By Michael K. Adonteng

January 14th, 2026

Why January 2026 Is More Than Just a New Quarter

January is around the corner. And for many companies, that means one thing: sales kickoff season.

But if you’ve sat through enough of these, you’ll know the truth. Some are forgettable. Others become turning points. I’ve been to both. The best ones go beyond targets and PowerPoint. They reset the culture, connect the wider business, and create clarity for the year ahead.

This article is for leaders planning a kickoff for 2026. Whether you’re running your first or your fifteenth, here are a few real lessons from ones that actually made an impact.

  1. Involve the Entire Business, Not Just Sales

Too many kickoffs are built for sales, but delivered to them. The strongest ones are cross-functional. Every person from operations and product to marketing and customer success plays a role. That’s when buy-in happens.

In one kickoff I joined, staff from across the business were brought in from the planning stage. Not just to sit in the room, but to shape the agenda. Each person had visibility on how their function links to revenue. It meant the conversations were wider, and the execution stronger long after the event ended.

  1. Everyone Sets and Shares Their Plan

You can’t build alignment with top-down slides. You do it when everyone contributes.

In one example, every single team member shared their personal and functional plan for the quarter ahead. What they’d focus on, what they’d stop doing, and how their work connects to company goals.

This wasn’t about stage time. It was about ownership. When people put their plans forward publicly, they’re more likely to stand by them. It also gave leaders visibility on how aligned or disconnected the wider org was from the company strategy.

 

  1. Make the Company Story Everyone’s Story

At another kickoff, the leadership team ran a competition. Not for pipeline, but for storytelling.

Every person created a short video to pitch the company as if they were speaking to a new client. These were filmed, shared, and voted on. Finalists were chosen for a main-stage showdown, and the best pitch became part of the official sales deck.

The outcome? Better understanding of the company narrative, crisper messaging, and a culture where everyone could explain the value of what we do.

  1. Make Time for Connection, Not Just Content

Kickoffs are one of the few chances to bring the entire business together in one place. So use it.

One of the most valuable parts of a recent event wasn’t the training or planning. It was the unscheduled time. Dinners. Team outings. Department crossovers. Quiet one-on-ones. It’s in these moments that silos break down and relationships are built.

Remote and hybrid teams need this more than ever. And leaders can’t forget that connection is strategy.

  1. Share the Vision With Structure

At the start of the event, the CEO presented the company’s direction using a V2MOM framework: vision, values, methods, obstacles and measures. It wasn’t vague or overly aspirational. It was practical and rooted in real work ahead.

People left knowing where the company is going, how their role fits, and how progress will be measured. It didn’t just inspire. It aligned.

  1. Build Energy That Carries Into Q1

A great kickoff doesn’t just energise people for a few days. It sets a standard for the quarter ahead.

By the time we wrapped up, there was a shared understanding of what mattered most. Everyone had heard directly from leadership, shared their plan, and seen how they fit into the bigger picture.

There was no ambiguity on goals. No confusion on messaging. Just sharp focus and momentum.

Final Word

Done right, a sales kickoff can do more than just launch a new year. It can reset how your business collaborates, aligns, and delivers.

If you’re building in Accra, Nairobi or Lagos or scaling out to New York, London or Amsterdam, this matters even more. When people see how their work connects to the whole, they show up differently.

2026 is what you make it. So start strong.

Explore our articles section for other topics of interest.

                   Michael K. Adonteng

                     Founder, ASA

 

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