Author: barbkearney

Here is my Playbook for reflection and inspiration in 2026. Here is to working on things that matter!

Hello2026

For 139 days, I wasn’t rowing the Pacific Ocean. But it sure felt like I was on board. I followed the Maclean brothers on Instagram, listened to their podcast updates, and watched as three Scots in a carbon-fiber boat rowed 9,000 miles from Lima to Cairns. And next to celebrating adventure, this is what stuck with me:

This journey was never just about setting a record

The Macleans tied their mission to raising up to £1 million for clean water projects in Madagascar. Every post, every podcast episode, was infused with that bigger “why” (and I am sure many of their discussions on board when things got tough). What mattered most: all three brothers shared the same purpose. I imagined what if one had been rowing for personal glory, another for charity, and the third just to prove he could survive -139 days in the same boat would have ended in disaster. Their shared goal wasn’t optional; it was the glue that kept them pulling in the same direction, stroke after stroke, wave after wave and gave the brothers their superpower.

Even in the middle of nowhere, the Maclean brothers found ways to keep morale afloat

I’ll never forget them talking about what they most looked forward to when they finally reached land: a hot pizza, a cold beer, and clean, crisp sheets. Simple, but powerful. Those small hopes and flashes of humor (and the instruments they brought with them on the trip…bagpipes, guitar, accordion) were fuel for the hardest miles. But their perseverance was never about going it alone. It was about staying connected, sharing milestones, and refusing to give up when storms hit or exhaustion took over. Their family at home, the supporters waiting at the finish line, and the thousands following along online became part of the crew. The Macleans didn’t treat their community as spectators; I felt like they invited us into their story, turning a lonely, unpredictable ocean crossing into a shared achievement.

Following the Maclean brothers across the Pacific taught me this: extraordinary achievements don’t happen in isolation. They happen when everyone in the boat shares the same purpose, when humor and support networks keep the spirit alive, and when perseverance is celebrated not as an individual act but as a collective triumph.

And yes – when they finally stepped onto shore in Cairns, they got exactly what they’d been dreaming about: a hot pizza and a cold beer. Proof that even after an epic voyage, it’s the simple rewards, shared with others, that make the journey worthwhile.

I recently worked with a leadership team navigating a major reorg. They had all the right intentions: new structure, new strategy, new mindset.

And yet – six months later – same behaviors. Same silos. Same frustrations.

Why? Because they skipped the hard part: unlearning.

We talk a lot about what to add – skills, tools, knowledge, ways of working. But real transformation starts with what you’re willing to let go.

Psychologist Adam Grant calls them “mental fossils”: old beliefs that helped you succeed in the past but now quietly hold you back.

One of their leaders told me, “We want more collaboration.”
But their systems still rewarded individual heroics.
They said, “We want more autonomy and accountability.”
But execs still made all the key decisions behind closed doors.

Old mindsets were still driving the bus – just with new signage.

Culture doesn’t shift because you say it should.
It shifts when people stop acting out of yesterday’s assumptions.

If you want real change, start by asking:
➡️ What do we still believe that no one’s questioning?
➡️ What behaviors are we still rewarding that contradict our new direction?
➡️ What’s the story we keep telling ourselves that’s no longer true?

Unlearning is uncomfortable. But it’s also the most powerful move a leader can make.

Because what got you here won’t get you there.
And culture change doesn’t start with a memo.
It starts with a mindset reset.

Let go. Make space. Then build something better.

“Uncertainty” is one of those words we all seem to understand right now.
It exists in the current headlines of war and crisis as much as it does in our emails, meetings, Town Halls that quietly carry on in parallel.

It shows up in collective grief – of lives lost, of systems breaking, of certainties unraveling – and in the quiet resilience of people trying to keep going, navigating discomfort while meeting daily demands.

It lives within global fear – of what’s coming, of what’s being lost – and within the leadership challenge of staying grounded, positive, and compassionate in the face of the unknown.

Life happens inside of paradoxes.

Most of us are doing the best we can with the tools we have. We try to show up, to contribute, to lead, to belong.

It’s a confusing time for humans, organizations, leaders.
And that’s okay.

In recent weeks, I have felt rewarded in my work by just inviting leaders to come to joint reflection sessions as they are – incomplete, unsure, in motion. To be confused together has felt like being one of the most radical and productive choices we can make right now. It opens up the stuckness. It allows us to experiment. To act. To move.

How might we meet people with grace, as we all fumble through uncharted territory? How can we hold space for non-binary realities, foggy futures, and the unknown? This isn’t just poetic musing – it’s a skill. One that demands effort, time, and practice.

Because the truth is, uncertainty is a twofold challenge.
First, we’re not omniscient – we’ll never know everything. We learn more after we make decisions, not before. That’s frustrating and deeply human.
Second, even if we did know everything, we still can’t predict the future. Life is probabilistic. Sometimes, even the best decision won’t go our way.

But here’s the challenge: we live in a system that rewards quick, processed, and often hollow solutions, strategies or answers. We swing between analysis paralysis on one side, and clickbait certainty on the other.

We’ve lost practice in sitting inside the in-between.

But that’s where the real work lies – in the space between clarity and chaos.
The work of not knowing.
The work of staying present.
The work of becoming.

And it is work. But it’s also where we find each other. It’s where we build resilient strategies, authentic leadership, and meaning that holds up beyond the moment.

We don’t need to know how to perfectly lead in 2025. What we need is permission to be in process. And that this might be enough.

So if you’re feeling uncertain: you’re not alone. You’re right on time.

A while ago, I was working with a leadership team where dysfunction was obvious to everyone. And maybe this will resonate with you: If your leadership team is broken, it didn’t just happen to you, because you are a part of it.

Often it can feel like this: Your regular leadership meetings are political theater (or are postponed).Decisions get revisited in hallways. Feedback is not given openly. People focus on their own goals instead of the collective ones needed.

Worse, everyone knows things are not working, but are not really addressing it.

But dysfunction in any team isn’t a “when we have time” problem. Because dysfunction doesn’t wait politely in line behind your priorities. It compounds.

And while you seem to keep moving fast on paper, the cracks deepen. Alignment slips. Trust erodes. Good people disengage. The organization actually slows down – not because of the market or the strategy, but because the top team can’t operate as one.

If your executive table is marked by avoidance, competition, or passive-aggression, it’s not a culture problem – it’s a leadership signal.

And the real work isn’t fixing the people “out there.”
It’s aligning the people up here.

It’s naming what’s not working, even when you’ve contributed to it.
It’s having the conversation you’ve been avoiding because it’s messy.
It’s modeling the behavior you expect from everyone else.
If it’s not healthy at the top, it’s chaos everywhere else.

So if this feels familiar, ask yourself: What are you allowing, avoiding, or excusing that’s keeping this in place?

With tensions currently running high in the world, this quote made me wonder as a mediator and a proponent of conflict resolution what unconventional approaches that I would propose to sidestep the usual arguments or standoffs:

Swap Roles
It sounds odd, but stepping into someone else’s shoes can spark empathy and reveal blind spots. If you’re clashing with a coworker over a project direction, say, “Okay, for the next five minutes, I’ll pitch your idea like it’s my own, and you do mine.” It can turn a fight into a weirdly collaborative experiment.

⁉️ Ask an Absurdly Big Question
Derail the conflict by zooming way out. You could ask for instance, “If we were stranded on a desert island, how would we divide up responsibilities then?” It’s playful, but it also puts the petty stuff in perspective and can lead to a more meaningful conversation.

Gamify to leave your ego behind
If you’re at loggerheads with someone, suggest a quick round of rock-paper-scissors to decide who gets to speak first, or flip a coin to pick a compromise. It’s not about avoiding the issue—it’s about breaking the deadlock with a bit of randomness so you can move forward without ego getting in the way.

Humor = Diffuser
One of my favorites: instead of diving into a heated debate, share a funny observation about the situation. It can shift the energy and give everyone a moment to breathe. For example, if someone’s upset about a missed deadline, you might say, “Well, I guess we’re inventing a new calendar where ‘tomorrow’ means ‘next week’!” It’s not about dismissing feelings but giving a small window to reset.

Of course each of these approaches depends on the context and the people involved—what works with your boss may not work with the President of the USA —but they all aim to shift the dynamic away from “me vs. you” and toward something more collaborative, reflective, or even absurdly fun. The key is staying open to the moment and not forcing an outcome.

Here is my Playbook for refelction and inspiration in 2025. Here is to working on things that matter!

Hello2025

Teams are busier than ever, but accomplishing less.

That is what new research from Atlassian shows: 25 billion hours (!) are lost to to ineffective collaboration each year within the Fortune 500.

Regardless how busy we are, leaders should not underestimate the power of making time for teamwork. Why? Because having the right foundation to moving from planning and talking about work to actually doing work that matters is a priceless investment.

Start by reflecting on:
Are we working on the right things, prioritizing and collaborating on work that is mission critical, ensuring that we are having the impact we envision? And are we clear on that vision?

Is this also reflected in our calendars or are we spending too much time in meetings that are not strategic, are not relevant for all invitees and end with no concrete outcomes?

Are we regularly sharing, learning and harnessing our collective knowledge through retrospectives?

How are you making time to collaborate on your highest priority work?

It was great to spend three days in Tangier at House of Beautiful Business with leaders, entrepreneurs, artists, philosophers, activists, game-changers and more.

Next to great input on AI, Climate change, impact business, peacemaking and belonging, my main takeaway was around liminality.

” . “, John Fullerton said during the conference.

I couldn’t agree more.

Many of the leaders I work with are seeing multiple – often dizzying -coinciding transformations – from dealing with radical new technologies, changes in market dynamics, to the need to completely re-think and adapt their organizational purpose and design.

⭕ The nature of this transformation is more difficult to define than what we typically call “change.” Old solutions, logic and analytical approaches no longer work. Indeed, there’s very little familiar (and comfortable) ground to stand on amidst this sea of change.

So maybe it is time to get lost. To get comfortable with the unknown. To step into liminality.

⭕ Liminality is a powerful yet scary space. It means we have to deal with dualities that are shaping today’s world. Destruction and construction. Disorientation and re-orientation. Unmaking and re-making. Unlike the old “change” we know, where it is all about “surviving” in the change until the new state arrives. The skills needed are no longer about managing ourselves and our people to get through it more quickly. Liminal time requires leadership who themselves experience liminality.

Liminality is about how we grow and are transformed by the time spent in liminal space. It is in liminal times leaders can have their greatest impact. But for that we actively participate and play our part in shaping the future. I believe that we often find change hard because we cannot see ourselves in the future.

So maybe it is time to ask some tough questions:
✔ How do we want to live in 10 years?
✔ What business landscape do we want to have?
✔ What is your part in a corporate world for creating a desirable future?
✔ How do we want (or even need) to balance contribution vs. profits?
✔ What does luxury and status mean for us? What matters most?

Of course, we can choose to sleepwalk through this time and avoid the feeling of chaos and discomfort. But then again, we will stay in situations that no longer serve us, missing out on the experience of working inside this powerful time, the change of era, alongside those forces that help to shape us, as individuals and leaders, into the more evolved versions of ourselves.

What tough questions are you asking yourself?