Developing Leadership Skills Starts with a Word of the Year

Developing leadership skills is a lifelong pursuit that takes many forms. Choosing a word of the year can help you focus on meeting professional (and personal) goals.

I often talk about how a 360 assessment is key to becoming an even more effective leader, as many leaders are not sure how to start or where to focus to increase their leadership effectiveness.

However, developing new skills can also start with one of my favorite exercises: choosing a word of the year. December is the perfect time to think about your word for the next year.

Why choose a word of the year?

I first heard about a word of the year from a friend in 2012. So many good things were happening in her life because of it, so at the end of 2012, I chose a word for 2013: strength. 

I chose “strength” for two reasons. On the personal side, I had been grappling with some medical issues and had become weak due to lost muscle mass. On the professional side, I wanted my business to be stronger and grow. 

I set aggressive goals for myself and hired a personal trainer who I worked with twice weekly for more than eight years. I don’t remember the specific growth goals I set for Winning Ways, but I do remember they were pretty outrageous. 

Well, I met both goals. I grew stronger physically and Winning Ways took off like a rocket. I loved how simple and focused this exercise was, so I started sharing it with clients and seeing great results from them.

Developing leadership skills starts with a word of the year

In the past 10+ years, I have worked with clients who chose words that would help them focus on getting the promotion they always wanted and developing a more positive attitude. Many chose words like “competence” and “confidence” so they would believe in themselves and finally shed imposter syndrome. 

Once they choose their word of the year and their professional goal, I often help clients identify and begin developing leadership skills that will help them reach their goals.

For instance, a client who chooses “competence” might need to improve their decision-making skills. I might help tell them to focus on one or two things, like setting a timeline for making decisions or soliciting feedback from their team.

Words of the year to inspire you

As you think about your word of the year for 2026, here are some stories to inspire you.

Flexible – with her work and personal calendars

A friend and colleague has already chosen “flexible” as her word for next year. She wants to be more flexible with her work and personal calendars. 

As she told me, “When you work for yourself, like I do, I keep reminding myself that I don’t have to follow a rigid schedule. I can start my workday at 11am if I have a doctor’s appointment and then need to run errands. Or I can go for a hike in the middle of the day to recharge my brain – as long as the work gets done and my clients are happy!”

Flexibility in your thinking is a highly impactful leadership skill, so I can see this helping her in other areas of her leadership. 

She also wants to be more flexible in her personal life by saying yes more often to new experiences. Because she is already pretty adventurous, I can’t wait to see where this takes her in 2026.

Re-prioriment – of her time

Another colleague of mine made her own word a few years ago: Re-prioriment. 

She wanted to reprioritize her life, including the projects she took on at work, how she spent her free time, and the quality of time she spent with her family. And since she couldn’t find the right word that would explain what she wanted to achieve, she created her own.

In the past two years, I have watched her grow an idea into a thriving business that employs around 15 people and is growing like crazy. In fact, it’s going to be a national business soon. 

Did she achieve this because of the word “re-prioriment”? No. But the word was necessary for her to get her on the right path. As a leader, she has become a master of delegation and time management. She works more focused hours, which means fewer hours.

Reduce – clutter and her environmental impact

In 2024, our wonderful Director of Client Engagement, Kristy, completely aligned her life with the word “reduce” and decided it would be a “no-spend” year.

She wanted to declutter her home, reduce her contribution to overproduction, and truly appreciate the things she already owned. You can read more about it in this blog post she wrote. Here’s an excerpt:

“As the year came to a close, I had time to reflect on the experience. First and foremost, I recognize how privileged I am to be in a position where I could take on a no-buy year. Not everyone has the resources or stability to make this kind of commitment, and that perspective is important to carry forward.

“One thing I worried about was whether my home would start to feel threadbare by December. While I do have some items that are worn and ready to be refreshed, it’s nowhere near what I feared. Instead, I found myself appreciating how well my existing possessions served me.

“It was a fascinating exercise.”

From a leadership perspective, the word “reduce” can help you focus on doing more with the resources you have. The creativity it can spark can lead to innovative projects and contribute to your bottom line going forward. 

What is your word of the year for 2026?

Sometimes, you pick the word. Sometimes, the word picks you. Either way, it aligns your life in new ways and helps you focus on meeting specific goals. 

You are probably curious about my next word of the year. I don’t have one yet, but I have narrowed the options down to five. My process of picking a word is pretty straightforward:

I start working on my word in early fall, around September or October:

1. I look at what has changed (or not) in the current year
2. I think about what I want to improve upon or do in the next year 
3. I write down the options on a  little post-it next to my desk

As the weeks go by, I ask myself what word is resonating? Eventually, it becomes clear. 

If you haven’t already, start thinking about your word of the year. It may profoundly change your life.