EP207: One Word That Will Shape Your Leadership in 2026
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(The notes below are only a brief bullet point summary of what is discussed in the podcast. Be sure to listen to get all of the goodness! If you would like a full transcription of the episode, please send an email to angie@angie-robinson.com.
As we close out 2025, we’ve spent the last couple of episodes reflecting, pausing, and intentionally slowing down. We looked back at what worked, what didn’t, how we showed up, and how we felt. Last week, we focused on the power of simply being present.
Now, in this final episode of the year, I want to gently begin looking ahead to 2026 — and I want to return to a practice I’ve been using personally for more than a decade: choosing one word as a guiding focus.
This is not a resolution. It’s not a rule. It’s not something to perfect.
It’s a way of being.
Why One Word Still Matters
Every year around this time, the noise ramps up. New goals, new programs, new expectations about who we should become. And while goals absolutely have their place, I’ve learned that before we decide what we’re going to do, we need to get clear about how we want to show up.
That’s where one word becomes an anchor.
When motivation dips…
When decisions feel heavy…
When leadership feels lonely…
When life just feels like a lot…
One clear focal point helps your brain notice opportunities, patterns, and choices that align with who you want to be. That’s not magic — that’s neuroscience.
Why This Practice Is Especially Powerful for Leaders
Leadership is complex. You carry responsibility for people, performance, results, and constant change. One word helps you:
• Stay grounded under pressure
• Interrupt reactivity
• Make more intentional decisions
• Lead with clarity
It strengthens all three keys to leadership magic:
Character — who you’re becoming
Confidence — anchoring your decisions
Connection — creating trust with yourself and others
Leadership isn’t just about what you do. It’s about who you are while you’re doing it.
The Ripple Effect of One Word
Your word impacts:
You — regulating energy, creating alignment, surfacing limiting beliefs
Your team — your tone, presence, and clarity matter more than you think
Your organization — grounded leaders create psychological safety and better results
The greater good — how people experience work, relationships, and life
This is where leadership truly matters.
How to Choose Your Word (There Are No Rules)
You can choose a word for a year, a quarter, a season, or even a transition. Here’s the process I return to every year:
Reflect on the past year — what worked, what didn’t, what you avoided, what you want more of
Consider your future self — not titles or accomplishments, but how you want to be
Words can be feelings, actions, thoughts — even phrases. Pay attention to what keeps showing up in conversations, quotes, music, or ideas. Try words on. Let them stretch you, not shame you.
And remember: you don’t have to decide by January 1st.
Keeping Your Word Alive
Choosing the word is only the beginning. The impact comes from awareness.
Ways to keep it alive:
• Write down why you chose it
• Reflect on it monthly
• Create a vision board
• Build a playlist that captures how you want to feel
• Keep it visible
This practice isn’t about perfection. It’s about intention.
Let the Word Find You
As you close out the year, notice what you’re craving. Notice what you want more of. Pay attention to the words that keep tapping you on the shoulder.
Your word is an anchor, a mirror, and a guide for how you want to live and lead.
Trust that you’ll know when it arrives.
What Do You Think?
What will your one word for 2026 be?
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