Looking Ahead to Next Year’s Leadership Essentials
The end of the year is fast approaching, and as we look ahead to what is to come in the leadership development space in 2025, it is essential to reflect on the moments—and lessons—that shaped 2024. Leadership is always evolving, and if there is one thing last year taught us, it is that the future requires us to constantly adapt! Let’s review 3 key leadership priorities to unwrap in 2025, each grounded in what we have learned this year:
Enhancing Your Workplace Next Year
This year was a whirlwind—a year of growth, challenges, and valuable lessons that reshaped the way we think about leadership. If there’s one thing we’re sure of, it’s that the best leaders are the ones who never stop growing. Remind yourself that each year brings new opportunities to strengthen the skills that make us better leaders—not just for our teams, but for ourselves.
1. Focus on Feedback and Recognition
In 2025, employees will expect more from their leaders—not just in terms of professional growth, but also in the way their contributions are acknowledged. Currently, statistics show there is a clear disconnect between how managers and their employees are connecting.
To gain insight into differing views of the workplace, Gallup examined the contrast between how managers perceive their leadership style and how employees feel they are being managed, finding that, “50% of managers strongly agree they are giving feedback to their direct reports every week, while only 20% of individual contributors strongly agree their manager does so. When it comes to managers giving recognition for good work, a similar gap emerges.”
A consistent focus on feedback and recognition will help you foster a culture of continuous improvement, motivate your team, and create a positive work environment. When employees feel seen and valued, they are more likely to be committed, productive, and innovative.
Your Action Item for 2025: Implement a more structured feedback initiative where each team member receives constructive feedback on their work during 1-on-1 sessions, paired with a moment of recognition for something they've done well. This practice will not only boost morale but also reinforce a growth mindset within your team. Make sure that recognition is personalized and specific, highlighting individual contributions to foster a sense of ownership.
Blog Read: 5 Ways to Give Better Feedback
2. Lean Into Creativity
The problems leaders and teams are solving now are more complex than ever. Leaders who can think outside the box—and inspire their teams to do the same—will be the ones driving real innovation.
According to metrics from Statista, "More than 70% of companies surveyed consider creative thinking and analytical thinking to be the skills most expected to rise in importance between 2023 and 2027. Indeed, cognitive skills are growing in importance most rapidly due to increasing complexities in the workplace."
This is especially important with the rise of artificial intelligence, which is now playing substantial, yet varied roles in the workplace, most often being used as a copilot to enhance human productivity. The introduction of AI further highlights the absolute NEED for human creativity and innovation, and the ability to harness our unique thoughts and ideas.
Your Action Item for 2025: Think about hosting more frequent “brainstorming sessions” where your team can discuss new solutions to existing, ongoing challenges. Encourage all ideas, create a safe environment to share, and don’t dismiss any suggestion without exploring it first. This will help cultivate a culture of creativity and out-of-the-box thinking while finding solutions to niche, specific challenges within your organization or team.
Blog Read: 3 Ways Leaders Can Enhance Their Creativity
3. Provide Opportunities for Growth and Development
This year provided us with a shocking statistic—employee engagement in the United States reached an 11-year low, leaving nearly 4.8 million fewer employees engaged in early 2024. As the year has continued, this number continues to drop, as employees are expressing frustration with the lack of attention given to their personal development amongst other key factors. When people feel like they—as an individual—aren’t a priority for their employer, it makes sense that they start to fade out.
It seems employees want more than just a paycheck in 2025. They want to know that their hard work is helping them grow and that there’s a clear path for advancement. It’s not just about doing a job; it’s about being part of something bigger and feeling that their efforts are valued. That’s where professional development opportunities come in. Offering training, coaching, or clear career paths shows employees that you’re invested in their future, not just their current role.
Your Action Item for 2025: Ask team members about their long-term career goals and what skills they’d like to develop. Use this as an opportunity to discuss potential leadership development programs, coaching opportunities, or new responsibilities they can take on to help them grow within the company. If possible, create a development plan for each team member, showing them that you are genuinely invested in their future and their journey with the organization.
Blog Read: Are Your Managers Engaging Their Teams?
By focusing in on these priorities, you’ll set yourself and your team up for success in the year ahead. The landscape of leadership may be shifting, but by staying committed to developing these skills, you’ll be ready for whatever challenges and opportunities come your way. So, let’s take these lessons with us into 2025 and continue to grow as leaders who inspire, empower, and create lasting impact.
Throughout the year, FlashPoint offers a variety of webinars, product showcases, and public workshops where clients and interested participants alike can participate in and learn more about the powerful suite of assessments and programs. Visit our Events page to discover our latest offerings:
