As I look ahead to our time together in Dallas, I’ve been reflecting on what matters most to me as a leader and what I’m eager to explore alongside all of you. We’re not just navigating change, we’re steering our organizations through a state of constant disruption. Fragility shows up everywhere: in our institutions, our systems, even in the trust people place in leaders. That’s why this year’s Page Annual Conference is focused on a central idea that is both urgent and timeless: how to be agile in a fragile world.
This isn’t just another conference; it’s a space where we equip ourselves with insights we can put into practice the very next day. Here are three things I’m especially excited to dive into with our community.
1. Confronting Polarization Head-On
Polarization isn’t something that happens “out there” in society—it’s now showing up inside our organizations. It shapes how employees trust their leaders, how customers engage with brands and how leaders navigate public issues.
I’m looking forward to conversations with Rev. Peter Johnson, who stood beside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Toyota’s Julie Hamp, who has firsthand experience guiding a global brand through social and cultural division. Together, we’ll unpack how to create space for dialogue, model respect even in disagreement and ensure that shared purpose doesn’t get lost when the world feels divided.
2. Building Truly Resilient Teams
Another thread I can’t wait to explore is how leaders can build resilience across teams, functions and generations. The pressures of permacrisis require us to design teams that can bend without breaking, adapt without burning out and deliver clarity even in the fog of ambiguity.
That’s why I’m especially excited that we’ll be spotlighting Page Navigator at this year’s conference. Along with our first-ever quantitative benchmark study, Page Navigator includes a Functional Value Framework we’re developing - and will preview with attendees in Dallas - as well as member affinity groups to facilitate peer knowledge sharing that we’ll offer in 2026.As communication leaders are asked to do more with less, Page Navigator provides a reality check and a roadmap. For me, it’s one of the most practical tools we can use to strengthen our organizations.
Sessions like Mind the Gap (about leading multigenerational teams) and Resiliency Out of Permacrisis will add depth to this conversation. I look forward to hearing how each of you is approaching the challenge of creating teams that are not only high-performing but also sustainable.
3. Equipping Ourselves as Leaders
Finally, we’ll spend time focusing on the person behind the title. Because let’s face it: leading in fragile times takes a toll. To use a little airline lingo from my Southwest Airlines days, you have to put your own oxygen mask on first before you can help others.
Tuesday’s sessions will help us reflect on our own resilience, with leaders like Chris Graves and Jim Olson discussing Leadership in Real Time, and Charlotte Jones of the Dallas Cowboys sharing how she leads in one of the most high-profile franchises in sports. These are reminders that clarity, presence and purpose are critical survival skills for leaders today.
And beyond the sessions themselves, the conversations in the hallways, at the receptions and over coffee will be just as valuable. This community has always been a place to recharge, reconnect and remind ourselves that we’re not alone in navigating the pressures of this role.
Looking Ahead
So yes, we’ll talk about polarization, misinformation and the challenges of constant disruption. But more than that, we’ll build shared toolkits for resilience rooted in practical insights, honest dialogue and the kind of peer connection that makes Page so special.
To support this, we’ve created a Resource Hub on Page’s Knowledge Base that will gather session insights, tools and multimedia in one place. Think of it as your flight plan for putting these ideas into action.
I can’t wait to welcome you to Dallas and to tackle these questions together. If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that leadership in fragile times isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning how to fly through the turbulence with clarity and courage.