2026 Predictions For Leaders

2025 was a noisy year. Quiet quitting, quiet firing, corporate catfishing? Yeah, we heard it all. But as we head into 2026, smart leaders aren’t chasing headlines, they’re looking for the signal in the noise. I break down the workplace trends that actually matter and how to lead your team through them. From hybrid work to generative AI, flexibility to psychological safety, we’ll cover what’s here to stay and what’s just buzz. If you’re ready to future-proof your leadership and build your best team ever, you’re in the right place. 00:00 The Buzzwords of 2025 00:35 Meet Dr. David Burkus 01:00 The Return to Office Push 03:56 AI as the New Coworker 07:15 The Fractional Workforce 10:08 The Generational Shift //NEWSLETTER Want to build your best team ever? Join 25,000+ who receive these insights in my free newsletter: https://davidburkus.com/podcast //ABOUT DAVID One of the world’s leading business thinkers, David Burkus’ forward-thinking ideas and bestselling books are helping leaders and teams do their best work ever. He is the best-selling author of four books about business and leadership. His books have won multiple awards and have been translated into dozens of languages. His insights on leadership and teamwork have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, USAToday, Fast Company, the Financial Times, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, CNN, the BBC, NPR, and CBS This Morning. Since 2017, Burkus has been ranked as one of the world’s top business thought leaders by Thinkers50. As a sought-after international speaker, his TED Talk has been viewed over 2 million times. He’s worked with leaders from organizations across all industries including Google, Stryker, Fidelity, Viacom, and even the US Naval Academy. A former business school professor, Burkus holds a master’s degree in organizational psychology from the University of Oklahoma, and a doctorate in strategic leadership from Regent University. //SPEAKING Like what you heard? Find more on David's speaking page (and find out about bringing him to your company or event) at https://davidburkus.com/keynote-speaker/ //CONNECT + LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidburkus/ + Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/davidburkus + Facebook: http://www.FB.com/DrDavidBurkus + Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DavidBurkus