Leadership Wisdom of the Week #1

”There are too many people in the world today who decide to live disappointed rather than risk feeling disappointment.”

– Brené Brown (Atlas of the Heart)

What will 2026 bring for you and your team? As recent years have shown, we don’t always know what the year ahead has in store for us. In a fast-changing world, how can you as a manager help your team members renew themselves and try out new ways of working?

One of the most important responsibilities of today’s leaders is to enable continuous competence development. Brené Brown’s quote reminds us that it’s often not a lack of opportunities that prevents us from learning, but rather ourselves. We avoid risks to make sure we don’t fail. We choose the safe option to avoid being judged by others. But by doing so, we shy away from opportunities to learn and from many other chances to renew our lives.

From a leadership perspective, this quote is a powerful reminder of the influence we have as leaders. We can encourage people to feel confident and safe enough to take risks, to try something new instead of settling for what is familiar and known—and consequently feeling disappointed for not having tried.

Goal setting and development discussions at the start of a new year are an excellent opportunity to talk about what new elements could be added to each employee’s tasks and responsibilities. But it shouldn’t stop there. Learning and development need to be revisited throughout the year. When people are trying new things, they need positive reinforcement for their courage. And when things don’t go as planned or the new competences are not enough yet, they need encouragement from others.

It’s often when our own confidence wavers that we need others the most. And in today’s fast-changing world, this kind of support is critical. Renewing and learning new things are the only ways for individuals and organisations to build sustainable success.