2026 Hot Take: what’s In, What’s Out

2026 demands precision over clutter. Smart organizations are choosing clarity over complexity … and seeing real results.

What's IN

• Saying what you mean
  86% of consumers value authenticity when choosing brands. Translation: ditch corporate speak. Your audience knows the difference.

• Strategy tied to business results
  Can you draw a direct line from your communications to revenue, retention, or market growth? If not, you're decorating, not strategizing. 60% of consumers now rank trust and transparency as top brand traits.

• AI handling grunt work
  First drafts, data synthesis, formatting. This frees humans to focus on strategic thinking and relationship-building. The real question: Are you amplifying expertise or substituting for it?

• Fewer priorities, exceptional execution
  Winners are cutting priorities by 50%+ and executing with real resources and follow-through.

• Community over audience
  21% global engagement costs the economy $438B annually. Organizations that build genuine communities, not broadcast audiences, win loyalty and organic growth.

• Metrics leaders actually use
  If executives don't reference your dashboard, it's worthless. Three to five metrics, directly tied to business goals, presented in plain language. That's it.

What's OUT

• Flowery mission statements
  If your values could apply to any company, they're meaningless. Employees need specific, actionable guidance for making decisions.

• Activity without outcomes
  Twenty social posts weekly with no objective? Events generating zero leads? Content nobody reads? Busy ≠ effective. Cut ruthlessly.

• "More is more"
  75% of managers feel overwhelmed. Constraint drives creativity. Focus drives results. Ask "where can we excel?" not "where else can we show up?"

• Metric overload
  Data fatigue is real. Choose your vital few metrics and ignore the rest.

• Tactics masquerading as strategy
  "Increase Instagram presence" isn't a strategy. Strategy defines who you serve, what problems you solve and why you win. Then come tactics.

• Selling before listening
  Discovery builds relationships and closes deals. In 2026, listening is a competitive advantage.

What to Do Now

These aren't trends to watch … they're decisions you can make today.

The question: Will you lead the shift to precision, or get dragged into it?

Ready to make the shift? Storia Strategies helps organizations move from activity to impact. Let's talk.