The Leadership Reset: Ending the Year with Intention

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Hey Spark Family,

As the year winds down, most leaders are doing one thing... sprinting to the finish line.
They’re closing loops, hitting targets, checking boxes.

But here’s the question I’ve been asking the leaders I work with:
What if the most productive thing you could do right now is pause?

Not to stop the work, but to shift the lens.

Because great leaders don’t just plan the next quarter. They reflect on the one they just led.

Reflection isn’t about perfection or performance.
It’s about learning - and intentionally deciding what to carry forward, what to release, and what to do differently next time.

The Research Is Clear

According to a 2025 McKinsey report, companies that intentionally pause for reflection at key intervals outperform peers by 24% in long-term decision quality and innovation.

And Harvard’s leadership studies show that leaders who build reflection into their regular routines experience:

✔ 23% higher clarity in strategic decisions
✔ 19% stronger team engagement
✔ 30% better stress management

Reflection, it turns out, is not a luxury - it’s a leadership advantage.

It’s also one of the fastest ways to reconnect to purpose.
Because when you make space to reflect, you create room for gratitude, recognition, and renewed perspective - the very things that fuel resilience and optimism for the year ahead.

What I'm Seeing In The Field

Leaders are realizing that “go mode” isn’t sustainable without moments of stillness.

The ones thriving through disruption aren’t the ones doing more, they’re the ones thinking better.

They’re asking better questions.
They’re taking five minutes at the end of the week to capture lessons learned.
They’re encouraging their teams to pause long enough to celebrate the progress that’s easy to miss when you’re moving fast.

Because reflection creates confidence.
It helps leaders turn experience into wisdom - and wisdom into intentional action.

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What We Teach Leaders Inside Spark Brilliance

At Spark Brilliance, we help leaders build the habits that transform insight into action:

🔹 Make reflection routine.
Schedule it like any other meeting. Ten minutes at the end of each week can shift everything.

🔹 Ask better questions.
“What energized me? What drained me? What am I proud of?” Clarity comes from curiosity.

🔹 Lead the reflection.
Invite your team to pause with you. Celebrate progress, learn from challenges, and start the next chapter together.

Because when leaders pause with purpose, they create momentum that’s rooted in meaning.
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🌟 Your Challenge This Week

Take 30 minutes before the year ends to do a personal leadership reset.

Ask yourself:
➡ What am I most proud of this year?
➡ What lesson do I want to carry forward?
➡ What will I leave behind?

Because the new year doesn’t change anything, unless you do.

Reflection is what transforms experience into growth.
And clarity is what turns growth into brilliance.

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With gratitude,
​Jackie

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P.S. – What’s one insight you’re carrying into 2026? Hit reply and share it - I’d love to hear what this year has taught you. ✨

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