Why 2026 feels different – and what to do about it. Something has shifted this year. You can feel it in meetings – a sharper edge to conversations, a restlessness that wasn’t there before. Decisions that used to queue politely are arriving all at once. People who are usually measured seem more reactive. The pace of change, already fast, has accelerated again. You’re not imagining it. And it’s not just your organisation. In Chinese zodiac tradition, 2026 is a Fire Horse year.

Key to all healthy organisations, teams and relationships is trust. There are ways to build trust and ways to destroy it.