As you prepare to take time off for the Thanksgiving holiday, I encourage you to think about the words from motivational speaker, Steve Mariboli who writes:
“Be consistent in your dedication to showing your gratitude to others. Gratitude is a fuel, a medicine, and spiritual and emotional nourishment.”
During these times of consistent change and ongoing uncertainty, I hope this holiday will be as much about nourishing your soul and the souls of others, as it is about nourishing your appetite!
Reflecting on these 11-months, I am thankful for the opportunities I’ve had to design and deliver coaching, mentoring and leadership development programs in a variety of new ways. I am grateful for the increased connection, consciousness and clarity I have gained as I look back on the events and experiences that impacted me over the past 330 days.
What are you both thankful and grateful for?
📩 If you missed the last resource email on 2026 Workplace and Leadership trends, you can read it here. I’ve listed a few more that will shape coaching and leadership development next year, particularly for mid-level leaders who (I believe) are so critical to any organization (and yes, it involves AI).
📈 Mid-Level Managers Will Get More Intensive Development Focus
Organizations continue to recognize how much mid-level managers shape day-to-day culture and engagement, making their development critical, especially as they flatten structures and hybrid work expands. In addition, AI-adoption will continue to eliminate layers of middle management and entry-level roles. These valuable leaders, who continue to carry 51% more responsibilities than they can effectively manage, will require more support, tools, and space to focus on coaching, decision-making, and maintaining team engagement. Since culture is an important performance driver, targeted coaching and development will be essential for their organizational success.
💬 Organizations Will Leverage AI for Always Available Coaching
By 2026, leaders at all levels will receive on-demand coaching, and 60% of leadership training programs are expected to incorporate AI-driven analytics to improve effectiveness. AI coaching platforms will learn individual work styles, company culture, and values to provide context-specific guidance and personalized coaching to their Coachees at about 2% of traditional coaching costs. Although it does not replace the human-value that leadership coaches provide, it makes coaching accessible to managers and emerging leaders who previously wouldn’t have access to this impactful development resource.
🌱 Human Centered Leadership Is One Skill That Will Shape the Future
Technical fluency will remain critical for leaders, especially around AI, but the most important skills for 2026 and beyond will center on adaptability, strategic thinking, and human-centered leadership. Leaders will continue to guide their teams through ambiguity, continuous transformation, and complex decision-making—often in hybrid or high-pressure environments.
Here Are Practical Steps To Take Now to Prepare for The Trends:
🔍 Conduct a skills audit to identify current capability gaps.
🎯 Prioritize developing skills like EQ problem-solving and ambiguity.
✨ Invest in platforms that support easy content creation and personalization.
⚖ Tie learning initiatives, performance, and risk-factors to business outcomes.
🤝 Build early alignment on program design with cross-functional leads.
To Your Emotional and Physical Nourishment,
Loretta
P.S. And speaking of gratitude, next Tuesday, Dec. 2 is Giving Tuesday. Would you consider making a donation to InvestInMentalHealth.org to help save a mental life?