The current era of ‘The Great Layoffs’ and the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Risks of 2026 impacts the majority of citizens in the world—and encourages an introspective consideration of how to interpret and respond to these universal forces.
According to Saadia Zaadia, Managing Director at the World Economic Forum (WEF): “The annual Global Risks Report offers a view of global risks at the start of each year, focusing global leaders on addressing emerging challenges and their potential knock-on effects. It does not offer predictions, nor does it suggest that the future is predetermined. Instead, it provides a range of potential futures with a view to prevention and management.
The WEF 2026 Global Risks Report is characterized by Ms. Zaadia as having uncertainty as the defining theme.
She said: “Respondents viewed both the short- and long-term global outlook negatively, with 50% of respondents anticipating either a turbulent or stormy outlook over the next two years, deteriorating to 57% of respondents over the next 10 years. A further 40% and 32%, respectively, view the global outlook as unsettled over the two- and 10-year time frames, with only 1% anticipating a calm outlook across each time horizon.”
She went on to explain that global risks continue to spiral in scale, interconnectivity and velocity, with 2026 marking an age of competition. As cooperative mechanisms crumble with governments retreating from multilateral frameworks, stability is under siege. A contested multipolar landscape is emerging where confrontation is replacing collaboration, and trust; the currency of cooperation is losing its value.
According to Kevin Asbjörnson , Founder and Managing Director of the Institute of Inspired Leadership: “We are operating in a global experience and performance-based economy which requires all citizens, employees, managers and leaders to enhance their level of readiness and preparedness and expand their levels of proficiencies within three primary domains of mastery—personality, perseverance, and perspective. While we as individuals do not directly control the 2026 era of ‘Great Layoffs’ and global risks, we do have the ability to reconsider, through mindfulness, how to Reset, Reframe and Recalibrate our individual preparedness, readiness and response.”
Our global executive coaches at the Institute of Inspired Leadership collectively agree that the first step for individuals during times of crises is to step back and revisit our individual character strengths and virtues.
According to the VIA Institute on Character, character strengths are the positive parts of your personality that impact how you think, feel and behave. Scientists have identified 24-character strengths that an individual has the capacity to express.
The VIA Survey—a scientifically validated character strengths and virtues assessment, based upon the Peterson and Seligman (2004) virtue model—were designed and published to enable an individual to discover one’s unique character strengths and virtue profile. Knowing and applying your highest character strengths is the key to you being your best self, especially in times of stress, pressure and duress. Discovering one’s strengths also results in greater self-awareness, confidence and overall well-being. The complimentary VIA Survey has two versions, one for adults and one for youth, which may be accessed online at: https://www.viacharacter.org/character-strengths-via.
Expanded versions of the VIA Survey are also available at a modest cost, accompanied by a debriefing and co-creation of a Individual Development Plan (IDP) with experienced coaches and consultants at the Institute of Inspired Leadership who have Masters or Ph.D. degrees with 30 years’ experience assessing and developing the three primary domains of personal mastery—personality, perseverance, and perspective.
For organizational groups looking to improve their performance as a team, Workplaces at Their Best (WATB), also developed by the VIA Institute on Character, offers a comprehensive strengths-based framework that operates at the individual, team, and organizational levels.
It integrates personal strengths awareness, team dynamics, and organizational culture into one aligned system—embedding character strengths into leadership behavior, team norms, feedback, and decision-making.
WATB is grounded in positive psychology, the scientific study of well-being and optimal human flourishing. Character strengths are among the most researched and practical pathways to increasing engagement, meaning, and resilience at work.
For information and costs associated with the expanded VIA Surveys which include debriefing with an Inspire Imagine Innovate coach, please email Kevin.Asbjornson@InspireImagineInnovate.com
To confirm a complimentary 15-minute consultation and Zoom conference call with Kevin Asbjörnson, please visit https://inspireimagineinnovate.com/engage-with-us/
To review our library of Transformation Insights published by our Global Thought Leader Kevin Asbjörnson, please visit https://inspireimagineinnovate.com/blog/
Please explore our variety of services and coaching offerings online at www.InspireImagineInnovate.com
Leaders Inspire People; People Motivate Themselves!
Kevin Asbjörnson, MIM Credentials:
–Top 1% Global Executive Coaches-2026
–Most Encouraging Public Speaker to Follow in 2026-Global Leaders Views
