If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that prediction has become a dangerous sport.
Most of us entered the post-Covid era expecting some form of stabilisation. Instead, we found ourselves navigating shifting workforce expectations, volatile markets, constant geopolitical tension, rapid technological advancement and an operating environment that refuses to sit still long enough for anyone to feel entirely confident about what lies ahead.
The truth is, in many ways, certainty has become the exception rather than the norm.
As I reflect on last year and try and predict what might lie ahead in 2026, one subject seems to be dominating the business narrative during all my conversations with Boards and Leadership team:
What impact will AI have on businesses, the wider job market and productivity?
My overriding sense is that whilst the rapid advancement in AI and robotics will undoubtedly lead to major disruption, the ripples caused by this will be influenced much more by the actions and behaviours of people as opposed to the newfound capabilities of emerging technologies.
Human-centred leadership
The leaders who will shape 2026 are not necessarily the ones with the deepest technical knowledge. They are the ones who understand what their stakeholders, teams and customers need from them as the ground continues to shift.
At Redgrave, we see this every day. Organisations are navigating uncertainty on multiple fronts, including making material investments in data and digital infrastructure. But the most meaningful investment is arguably in identifying and attracting the right leaders: those who can interpret intelligent insight, apply judgement, and make decisions anchored in organisational context, strategic intent and human values.
If the past few years have demonstrated anything, it is that the world rarely behaves the way we expect. As a consequence of this, to be successful, leaders need a view of what is coming – not just because it helps organisations and individuals to prepare but also because it creates a focus on the future.
With that in mind, it is still tempting to try to make a few predictions for 2026:
01
From AI Experimentation to Strategic Integration
2025 was the year when millions of people started to experiment with AI.
2026 will be the year when AI is used with intent and with an increasing degree of frequency.
CEOs and Boards are increasingly leaning on AI to help model risk, to forecast performance and test scenarios. And rightly so. Even the current iterations of AI-based tools can drive huge shifts in productivity.
But the leaders who will thrive are those who understand the difference between insight and instruction. Knowing when to trust the models, and when to challenge them, is becoming a defining leadership capability.
As I highlighted in my previous article, AI can accelerate thinking, but it cannot yet replace judgement with any degree of certainty. The quality and application of many AI-based outputs still depends on the quality of the questions we ask, the assumptions we test, and the oversights that we apply before making final decisions.
At this stage of AI’s evolution, the leaders who learn to collaborate and integrate with AI, rather than to trying to compete with it, will see the greatest impact.
02
The Return of Emotional Intelligence
For years, empathy, curiosity and creativity have been labelled “soft skills”.
They were often admired, occasionally encouraged, but rarely prioritised.
Today, in a world where technical expertise can be automated, these qualities are increasingly becoming highly valued strategic assets.
The leaders who will succeed in 2026 and beyond are those who can create stability without suppressing honesty, invite challenge without creating fear, and draw out the emotional intelligence of their teams, while leveraging technology to help amplify everything else.
As Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s CEO echoed, human emotional intelligence, the kind defined by empathy, insight and connection, is becoming the true differentiator.
03
Precision Over Pace
The last decade often seemed to reward speed of decision making and the ambition to deliver unrestrained growth.
2026 may well be the year when we see a return to more considered and precise decision-making and more targeted expansion plans.
CEOs and Boards are already asking more targeted questions:
Do we have the capability to transform, not just the ambition?
Do we have leaders who can unite people and technology, not just implement a roadmap?
To answer these questions, organisations are investing in more tailored development programmes and more personalised progression pathways that reflect both individual capability and organisational need. Executive assessment is becoming central to this shift, providing a clearer, evidence-led view of internal talent and enabling leaders to make informed decisions about who is best-placed to genuinely move the dial.
At Redgrave, we see this transition gaining momentum. Businesses are prioritising leaders who bring clarity, judgement and purpose, not just technical fluency. And increasingly, they’re investing in providing the support those leaders need to deliver lasting impact.
04
Why Capability, Not Structure, Will Define 2026 Leadership
One of the most significant leadership shifts is the move from rigid, role-based structures to more adaptive, capability-led organisations.
The leaders who succeed will be those who:
- are comfortable operating within fluid structures and shifting responsibilities
- can create clarity and alignment without relying on rigid reporting lines
- have the confidence to deploy talent where it adds the greatest value
Leadership effectiveness will be measured less by how well people manage structure, and more by how well they mobilise and engage capability.
The leaders who succeed will be the ones who care, listen and act with intent.
Leadership That Balances AI, Empathy & Integrity
In summary, I expect:
- Every Board agenda will include a conversation about responsible AI.
- Culture will be measured with the same seriousness as financial performance, because those organisations that maintain great cultures are shown to outperform their peers in retention, engagement, and business performance.
- Hybrid work will remain a contentious subject with a visible trend of more office time being expected.
- Organisations will invest more heavily in understating and developing leadership capability, using assessment as a tool for clarity, succession and long-term performance.
