“The Worst Thing You Can Do in 2026 - Is Pretend 2025 Didn’t Affect You”
Expanded LinkedIn Edition
By Dr. Jeannie Purchase — Clarity with Dr. JP
2025 didn’t just disrupt industries — it disrupted people.
It stretched leaders, reshaped teams, exposed cracks in communication, and placed emotional and mental weight on employees at every level.
That’s why the worst thing any leader, manager, high-capacity professional, or organization can do in 2026 is to act like everything is “back to normal.”
It isn’t.
And pretending it is will silently erode clarity, trust, alignment, and performance.
This expanded version breaks down why it matters, what’s actually happening behind the scenes, and how to reset yourself and your team so 2026 becomes a year of clarity — not burnout.
1. What 2025 Actually Did to People (Even the Strong Ones)
2025 didn’t just change workflows.
It changed emotional and cognitive load.
People experienced:
team reassignments
increased responsibilities
unspoken anxiety about stability
the loss of mentors or leaders
heavier home responsibilities
financial or health concerns
lower margin for error
compassion fatigue
overthinking and decision paralysis
These are not “professional issues.”
These are human issues that show up professionally.
And when leaders pretend that everything is normal, employees retreat inward. They hide the struggle. They say “I’m fine.” They overextend to compensate.
But internally?
They’re:
exhausted
stretched
hesitant
or quietly disengaging
Ignoring this reality doesn’t return things to normal — it makes people feel unseen.
2. Why Pretending Nothing Happened Hurts Your Leadership
When you act like nothing changed, people internalize that message as:
“My leader doesn’t understand.”
“I can’t speak up.”
“I should be able to do more.”
“I must be the weak link.”
“My exhaustion is a personal failure.”
And when people make their struggle a secret, teams lose:
transparency
trust
alignment
innovation
psychological safety
patience
and eventually… good people
Your job as a leader in 2026 is not to push harder.
Your job is to lead with clarity, not denial.
3. What Leaders Must Acknowledge in 2026
Here is the truth:
Your team may look the same — but they are not the same.
You may look strong — but you also carry invisible weight.
Your organization may have “stabilized” — but your people haven’t recalibrated.
You may have more responsibilities — but less bandwidth.
Your systems may be functioning — but your people are navigating residue from last year.
2026 is not the year of “bounce back.”
It’s the year of recalibrate, reset, and re-align.
4. How to Lead With Clarity in 2026 (Instead of Pretending Nothing Happened)
To create clarity, you need four things:
A. Slow the Pace for a Moment
Not permanently — just long enough to let people breathe
and tell the truth about what last year took out of them.
This is where you ask two simple questions:
1. What took your energy last year?
2. What is still affecting you now?
These aren’t emotional questions — they’re operational ones.
Because leaders can’t fix what they won’t name.
B. Rebuild Trust Before You Rebuild Productivity
People are slower to trust after instability.
So in 2026, trust isn’t assumed — it must be re-earned.
That means:
clearer expectations
consistent communication
less ambiguity
healthier boundaries
intentional check-ins
telling people the “why,” not just the “what”
Trust doesn’t come from perfection.
It comes from clarity.
C. Make Space for Honest Capacity Conversations
People don’t need sympathy — they need structure.
Teach your team:
how to communicate capacity
how to say a responsible “yes”
how to decline without fear
how to share bandwidth truthfully
how to ask for help early
Your job in 2026 is to normalize reality.
D. Reset Culture Through Clarity, Not Critique
Culture doesn’t reset through pressure — it resets through:
clarity of roles
clarity of priorities
clarity of expectations
clarity of communication
clarity of margins'
People perform better when they’re not faking normalcy.
5. What This Means for YOU
Whether you’re a leader, a manager, a high-capacity individual, or an entire organization, here’s what this moment requires:
Quiet honesty about where you actually are
Clear communication about what you can handle
Wise boundaries
Realigned expectations
A pace that matches reality
Tools that help you stay grounded, not overwhelmed
2026 is not the year to mask your limits.
It’s the year to lead with clarity — and your clarity will become your team’s safety.
