May 20, 2026 | By: Katie McGeehan
Now, more than ever, good leadership matters.
In today’s socio-political and economic climate, where systems built to reinforce inequity collide with a fraying social safety net and policies that put communities at risk, good leadership matters more than ever. But what does good leadership look like and how do we meet the moment as leaders through what feels like a constant state of “unprecedented times”?
Transformative leadership development
Over the past decade, I’ve had the privilege of partnering with a number of organizations offering best-in-class leadership development programs, including The Schusterman Fellowship, All in Education, Black Teacher Collaborative, MCEL, and Surge Institute. Each of these programs has been geared towards: supporting authentic and sustainable leadership; fostering connection; and cultivating adaptive leadership that leverages power to transform inequitable systems.
Leading teams through unprecedented times
With a framework for strong leadership development like the above in mind, what does it mean then, to put good leadership into practice in a rapidly changing, chaotic, increasingly surreal day and age? It can feel difficult to know where to start when everything feels like it’s on fire. But we can make change in the spaces we are in through our own intentional habits and practices:
Active awareness of self, power, and privilege. To lead well, we need a clear sense of our strengths and our growth edges. We also need to take a hard look at our power and privilege – tied to both our positionality and our identities – and how we wield it, both consciously and unconsciously; and then commit to leveraging that power with intentionality to create more equitable spaces for all.
Leaning into authenticity. When I stopped trying to wear the “mask of the consultant” and started showing up as my authentic self, I noticed a greater sense of ease in shared spaces. When we show up as we are, we invite others to be authentically themselves as well, and we create more welcoming spaces where everyone can feel a sense of belonging.
Putting relationships first, always. When we ground in genuine care, compassion, respect, and a sense of our shared humanity, our partners feel seen, heard, and valued, no matter their title, role, or – and this one is important – the value assigned to their outputs by a hierarchical, capitalist society. Relationships where our partners walk away feeling like they matter because of who they are, not just for the role they play, are the kinds of relationships that weather the storm.
Actively cultivating connection with others. I have started to build a community of co-practitioners, former clients turned friends/colleagues, and other like-minded folks with shared values and vision. Connecting regularly with others - even if it is a broad range of folks with informal touchpoints - helps maintain a sense of self in community, reduces feelings of isolation commonly cited among leaders, and cultivates momentum toward our shared goals that helps sustain our work.
Dispelling the myth of perfectionism. We’ve all had that moment where we feel like we’re on the hot seat, or we’re not entirely sure how to move forward. When we cater to pressure to get it exactly “right” in the moment, we reinforce unrealistic expectations that 1) the perfect solution exists, and 2) urgency is a strategic approach to problem-solving. When we give ourselves and others permission to say “I need to think about that” or “Let's pause to consider xyz” we create more space for strategic innovation. Doing so also turns down the pressure cooker to do it all better, faster, now now now!
Taking accountability for making the change we can. At the individual level, this looks like intentionally managing our working life so that we can create the spaces we want to create with intentionality, and to enable us to engage in those spaces in authentic and meaningful ways. I have come to believe that if I won’t be able to show up with the level of intentionality and energy the space deserves, it’s irresponsible of me to do so. Starting from a place of restoration rather than “doing whatever it takes” has been an important shift. At team and systems levels, it means using our power to cultivate the leaders around use; removing barriers and creating pathways; and confronting biased systems and introducing more equitable policies and practices. It also means holding ourselves and our colleagues – especially those with positional and personal power – accountable.
I’d love to hear from you! What do you want your partners to remember most about your leadership? Who are the leaders who inspire you to evolve your own habits, practices, and accountabilities? What’s the spark that makes their leadership shine? Comment below or drop me a line at connect@learningforaction.com! I would love to connect to hear more about how you are leaning into and sustaining your leadership.