By Deborah Stallings, MA, SHRM-SCP
December is more than a month on the calendar.
It is a mirror.
A mirror that reveals what the year built and what it bruised.
A mirror that reflects what we celebrated and what we avoided.
A mirror that shows how we showed up and how we fell short.
It is the Season of Truth.
A season when leaders, teams, and organizations have a choice to keep repeating the same cycles or release what no longer serves them and step into the new year renewed.
As we close 2025, a year marked by economic strain, personal stress, organizational fatigue, and extraordinary change, we are invited into a moment of clarity. A moment to tell the truth about what we experienced, what we learned, and what we must let go of in order to lead and work differently in 2026.
This article is for leaders and teams who are ready to be honest, courageous, reflective, and renewed.
What 2025 Revealed
This year offered lessons wrapped in challenges, growth hidden inside hardship, and clarity born from disruption. When we reflect upon 2025, we are not only reviewing performance metrics or financial statements. We are reviewing the emotional, cultural, and operational landscape that shaped how we worked, how we led, and how we supported one another. This section invites us to look honestly at what the year revealed without judgment but with wisdom for the future.
This year required more of leaders, teams, families, and small businesses than many were prepared for. And for small businesses, which make up 99.9 percent of all United States companies, the stakes were higher, the margins were thinner, and the pressure was heavier.
A Story from 2025
Across the country, many small businesses had a year marked by rising costs, unpredictable demand, inflation, and delayed payments. Many struggled to stay afloat. Some closed their doors.
One publicly shared story involved a Black owned catering company in Chicago that walked into 2025 full of hope. The business had served its community for more than ten years. Then the year shifted. Prices climbed. Events were canceled. Payments slowed. Clients who once booked months in advance suddenly fell silent. The owner shared in an interview that she spent nights awake worrying about payroll, the future of her team, and how to keep her business alive. She described it as the most challenging year of her life. Her story mirrors what many experienced.
Dedication was not the issue. Economics were.
The Hidden Pressures
Although we cannot publicly speak about specific national factors, we can acknowledge the reality. Economic uncertainty slowed contracts, delayed funding, and created ripples that were deeply felt by small businesses, especially those that were undercapitalized. Minority owned businesses felt these pressures intensely. Some paused. Some downsized. Some closed.
Teams felt strain, too. Rising personal expenses. Increased caregiving responsibilities. Emotional fatigue. Fear of layoffs. Uncertainty about their future. People carried more than they could verbalize.
2025 reminded us of something profound. Everyone brings their whole self to work, whether they admit it or not.
What 2025 revealed was not simply a set of obstacles but a deeper truth about the interconnectedness of leadership, culture, and humanity. The year taught us that organizations cannot separate business outcomes from human experiences. It reminded us that transparency builds resilience and that ignoring the truth only delays the inevitable. These insights prepare us for the renewal work ahead.
The Season of Truth for Leaders
Leadership is never more visible than during difficult seasons, and 2025 offered leaders countless opportunities to reflect on how they show up. This section explores the truths revealed about leadership behavior, capacity, and responsibility. It invites leaders to pause and reflect on what this year has revealed about their patterns, strengths, blind spots, and opportunities for renewal.
Leadership Character Under Pressure
Pressure exposes patterns.
Where communication was inconsistent, tension grew.
Where boundaries were unclear, exhaustion and conflicts grew.
Where accountability was neglected, frustration grew.
This year revealed whether leaders navigated with courage or caution, clarity or confusion, accountability or avoidance.
As James Baldwin wrote, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
Leading in a VUCA World
Several years ago, a social theorist by the name of Peter Vaille introduced the concept of VUCA, which represents Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity. He began writing about this theory long before it became a reality worldwide. This year embodied all four.
- Volatility in sales and cash flow.
- Uncertainty in client behavior and demand.
- Complexity in staffing and resource challenges.
- Ambiguity in planning for the future.
VUCA leadership requires transparency, grounded decision making, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. It requires leaders to shift from a reactive to a reflective mindset.
The Cost of Avoidance
Research indicates that avoidance is the number one conflict style used by adults. Yet avoidance is expensive.
- We avoid difficult conversations.
- We avoid proactively addressing performance issues.
- We avoid respectfully speaking truth to power.
- We avoid transparency about financial realities.
- We often avoid leadership development due to time constraints or fear of failure.
- We often fail to invest in our knowledge and skill development.
- We avoid taking accountability for mistakes.
Avoidance frequently shows up in team morale, turnover, client experience, and business results.
The Need for Leadership Renewal
Leaders are not expected to be perfect. They are expected to be present.
They are expected to grow.
They are expected to model what they expect from others.
Leadership development is not a luxury. It is a requirement for organizational health.
A widely referenced insight from leadership research suggests that many senior executives consistently make a habit of reading broadly to support strategic thinking and decision-making. While the exact number of books varies by individual leader, studies consistently link ongoing learning to increased leadership effectiveness (Harvard Business Review, 2024).
True renewal begins not when the calendar changes but when the leader does.
-Deborah Stallings
This season presents leaders with a rare moment to pause and choose differently. Renewal begins with truth-telling and continues with intentional growth. Leaders who embrace reflection, accountability, and learning position themselves and their teams for a stronger and more grounded 2026.
The Season of Truth for Teams
Teams are the heartbeat of every organization. They bear the weight of expectations, the pressure of changing needs, and the emotional realities of life beyond the workplace. This section invites teams to reflect on their own experiences in 2025 and consider what truth, communication, and collaboration will require in 2026.
The Hidden Realities Teams Carry
Teams are tired too. Many are carrying silent stress.
Some employees are caring for aging parents, spouses, and children.
Some are carrying financial burdens.
Some are struggling emotionally.
Some are afraid to speak honestly because they do not want to lose their jobs.
Fear creates silence, and silence creates disconnect.
Silence prevents solutions.
Silence damages culture.
Quiet Quitting and Emotional Withdrawal
Quiet quitting often stems from burnout or disappointment, but it also comes with a cost. When employees disengage without communicating, the team weakens. The workload becomes unfair. Resentment grows on all sides.
Employees deserve empathy, but they also share responsibility for communication, accountability, and participation in culture.
Teams are not passive passengers. They are co-creators of culture.
Shared Responsibility for Culture
While culture is established by the founder, it is built in every conversation, every decision, every meeting, and every silent moment. Leaders set direction, but teams reinforce it. Culture is a strategic collaboration.
Teams that choose truth and courage alongside their leaders create environments where people feel seen, supported, and inspired. Shared responsibility creates shared success. When teams participate fully in culture building, the entire organization benefits.
What Leaders and Teams Must Release in December to Renew for 2026
Renewal cannot happen without release. December gives us permission to let go of what no longer aligns with our goals, health, or values. This section outlines the mindsets and behaviors that must be released to step into 2026 with clarity, strength, and unity.
- Release avoidance.
- Release fear.
- Release silence.
- Release unhealthy habits.
- Release unrealistic expectations.
- Release resentment.
- Release perfectionism.
- Release distrust.
- Release the belief that leadership or culture will improve on its own.
This is the work of renewal.
Releasing is not about loss. It is about making room for growth. What we release in December becomes the space where courage, clarity, and new commitments can take root. Renewal requires clearing away what no longer serves us.
Season of Truth Reflection and Listening Sessions
Reflection creates alignment. Listening creates trust. When these two practices come together, organizations experience meaningful transformation. This section encourages leaders and teams to create intentional spaces for honest conversations that strengthen connections and prepare the organization for the year ahead.
This is a powerful time for organizations to pause. Leaders, teams, and HR can facilitate one one-on-one or group reflection sessions that invite honest dialogue.
Questions may include:
- What did we learn this year?
- What drained us?
- What strengthened us?
- What must we release?
- What must we repair?
- What must we recommit to?
- What support do we need in 2026?
- What leadership do we need to model next year?
These listening sessions build trust, reveal hidden barriers, identify ideas and innovation, and create alignment for the future.
Reflection and listening become catalysts for healing and growth. When people feel heard, they participate more fully in the conversation. When people feel safe, they contribute more boldly. These sessions prepare the ground for a more united and purpose driven 2026.
What Leaders Can Do Now
Leaders hold a unique role in guiding renewal. Small steps taken now can strengthen culture, rebuild trust, and create momentum for the new year. This section provides practical actions leaders can take immediately to strengthen their leadership presence.
- Communicate openly with teams about realities and hopes.
- Address unresolved issues with compassion and courage.
- Invest in leadership development even in small steps.
- Model the culture you want to reflect.
- Admit mistakes.
- Tell the truth about what worked and what did not.
Leadership renewal is not a single moment but a continuous process. When leaders act with clarity, honesty, and courage, teams respond with trust, focus, and resilience. These steps lay the foundation for a stronger and more grounded 2026.
What Teams Can Do Now
Team members play a central role in cultivating a healthy and productive culture. Their voices, behaviors, and commitments influence how the organization functions and grows. This section highlights the practical steps teams can take to support renewal.
- Communicate honestly about needs and burdens.
- Own personal accountability and performance.
- Participate actively in culture and solutions.
- Ask for help when needed.
- Renew commitment to the mission and the work.
- Release resentment or assumptions that have not been voiced.
Teams that embrace communication, accountability, and courage contribute to a culture of shared success. Their commitment strengthens relationships, improves collaboration, and supports a renewed sense of purpose.
What HR and People Operations Can Do Now
HR and People Operations serve as the bridge between strategy and culture. Their leadership in building structures, policies, and systems creates consistency and clarity. This section outlines how HR can guide teams and leaders into a healthier, more aligned year.
- Facilitate the Season of Truth Reflection and Listening Sessions.
- Assess culture and communication gaps.
- Recommend leadership and team development.
- Simplify or strengthen policies for clarity.
- Create a 2026 Culture and Leadership Development Roadmap.
- Support leaders and teams in building new habits.
HR professionals who lead with courage and clarity elevate organizational trust and performance. Their work strengthens culture, reinforces accountability, and ensures that renewal becomes a lived experience, rather than a fleeting idea.
The Gift of Renewal
Every year offers lessons. Every season offers choices. Every December offers an invitation to pause, breathe, and begin again. This final section is a reminder that renewal is not only possible but powerful when embraced with honesty, courage, and care.
December offers a rare gift. A moment of truth. A moment of choice. A moment of reflection. A moment of recommitment. A moment to stop pretending. A moment to find courage again.
If your business survived 2025, it is because someone chose honesty over easy and courage over comfort.
The Season of Truth can become the Season of Renewal when leaders and teams choose to see themselves clearly and grow intentionally. Renewal begins now. Renewal begins with truth. Renewal begins with us.
Renewal is both a gift and a responsibility. When we acknowledge what the year has taught us and choose to move forward with intention, we enter the new year with clarity, courage, and hope. May 2026 reflect the best of who we are becoming.
References
Baldwin, J. (n.d.).
Quote: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
Cake. (2025). Small business statistics every entrepreneur should know in 2025.
https://cake.com/blog/small-business-statistics
Harvard Business Review. (2024). Why great leaders never stop learning.
https://hbr.org
United States Chamber of Commerce. (2025). Top challenges facing small businesses in 2025.
https://www.uschamber.com/co/start/strategy/small-business-challenges
Word in Black. (2025). Minority owned small businesses continue to face systemic challenges.
https://wordinblack.com
About Deborah Stallings, MA, SHRM-SCP
Deborah Stallings is a visionary CEO, speaker, and human resources strategist who turns workplace chaos into clarity. She helps leaders handle what hurts before it happens, restore trust, and build high-performing teams rooted in purpose, truth, and care.
Her story began in Chicago’s public housing and on her grandparents’ farm in Mississippi, where she learned resilience, helping to care for her paralyzed mother and younger brother. Those humble beginnings shaped her faith, courage, lifelong learning, and the belief that leadership is a sacred responsibility to serve, uplift, and build with integrity.
As Founder and CEO of HR Anew, Deborah has spent more than 26 years transforming organizations through inclusive leadership and strategic HR innovation. Known for delivering hard truths with grace, she helps CEOs, executives, and nonprofit leaders make wise decisions that protect people, culture, and results.
When you work with Deborah, you gain more than an advisor; you gain a collaborator in transformation. Her team of HR, Recruitment, Training, and EEO experts shares her values of wisdom, excellence, continuous learning, and servant leadership. Together, they deliver solutions that reduce risk, save time and money, and create workplaces where people thrive.
Credentials and Impact
- 30+ years in Equal Employment Opportunity, Human Resources, Recruitment, and Training.
- 20+ years as a Christian educator and leadership mentor.
- Master’s in Management and Leadership; Bachelor’s in Business Administration, Notre Dame of Maryland University.
- SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM SCP).
- WBENC Certified Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB); Women Business Enterprise (WBE).
- Aspiring author and advocate for faith-filled, future-ready workplaces.
Deborah believes that when leaders align people, purpose, and performance, they do not just build companies; they build legacies.
About HR Anew
HR Anew is a premier human resources advisory and educational firm committed to transforming workplaces through strategic EEO and HR solutions, inclusion initiatives, leadership development, and workforce innovation. With a mission to empower organizations to build strong, engaged, high-performing teams, HR Anew provides tailored solutions aligning with organizational goals and driving measurable impact. Whether it is recruitment strategy, compliance, or employee engagement, HR Anew collaborates with organizations to deliver excellence, speed, and sustainable growth.