The End of Control: The Leadership Trends of 2026

VIDEO VERSION
The leadership playbook that worked for decades is breaking down.

In this year’s leadership trends conversation, Maureen Metcalf and Christopher Washington explore a powerful shift shaping the future of leadership: stewardship is replacing power as the foundation of effectiveness.

This episode goes beyond surface-level trends to examine what’s really changing underneath:
• Why AI doesn’t replace leadership, but exposes your weak judgment
• Why high-performing executives are quietly reaching breaking points
• Why agility isn’t speed; it’s disciplined adaptability
• How burnout has become a systems problem, not a personal one
• Why leaders must now act as unifiers, not authority figures.
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If you’re a leader navigating constant change, rising pressure, AI disruption, and workforce strain (and wondering how to lead sustainably without losing your edge), this conversation is for you.

This is not motivational leadership content. It’s a candid, systems-level look at what leadership now requires—and why stewardship, not control, is becoming the defining capability of the next era.
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
Leading When We’ve Stopped Thinking: AI’s Red Flag with Srini Koushik
When Women Lead: Courage, Change, & Representation with Congressperson Joyce Beatty
To Stop a Tyrant: The Power of Followers with Ira Chaleff

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.

RESOURCES:
You can read Christopher’s columns for Forbes’ Nonprofit Council at https://bit.ly/ChrisOnForbes. To learn more about what Christopher and the rest of ILI’s special Executive Solutions team offer, check https://bit.ly/ExecutiveSolutions.

Maureen’s article detailing the trends discussed in this episode is available through the Forbes Coaches Council at https://bit.ly/ForbesSixTrends. The free leadership mindsets assessment she offers is at https://bit.ly/Leadership-7.

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko
Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan
Sponsorship Sales Manager: Kristine Gross
Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.

CONNECT WITH US:
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2
Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com

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About Our Guest:
Dr. Christopher Washington is a strategic leader, systems thinker, and seasoned academic executive with over three decades of experience strengthening nonprofit and educational organizations. Before joining ILI’s new Innovative Executive Solutions team, he was Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at Franklin University. He’s also a long-standing contributor to the Forbes Nonprofit Council. He previously served as CEO of Urbana University and has held leadership roles on numerous national and international nonprofit boards.

Christopher has dedicated his career to helping mission-driven institutions build adaptive, high-performing systems. His work integrates resilience, organizational systems design, innovative leadership practice, and human performance and work process transformation to help leaders navigate complexity and build thriving cultures.

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