-being will see better performance, lower turnover, and higher engagement.
Getting Ready for What’s Next
The managers who succeed in 2026 and beyond will be those who embrace continuous learning, adapt their leadership style to changing needs, and help their teams navigate uncertainty with confidence.
Develop your game plan. Build out your offensive plays using the Six Pillars of Management as your guide. The next step is to build a set of defensive plays to prevent problems. The hallmark of a manager who will out-manage others is that they’re working against a playbook and are several steps ahead.
Action items for early 2026:
- Assess your current skills against these trends
- Survey your team about their development needs and concerns
- Identify 2-3 key areas for your own professional development
- Create a learning budget for yourself and your team
- Start experimenting with new tools and approaches
Looking Ahead
Thank you for being part of the Manager School community this year. Here’s to making 2026 your best year of management yet!
Coming in 2026:
We’ll continue exploring these trends and providing practical guidance for implementing new management approaches. Stay tuned for our deep dives into AI-assisted management, global team leadership, and the evolving skills landscape.
See you next week!
-Frank
