With 2026 bearing down on us, everyone is coming up with their Word of the Year. Merriam-Webster chose “slop.” Oxford University Press chose “rage bait.” Dictionary.com chose “67”—and yes, I am one of those who is “too old” (by design) to get it!

Speaking of generation gaps…I’d like to propose a Word of the Year that connects to that theme. It’s one that captures both the reality leaders are facing and the shift that leadership now demands. My word of the year is Genfluencer.

For the first time ever, four generations are working side by side: Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. Each brings their own set of very real strengths to the workplace. But they also bring clashing values, communication styles, expectations, and assumptions about what leadership should look like. This creates leadership challenges even more daunting than, well… trying to puzzle out the meaning of 67.

Healthcare settings uniquely heighten these challenges. Why? Because the work is high stakes and deeply human. Leaders aren’t just navigating generational differences among employees; they’re managing relationships that span board members, executives, physicians, nurses, frontline staff, patients, and families—often under intense pressure. When communication breaks down or misunderstandings erode trust, the consequences are immediate and real. Retention can suffer. So can patient care.

All of this is to say that the way we’ve traditionally led no longer works—and I’d like to call for a reboot in the new year. That’s where the Genfluencer comes in.

Essentially, a Genfluencer is a workplace influencer—a leader who bridges generational divides, builds trust, and turns diversity of age and perspective into organizational strength. It isn’t about charisma or hierarchy or pandering to one generation over another. It certainly has nothing to do with a social media variety of influencer!

What it is about is realizing we can’t policy our way out of generational tension. We can’t mandate connection. We can’t legislate trust. Rather, culture changes when (and only when) individual leaders change how they show up—how they listen, how they coach, how they connect with others, and how they respond when friction happens.

My upcoming book, Genfluence: How to Lead a Multigenerational Workforce—written in partnership with Dr. Katherine A. Meese and published by ACHE Learn in early January—debuts the Genfluencer concept. It lays out a road map for embracing the right mindset (and heart set and skill set) and doing the inner work to become one.

The book challenges common myths about generational differences and replaces them with data, clarity, and practical leadership behaviors. It introduces seven cultural building blocks that foster trust, belonging, and accountability across all age groups.

Finally, it offers a powerful eight-step framework for modern leadership: Control + Alt + Lead. The book explains more, but here’s a quick cheat sheet:

• Control means learning to manage yourself first.
• Alt means altering how you view other generations—your mindset and heart set.
• Lead means leading differently in ways that build trust, unlock potential, and strengthen multigenerational teams.

Together, Control + Alt + Lead is a call to reboot how we influence others. I am working on it. I invite you to join me.

Whether you’re a seasoned executive, a new leader, or someone simply trying to build a healthier team, it’s time to lean in to the moment. The workforce is changing. Expectations are shifting. The leaders who will succeed are those who understand that influence—not authority—is the currency of this era.

Genfluencer isn’t just a catchy term. It’s the word we need for the year ahead…and the spirit of a new age in healthcare.

To preorder your copy of Genfluence: How to Lead a Multigenerational Workforce, click here.