The Power of the Clearing – Making Space to Lead into 2026
- Jan 6
- 5 min read
Paul Corke is an executive coach, author, speaker, and is considered to be a leading expert on mindset, leadership, and innovation. and is also the Managing Director of Paul Corke International, an innovative Executive Coaching business. He previously spent 25 years in the corporate world with award-winning results, specializing in organizational effectiveness, coaching, employee engagement, talent management, and leadership development with experience in the UK, Ireland, Europe, the US, and the Middle East.
As 2025 draws to a close, most of us are conditioned to do one of two things, rush to finish, or rush to plan. But wise leadership, of self, others, and systems, asks something else, Stop. Clear. Reflect. Reset.
In nature, nothing grows in overcrowded ground. Yet many leaders push into a new year with zero space, mentally, emotionally, and physically, still carrying the clutter of the year before.
This article is an invitation to create a clearing, a necessary pause to review what no longer serves you, what must continue, and what is ready to begin. It is also a call to prepare for 2026 through the lens of Leadership 5.0, an evolved leadership model centred on self awareness, adaptability, and conscious impact.
What is a clearing? And why do leaders need one?
A clearing is a deliberate space, mental, emotional, and energetic, that allows clarity to emerge. It is the opposite of clutter, distraction, or burnout.
In leadership, clearings help us:
See what we have been tolerating
Notice what is on autopilot
Feel what we have been avoiding
Create space for vision and alignment
Without clearings, we do not lead. We react. And reaction is the opposite of conscious leadership.
“We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are.” Anaïs Nin
Clearings give us the chance to see more clearly, not just externally, but internally.
The Leadership 5.0 connection
In Leadership 5.0, I outline how the future of leadership is driven by:
Self leadership, leading yourself before leading others
Empathy and emotional intelligence
Foresight and future thinking
Sustainability and stewardship
But none of these traits can thrive in chaos. Every one of them requires space, to feel, to reflect, and to choose wisely. A clearing, then, is not optional. It is the ground from which Leadership 5.0 takes root.
The 3-part clearing: Stop, continue, begin
Creating a clearing for the year ahead involves asking yourself three essential questions:
1. What do I need to stop?
What habits, roles, responsibilities, or beliefs have run their course?
What do I need to let go of, even if it once served me?
Where am I saying yes to things that deplete me?
Research insight: Cognitive load theory shows that when we carry too many open loops, tasks, decisions, and unresolved emotions, we reduce the brain’s ability to focus and plan. Clearings enhance executive function and improve leadership decision making. (Sweller, 1988; Harvard Business Review, 2020)
2. What do I need to continue?
What energises me consistently?
What aligned practices or relationships are worth sustaining?
Where have I made quiet progress that deserves celebration?
Leadership note: Often we do not need dramatic reinvention. We need intentional consistency. Clearings help us see what is already working so we can amplify it rather than start over.
3. What do I need to begin?
What new behaviours, strategies, or projects want to emerge?
What is calling me forward that I have been resisting?
What does future aligned leadership look like for me in 2026?
Vision insight: Research from Harvard Business School shows that leaders who engage in reflective strategic planning before transitions, such as the end of a fiscal or calendar year, are more adaptive, resilient, and successful in hitting goals. Clearings set the stage for vision led leadership.
Creating your 2026 leadership clearing
Here is how to start your own personal and professional clearing:
The clearing ritual:
Set aside 90 minutes, alone or with your team, and use these three columns:
Stop, continue, begin
Write freely, without judgement. Let insight emerge from reflection, not pressure.
Create physical and digital clearings:
Clear your workspace of outdated papers or files
Declutter your calendar by removing non essential meetings
Unfollow social content that no longer aligns with your leadership goals
Emotional and mental clearing:
Journal your fears, doubts, or resentments from 2025
Practice breathwork or meditation to create space
Speak to a mentor or coach to process and plan
Vision setting for 2026. Now that space has been made:
What is your vision for 2026 as a leader?
How do you want to lead differently?
What impact do you want to have?
Why clearings are non negotiable for future leaders
The world does not need more reactive leadership. It needs responsive, grounded, and clear headed leadership. The leaders of tomorrow are those who can pause in the noise, reflect with honesty, and act with intention.
Clearings are not a break from leadership. They are where the best leadership begins.
A final word: Clear space, clear mind, clear direction
As you stand at the threshold of 2026, do not rush to fill the year with more. Start by making space. Because in the clearing, you will find what matters. And from that, a truer, wiser, more impactful kind of leadership will emerge.
“The space for greatness is created, not crammed.”
Read more from Paul Corke
Paul Corke, Leadership Innovator, Author & Speaker
Paul Corke is an executive coach, author, and speaker, and is considered to be a leading expert on mindset, leadership, and innovation. and is also the Managing Director of Paul Corke International, an innovative Executive Coaching business. He previously spent 25 years in the corporate world with award-winning results, specializing in organizational effectiveness, coaching, employee engagement, talent management, and leadership development with experience in the UK, Ireland, Europe, the US, and the Middle East.
With over 25 years dedicated to coaching and mentoring leaders within organisations and with his own clients. His unique blend of innovative techniques and coaching has become a hallmark of his approach to leadership development. Recognised as the No. 1 Health & Wellness Thought Leader by Thinkers 360, Paul is also an accomplished author. His latest book, “Leadership 5.0: The Future of Leadership,” offers profound insights into ground-breaking perspectives on leadership. Paul is an engaging keynote speaker, and his commitment to advancing the field of leadership is evident in his role as a thought leader. His talks and written work underscore his dedication to shaping the future of leadership by challenging norms and fostering a mindset of continuous innovation.
