Happy New Year!
As I’ve pondered my 2026 word of the year, I’ve been thinking a lot about how we lead ourselves before we lead others.
Most of us start a new year with a mix of reflection and forward momentum, but I kept coming back to one thought that feels bigger than “goal-setting.” For me, it’s a posture of leadership and presence that holds everything the year will ask of me. Instead of creating new goals, I’m choosing a posture that grounds what I already have.
My Word of the Year for 2026 is stewardship.
Stewardship for me isn’t about doing more. It’s about tending – my time, energy, gifts, and the work I’m called to do – with discipline, focus, consistency, and intention.
For the last week, I’ve been writing this statement as a daily grounding mantra:
“I choose faith over fear, stewardship over striving, and truth over performance.”
Stewardship will shape how I lead and show up in person and online – especially in how I think about S.O.F.T. Leadership™:
• Strategy that doesn’t overextend
• Opportunity that aligns with capacity
• Fulfillment that sustains
• Transformation that unfolds over time
Instead of chasing speed, I’m choosing alignment – clarity before noise, intention before reaction, and faithfulness before performance.
If stewardship is a word that resonates with you this year, I’d love to know what it means for you – or what your own word is.
Let’s lead with purpose in 2026.
Nicki Sanders, MSW is the Founder and CEO of Nicki Sanders Leadership Consulting and the creator of the S.O.F.T. Leadership™ framework – a liberation-centered approach to people-first, aligned leadership. With over 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, organizational development, and higher education, she works primarily with high-performing Women of Color and values-driven organizations to build cultures rooted in wholeness, purpose, and lasting impact. Nicki is a nationally recognized thought leader, professor, coach, and facilitator proving that sustainable success does not require self-sacrifice.
© 2026 Copyright Protected. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED.