Is it something you think about often? At all?

Executive teams spend countless hours refining business strategies, structures, policies and even culture. But I rarely hear anyone speaking of their organisational character.

When it comes to organisational character, ignorance is certainly not bliss!

Character is what draws people to you, it attracts and retains the right staff, it gives them something to be proud of and your customers something to love.

Character is deeper than your brand personality or identity, it is the values, principles and behaviours that shape how your organisation shows up in the world. More than a strategy decided in a boardroom and printed in an annual report, it is every decision, every interaction, every micro-moment, intertwined to shape how people perceive and interact with you.

Just like our personal character, organisational character is continually being shaped and developed. When we become aware of the character of our organisations we position ourselves to shape the type of character we want to be known for and have the opportunity to create organisations that are great for our teams, our customers, our partners and help move the world forward.

As you settle into a new year and think about the goals you’re hoping to achieve over the coming months, can I encourage you to first take a step back and explore who your organisation is becoming this year?

Goals and objectives are important, but they’re arbitrary if they’re not growing out of something deeper. As leaders, our desire is to move our organisations forward each year, to end better than we started. But this doesn’t happen by accident.

So, what will that look like for you and your organisation?

What will your organisation’s character be? What will you be known for? What will your culture be? What value will you bring to the world in 2026?

Below are three simple steps and a handy worksheet to help guide this exploration.

1. Who are you now?

Start by describing who you are now, to both your internal teams and external stakeholders. If someone was to describe your organisation, what would they say?

Go beyond business metrics and be honest about how your organisation shows up in the world, the good and the not so good.

2. Who will you be?

Now describe who you would like your organisation to be by the end of the year, balancing aspiration with what is achievable in 12 months.

What are the characteristics you would like your organisation to be known for? When your staff or clients are talking about you, what would you like them to say?

3. How will you get there?

Then list what actions you will take to transform the organisation from what it is today, to what you would like it to be by the end of the year.

What things need to change? And how can you change the mindsets and behaviours of your teams so that the desired character is the default?

How will you communicate this plan with your teams?

It’s when leaders set their sights on shaping businesses that move the world forward that the world can truly become a better place.

In 2026, let’s be the leaders to move the world forward. Because the world is worth it!