Five Leadership Challenges to Close 2025 and Step into 2026

As we close out 2025 and look ahead to 2026, many leaders feel the tension between exhaustion and possibility. The pace has been fast. The uncertainty has been real. And yet—beneath all of that—there’s still a quiet invitation to grow.

This episode of The Leadership Vision Podcast highlights powerful moments from our conversations with Dr. Linda Schubring and Brian Schubring over the past several months, about their book, Unfolded: Lessons in Transformation from an Origami Crane. Rather than simply revisiting ideas, this post invites you to engage with them.

Think of this as a personal leadership worksheet—five chapters, five quotes, and five challenges. You can move through them slowly, journal your responses, or return to them throughout the first weeks of the new year.

1. DREAM — Clarifying What’s Possible

“Dreams point us to our greatest possibility and unfold our greatest potential.”
— Brian Schubring

Dreams aren’t wishful thinking. They are signals—clues pointing toward what matters most and what’s possible next.

Too often, leaders stop dreaming because responsibility crowds out imagination. But dreaming is not optional—it’s foundational.

Leadership Challenge:

Name one dream you’ve been carrying quietly.

• What continues to capture your attention or energy?
• Who or what inspires that dream?
• Is this a dream for now, or one you’re carrying for later?

Write it down. Don’t edit it yet. Simply acknowledge it.

2. PLAY — Practicing Without Pressure

“We define play as practice in disguise.”
— Dr. Linda Schubring

Play is not a break from growth—it’s how growth begins. It allows experimentation without the weight of perfection and creates space for curiosity, joy, and relationship.

For teams, play creates a new context. It breaks stereotypes. It opens up conversations that formal structures often block.

Leadership Challenge:

Reintroduce play into one area of your life and leadership.

• Where have things become too serious?
• What would it look like to experiment without needing immediate results?
• How might play lower defenses for you—or your team?

Choose one small, low-risk way to practice this week.

3. TRY — Embracing the Messy Middle

“Trying is not weak. Try puts you on the trajectory to greatness.”
— Dr. Linda Schubring

Between dreaming and flying is the messy middle—where progress is uneven, doubt creeps in, and results aren’t very obvious yet. This is where many leaders stall.

Trying is not about getting it right. It’s about staying engaged. Trying is not weak!

Leadership Challenge:

Identify one place where you’ve stopped trying.

This might be:

• A conversation you’ve been avoiding
• A habit you abandoned too quickly
• A change you delayed because it felt uncomfortable

What is one intentional step you can take to re-enter the process?

4. FLY — Acting with Courage

“What does flying mean to me right now?”
— Nathan Freeburg

Flying doesn’t always mean a big leap. Often, it’s a moment where preparation meets courage—and you act even though fear is present.

Flying is when leadership becomes embodied, not theoretical.

Leadership Challenge:

Define what “flying” looks like for you in this season.

• Where do you feel most alive or aligned?
• What moment have you been preparing for, even without realizing it?
• What small act of courage is required now?

Name the fear—and take the step anyway.

5. HOME — Returning to What Restores You

“Home is a true returning to our authentic self.”
— Brian Schubring

Home is not just a place—it’s a state of being. It’s where we rest, restore, and remember who we are so that we can give again.

For leaders, this also raises a powerful question about teams:
How do we create a sense of home in the places where people spend most of their lives?

Leadership Challenge:

Define what “home” means for you right now.

• Where do you feel most yourself?
• What restores you rather than drains you?
• What boundaries or rhythms would help you return there more often?

Choose one practice that supports rest and restoration this season.

A Final Reflection

Deb Dixon, who wrote the foreword to Unfolded, asks a question worth carrying into the new year:

“What might be possible if we gave ourselves permission to never stop growing?”

As you move into 2026, may these five invitations—Dream, Play, Try, Fly, and Home—serve as guideposts. You don’t need to master them all. You only need to begin.