3 Things to Start With Your Team in 2026

As we head into a new year, it’s the perfect time to pause, reflect and reset how you're leading your team. If you’ve been feeling stuck in reactive mode, constantly solving problems or wondering why your team isn’t quite hitting the mark, this is your opportunity to do things differently.

You don’t need a full business overhaul to shift the dial. Sometimes, it’s about starting small with a few key actions that have big impact. This simple framework of stop, keep, start is a brilliant place to begin.

In this third and final part of the series, we're looking at what to start doing when it comes to your team in 2026. These aren’t surface-level tactics, they’re practical moves designed to help you lead more effectively, create more autonomy in your team, and take a few things off your plate without letting performance slip.

Let’s dive in.

#1: Start Building Leadership Skills and Layers

One of the biggest roadblocks in growing businesses is that everything still runs through you. Every decision, every issue, every approval, all of it needs your input. And that’s not sustainable.

2026 is the year to start building leadership layers into your business. That doesn’t mean hiring a leadership team overnight. It means intentionally identifying and skilling up the people who can step into more responsibility — even in small ways.

The truth is, most small businesses underinvest in this. We don't plan for succession. We don’t equip our team with the tools to lead. And we often wait until we’re burnt out to realise we need support.

This year, look at who in your team could be coached or mentored into a leadership role. Start small: maybe it's taking ownership of a process, running a meeting, or leading part of a project. Pair that with real skill development — not just more tasks — and you’ll gradually create a team that can carry more, so you can focus on the bigger picture.

#2: Start Having Braver Conversations Sooner

You know the conversations. The ones you’ve been avoiding for weeks. The performance concern you keep sweeping aside. The weird team dynamic no one’s naming. The clash in values or energy that just doesn’t sit right.

Delaying those conversations only makes the problem worse. The longer you avoid it, the bigger it grows, in your mind, in their behaviour, and in the impact it has on the team.

In 2026, emotional avoidance is one of the biggest silent killers of team performance. It's not just about conflict, it's about clarity. Braver conversations bring that clarity.

Start normalising honesty. Let your team know that direct feedback, when given respectfully, is part of how you grow together. Get more comfortable sitting in discomfort for a short time, so you don’t sit in dysfunction for months.

Courageous conversations don’t have to be harsh. But they do need to happen. The sooner you start, the easier it gets.

#3: Start Measuring What Really Matters

It’s time to shift the focus away from hours logged and tasks ticked off. That’s not where performance lives anymore, especially in flexible, hybrid or remote teams.

Start measuring what actually matters:

• Contribution
• Collaboration
• Engagement
• Initiative
• Outcomes

When you focus on activity, you reward busyness. When you focus on impact, you reward results. That’s how you build a culture of ownership, and that’s what retains your best people.

This shift might feel uncomfortable at first, especially if you’re used to seeing your team working in front of you. But impact-based metrics are where modern leadership is heading. Think about how you can define and track real contribution in your business.

And make sure your team is clear on how they’re being measured, otherwise, the data doesn’t mean much.

Bonus Tip: Start Creating AI Guides for Your Team

If AI is part of your toolkit, and let’s face it, it probably is, now’s the time to start setting some structure around it.

Your team needs more than just access to a tool. They need clarity on:

• What they can and can’t use AI for
• Where the boundaries are
• How to integrate AI into their workflow
• What your expectations are for review, editing and use of AI-generated content

Start creating simple use guides that match your business style and standards. If you’re using custom integrations or GPTs, make sure your team is trained in how to use them well. This isn't about control, it’s about consistency, quality and risk management.

AI won’t replace your team, but poor use of AI can absolutely cause issues. A little structure now will save you a lot of headaches later.

Bringing It All Together

You don’t need to start ten new things this year. You just need to start the right things.

So if you’re planning for a stronger, more confident 2026 as a leader, start here:

• Build leadership layers so everything doesn’t funnel through you
• Have braver conversations to clear the air and move forward faster
• Measure the stuff that actually matters, not just the stuff that’s visible

And if AI is in your toolbox, give your team the clarity and training they need to use it wisely.

Small shifts, consistently made, will create huge momentum in your team.

Here’s to a fresh start, a braver approach, and a stronger team in 2026.

An Invitation
If you’d like to connect with other business owners, leaders and managers, I’d love for you to join us inside our free Facebook Group where you can connect with other like minded business owners, leaders and managers to discuss all things HR: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia