As we take a moment to reflect on the themes woven through this year’s BREATHE articles, alongside what we’ve seen in coaching conversations and team facilitation, two insights come into focus – that true performance hinges on alignment, and real leadership growth comes from deeper human work; the stories people carry, the discomfort they face, and the courage required to lead well in uncertainty. These insights shaped much of what we saw and supported this year.

Alignment is the hidden performance multiplier

This year’s work reaffirmed what we’ve always known: teams fail not because of capability, but because of misalignment; in expectations, behaviours, priorities, norms and narrative.

Across industries, sectors, and team sizes, similar patterns appeared:

• People were clear on their role but unclear on the team’s role.
• Teams worked hard but not always on the same things.
• Leaders assumed alignment that didn’t actually exist.
• ‘Updates’ filled meetings instead of the real work: decisions, priorities, debate.

The teams that surged forward did one thing exceptionally well: they created a shared understanding of purpose, real work and rhythm.

Not ‘what do we do?’
But ‘what do we need to do together?’

Not ‘what’s happening?’
But ‘what matters most now?’

Alignment is a discipline but the payoff is enormous: more clarity, more pace, more cohesion and less friction. Our TEEM model (hyper link to the web page) helped leaders diagnose exactly where their system was thriving and where it was silently eroding performance. And once teams saw the system, change happened fast.

Leadership is becoming more human, and more courageous

More than anything this year, leaders talked about the inner work: the doubts, the stories, the identity shifts, and the emotional load of leading through uncertainty.

Three insights stood out:

 a) The stories leaders tell themselves matter

Whether it was imposter feelings, confidence dips or outdated mental scripts, the internal narrative shaped the external behaviour. Leaders who learned to identify, question and reframe those stories made the biggest leaps forward.

b) Growth requires discomfort

Not one leader grew from ease. They grew from stretch roles, tough feedback, new strategic muscles and the willingness to be seen before they felt ready.

Leaders leaned into:

• uncomfortable conversations
• strategic ambiguity
• broader influence
• the shift from doing to leading

c) Compassion is becoming a performance skill

Kindness emerged not as ‘nice to have’, but as a differentiator, the ingredient that builds trust, psychological safety and connection. The leaders who accelerated this year didn’t try to appear invulnerable. They tried to be present, prepared and purposeful.

Where This Leaves Us

The leadership landscape is shifting. Of course, technical expertise still matters, but it’s not enough.

Today’s leaders succeed by:

• aligning their teams
• understanding themselves deeply
• communicating with clarity and presence
• creating cultures where people feel safe, stretched and supported

As we look ahead, the call is clear:

Lead with clarity. Align with intention. Show up with humanity.

Alexandra Smart, Partner, ECI Partners

To connect with us about executive coaching please contact us here.