How to Reconnect & Re-Energize Before 2026

As we move through November, the pace of the year seemingly accelerates. Projects are wrapping up, calendars are packed, and the holiday season is peeking around the corner. In all the motion, it’s easy to turn inward - head down, laser-focused on finishing strong. But thriving isn’t something we do alone. Impact, as we explored last month, grows when it’s shared. Real progress comes from connection and collaboration.

When we’re deep in “get it done” mode, it’s tempting to communicate in transactions instead of conversations. Quick emails replace meaningful check-ins. Updates substitute for genuine dialogue. Yet this is the exact time when slowing down and reconnecting with others makes the biggest difference. Thriving in the final stretch of the year means leveraging your team, peers, mentors, and partners to create alignment, energy, and shared success.

Here are a few tips that we’re planning to use to refocus on connection and collaboration this month:

• Check in with intention. Take a few minutes each week to connect with someone you’ve worked closely with this year. Ask what they’re most proud of or what they’re focusing on before year-end. These small, authentic conversations build trust and remind people they’re valued.

• Bring collaboration into your “impact time.” When you’re scheduling focused work, consider who else should be part of those moments. Invite a colleague to co-brainstorm, review progress, or problem-solve with you. Sometimes shared focus yields better results than solo effort.

• Acknowledge contributions openly. Recognition fuels motivation and strengthens relationships. Take time to send a thank-you message, mention someone’s effort in a meeting, or share credit publicly. These moments of appreciation ripple far beyond the task itself.

• Revisit shared goals. Before year-end, bring your team or peers together for a quick regroup. Are the collective priorities still clear? Is anyone carrying too much of the load? Reconnecting on shared objectives helps everyone finish aligned and energized.

• Build community beyond your immediate circle. Join a cross-functional meeting, attend an internal event, or reach out to someone in another department. Expanding your connections before the year ends can open doors for collaboration in 2026.

• Close the loop. As projects wind down, take time to debrief over not just what was achieved, but also over how you worked together. Take the time to celebrate the wins - not just around the deliverables, but also what you built as a team. Capture lessons learned and make a note on what worked that might be replicated in future projects.

When you nurture connection in the middle of chaos, you build more than productivity - you build resilience. Thriving teams don’t just complete projects; they grow stronger through collaboration, even when the calendar is full and the deadlines are near.

What connections do you need to strengthen over the next 2 months to help both of you finish the year thriving, not just surviving?