We are kicking off 2026 on the theme of 'Leading Differently'. Leaders who can understand and value differences are the leaders who can engage and inspire teams. These are skills that leaders and future leaders can learn. Leading with differences is what makes leaders successful and inclusive.
This edition of From The Edges gives you our thoughts on what this year will bring. With insights from the world around us and special offers to get you started.
It's been a wild start to the year already! The stories we have found share a common idea: that leadership is about understanding differences. It's not about titles or perfection. It's when people choose to challenge systems that do not work for everyone. It's the leaders who see everyone, call out injustice and look to the edges to see what everyone needs. It's about listening to all voices, not just the loudest ones, or the voices in the centre.
Plus, we have lots of our own news to share, too.
Stories From The Edges...
Family doctor suspended after faking appointments for school run
How can working parents balance their roles and childcare responsibilities in a system that does not work? Dr Helen Eisenhauer, feared being unable to collect her children, so she made up two face-to-face patient appointments linked to telephone consultations with patients earlier that day. This has led to her being suspended after she referred herself to the General Medical Council. She said she was struggling to ‘juggle her work and parental responsibilities.’ This story will not feel unfamiliar to working parents who have to juggle work responsibilities with childcare. How do employers handle this? And does the whole system need a revolution?
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Equal pay settlements for female council workers pass £1bn
Local councils have faced legal claims from female workers with a huge settlement bill. These have been focused on female-dominated roles such as cleaners or carers, where working conditions have not been addressed for a long time. Birmingham City Council recently had thousands of people gain settlements after a four-year campaign. The Equality Act 2010 sets out that men and women should receive the same pay and contractual terms for roles of equal value. With local councils struggling financially, addressing these inequalities should be a top priority.
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Tate Modern challenges stereotypes
Nadia Denton wants people to think differently about African art. There is a misconception that African art is solely about masks or sculptures. This new feature at Tate Modern shows people something different. The art is modern, conceptual and abstract, with bursts of colour. This tour is part of a wider shift across museums in the UK. The tour acknowledges the colonial histories tied to many objects in UK museums. She explains how colonial history has shaped art. This tour shows people that we can acknowledge problematic pasts and learn about new ways to see art and society.
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Five major banks to allow homeless people to open bank accounts
Inclusion covers so many things, and this story about banks shows the stories we do not often hear about. It is almost impossible to open a bank account without a fixed address. So this prevents people from accessing ways to work, as well as many other things in life. A new scheme between Shelter and the government will enable people to open bank accounts without a fixed address. The No Fixed Address service has helped 7,000 people open a bank account, with Shelter vouching for people without a fixed address. Financial inclusion will help people to participate in the economy.
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What separates serious buyers from time wasters?
Do you work in a business where you need to speak to people regularly to progress relationships? Perhaps you ask about challenges, problems and spend time talking to people. Then that turns into silence? Mo was excited to feature in an article for Forbes about Discovery calls. She talked about what would make the work feel like a success? When you are planning work, do you talk about future vision and how to include different people? Read on to see what people said.
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Our news and New Year offers...
Mo has been named as a Top 100 Female Entrepreneur by Small Business Britain
Exciting news! Mo Kanjilal has been named as one of the Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs for 2026 in the f:entrepreneur campaign run by Small Business Britain. The campaign, founded in 2017, celebrates dynamic female founders from across the UK who lead exceptional businesses while also making a wider contribution through community work, mentoring, volunteering and leadership.
The Truth Beyond Dashboards - guest blog
Dashboards measure data, leadership behaviours shape culture. In a guest blog for Plus Accounting, we have looked at what leaders need to consider beyond dashboard data.
Who Gets To Play? Read our new report
We collaborated with the University of Sussex for an exciting new report. A group of students looked at gender diversity in technology and gaming companies and created this new report full of insights.
Are you ready? Inclusion Readiness Review
Companies are entering a new phase of pressure around talent, trust and culture. This 2-minute pulse check highlights where inclusion may be supporting performance — or quietly holding it back.
No prep. No jargon. Just a quick sense-check. We will send you a report showing where you are.
New year offers
To kick start the year, we have a whole range of exciting new offers. This is the year where your commitment to inclusion will be tested. Are you ready?
Allyship bundle
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£149.99
Allyship To The Edge - On Demand Training
An on-demand training course to watch in your own time on how to be an effective ally.
With a guide to accompany the... Read more |
What Do I Say? Resource
Learning about allyship is one thing, knowing what things to say is another. This guide gives you information on how to hold people accountable and challenge discrimination.
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£5.00
Allyship - What Do I Say? Resource
A resource on how to hold people accountable and challenge discrimination.
This resource is linked to our Allyship To... Read more |
Same World, Different Perspective - Special Offer
Our 'Same World, Different Perspectives' Workshop helps you bring your team together to think about actions you can take.
We live in the same world, but we experience it differently. If we learn about our different perspectives, how can we use that knowledge to create inclusive teams where people communicate and share ideas?
We run this workshop as a:
- 2-hour workshop
- Half-Day Workshop with learning
- Full-Day team day combined with learning on several topics
Special Offer!
We are offering a special discounted rate on this workshop to kick-start your 2026. This offer is for bookings by the end of January.
- 2-hour workshop in person reduced from £950 to £595
- 2-hour workshop online reduced from £850 to £350
This is an ideal way to start Leaders thinking about the work for 2026, or bring your Employee Group together to kick-start their action planning.
If you are interested, email hello@edgeofdifference.com
Here's the feedback we got from the workshop at Milton Keynes Tech Week...
Mo and Kaia immediately engaged the audience to consider new perspectives, discuss challenges and consider how they can bring about positive changes in their organisations.
Pippa Moyle, CEO, City Girl Network
Future Talent Programmes
Several of this year’s Inclusion Trends point to one clear message. The future depends on the talent you are developing right now.
Your future leaders are probably already in your company. If they are not, they have already looked at your culture, assessed your leadership, and decided it does not offer what they expect. Future talent is choosing workplaces with inclusive cultures, meaningful growth opportunities, and leaders who reflect the world they live in.
The next generation leads differently. They expect differently. They decide differently.
We have launched our new Future Talent Programmes to help you identify diverse future leaders, build team environments people want to join, and develop the next generation of leaders with confidence and intention.
