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What Leadership Requires of Us Now

News

Health

Former Direct Relief COO and President (and new Chief Health Officer), Dr. Byron Scott has been a trusted resource and a model of effective leadership while I transitioned to joining Direct Relief. (Lara Cooper/Direct Relief)
By Amy Weaver
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This story first appeared in Amy Weaver’s LinkedIn newsletter,
Direct Relief: Hope Ahead.

As we close out another year and look toward 2026, I find myself reflecting on what leadership really means in times of disruption, opportunity, and relentless change.

This past year has reminded me — more than ever — that leadership isn’t just about strategy or vision on paper. It’s about listening first, acting with intention, and bringing teams together around collective purpose. That’s true whether you’re steering a tech company through growth, navigating a humanitarian response, or guiding a nonprofit to expand its impact.

1) Start with Listening — It Grounded Me

When I transitioned into my current role, I spent the first months on a listening tour. I met with colleagues here at home, partners abroad, and voices in communities we serve. Before setting strategy, I wanted to understand:

  • What challenges our team faces
  • What partners truly need
  • What success looks like to people on the frontline

This deep listening didn’t slow us down — it accelerated alignment and trust across teams and geographies. I reflect more on this experience in this interview with Devex Senior Editor Catherine Cheney.

When I first started at Direct Relief, I recognized the importance of listening and embarked on a ‘listening tour.’ I met with local Santa Barbara partners, including Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics, to better understand how I, and Direct Relief, can be of service. (Brea Burkholz/Direct Relief)

2) Embrace Fresh Thinking — From Within and Beyond

As external realities shift — shrinking budgets in traditional aid, evolving private-sector engagement, and new technology frontiers — leaders must remain curious and adaptable.

Leadership isn’t a fixed role; it’s a continuous learning journey.

This year, let’s commit to:

  • Evaluating how we lead with honesty
  • Inviting new ideas from all corners of our organizations
  • Prioritizing experimentation over perfection

3) Ground Decisions in Shared Purpose

The end of a year often brings focus — a narrowing of options that clarifies what truly matters. I was inspired by this piece recently published by Fast Company, which discusses how leaders can harness this momentum intentionally: by defining clear priorities rooted in purpose and by aligning teams around those missions.

For Direct Relief, that means improving systems that help get critical resources where they’re needed most — faster, more equitably, and with partners who share the same urgency.

Earlier this year, I met Elizabeth Esi Denyo, President of the Ghana Diabetes Association, in Accra. Her leadership continues to expand access to equitable diabetes care and drive lasting change across Ghana. (Photo by David Uttley for Direct Relief)

4) Lead with Humility and Heart

At its core, leadership is deeply human. It requires:

  • Emotional intelligence
  • Willingness to accept feedback
  • Commitment to the people you serve and those you lead

This isn’t soft talk — it’s strategic. Teams aligned around trust and shared values are resilient in uncertainty and innovative in execution – as discussed in this research published by Cornell University.

5) Look Ahead with Courage

2026 will bring its share of challenges, some we can see coming and others we’ll only recognize later. What matters most is staying anchored in our core values as leaders and organizations, even as we adapt to change together.

Let’s lead not just with ambition, but with clarity, empathy, and commitment — not only to the goals we set for the new year, but to the people whose lives we touch along the way.

Here’s to a year of purposeful leadership and impact.

With gratitude,
Amy

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