Building Reflection into the Rhythm of 2026

In my last blog, we explored why reflection matters — the gift of pausing before racing ahead. But what if reflection wasn’t something you did only at the end of the year? What if it became part of your everyday leadership rhythm?

The best leaders don’t treat reflection as a luxury. They treat it as a lever — one that sharpens decision-making, builds self-awareness, and strengthens the culture of the teams they lead.

Here are a few ways to make reflection practical, consistent, and powerful in 2026.

1. Schedule a meeting with yourself

Put it in your diary, yes literally.

Once a month, book a short meeting with yourself to review the month that was. Treat it with the same importance as any other leadership meeting. I do this at the beginning of every month, to reflect on the past month and then to look forward to how I would like the next month to be.   

Create a simple agenda, and put it in the meeting booking:

• What went well this month?

• What challenged me or the team?

• What am I learning about myself as a leader?

• What do I want to do differently next month?

This simple act of stopping to think will shapes how move forward, as it will you.  Over time, it turns reactive leadership into reflective leadership.

2. Capture the moments as they happen

Reflection is easier when you don’t have to rely on memory.

Keep a running log, it might be a journal, a note on your phone, or a monthly email to yourself. Record key decisions, small wins, unexpected insights, and feedback you’ve received.

AI tools can even help with this — summarising your calendar, notes, or meetings into themes. The key is to build the habit of noticing your own growth.

3. Create a “wins and learnings” folder

Throughout the year, drop in emails, photos, or screenshots that remind you of progress — a successful presentation, a message of thanks, a solved problem, a team breakthrough.

When you review them, you’ll see not just what you did, but how you’ve evolved.

4. Reflect together

• Make reflection a team practice, not just a personal one.

• End meetings with a short “what did we learn?” question.

• Host quarterly check-ins where the focus is purely on reflection, not performance.

• Or pair team members as accountability partners to ask each other, How was your month? What did you learn?

Collective reflection builds trust, connection, and shared learning — the hallmarks of high-performing teams.

5. Set your 2026 guardrails

• Before the year begins, decide how reflection will show up in your leadership rhythm.

• Will you start team meetings with a reflection question?

• Will you share your own reflections with your team to model openness and learning?

• Will you commit to a quarterly “pause and reset”?

Guardrails like these ensure reflection doesn’t get lost in the noise of busyness.  Reflection is not indulgence. It is leadership hygiene.  It keeps you awake to what matters, attuned to your impact, and aligned to your values.

As you step into 2026, build reflection into the way you do business and life. You will find, like I have, that you are leading with greater clarity, humility, and purpose… and helping those around you do the same.