Rural Leader Magazine JANUARY 2026

JANUARY 2026

COVER STORY

The Quiet Strength of Rural Leadership Why the Loudest Voices Aren’t Always the Ones That Last, pg. 7 GetRuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026 1

Contents

3 Editor's Note: A New Year, Not A New You Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD Rural Leader Magazine, LLC is a digital publication that highlights every day people doing extraordinary things nationally and abroad. www.RuralLeaderMag.com www.GetRuralLeaderMag.com

About Us

Launched in March 2014, Rural Leader Magazine, LLC is a digital publication with a mission to highlight every day people doing extraordinary things in business, education, music, community, art, sports, and leadership nationally and abroad.

Rural Leader Magazine honors exemplary individuals on a variety of levels, such as the 20 under 20 Honors, 40 under 40 Honors, Best Small Town Restaurant, Small Town America’s 100 Most Influential People, the Scholars of Collegiate Distinction, Fifty under Fifty, and the Eagle Elite Club.—

COVER STORY 7 The Quiet Strength of Rural Leadership Why the Loudest Voices Aren’t Always the Ones That Last

12 Still Standing Honoring Steady Rural Leaders: A New Community Spotlight Series in Rural Leader Magazine

8 Holding the Line Leadership in Uncertain Times

13 Why Rural Leadership Is Still Personal (And Why That’s a Strength, Not a Liability)

10 Making the Connection: The Power of Showing Up Again Season of Light — January Reflection

16 Leadership Without the Burnout Talk Rest, Rhythm, and Real Life in Rural Communities

11 Practical Leadership: Four Questions Every Rural Leader Should Ask in January

18 The Light We Carry Into 2026

Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, in English, or other languages, is prohibited without written consent.

Send editorial ideas to Kuanita Murphy, PhD, Editor-in-Chief Contact Us ruralleadermagazine@gmail.com

2

RuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026

Tell us what you think about our publications, if you have a great idea for a story, or to just share. We may print your comments in Rural Leader Magazine. By sending us your comments, you’re giving permission to call you for an interview. Please be sure to include your name, address, email address, and phone number so we can reach you. Write to us at RuralLeaderMagazine@gmail.com—

Editor’s Note

A New Year, Not A New You

By Dr. Kuanita E. Murphy, Publisher Rural Leader Magazine breathing places shaped by memory, relationships, and long-standing commitments. Leadership here is rarely flashy. It is quiet, relational, and deeply personal. And while that may not always make headlines, it is precisely what makes rural leadership endure.

As we enter 2026, many rural leaders are carrying more than they let on—limited resources, shifting expectations, funding uncertainty, and the unspoken weight of being “the one who always figures it out.” The temptation, especially in January, is to push harder or pivot faster.

But wisdom suggests another approach. This is the season to align rather than accelerate. To take stock of what has worked—not just what looked good on paper. To protect the relationships and rhythms that sustain communities when outside systems fall short. To remember that leadership is not proven by how quickly we move, but by how faithfully we hold the line.

Rural Leader Magazine exists for leaders who understand this truth instinctively. For those who lead without applause, who value continuity as much as change, and who know that real progress often happens quietly—long before anyone else notices.

Throughout this January issue, you’ll find reflections, stories, and practical guidance rooted in that same philosophy. Not prescriptions for reinvention, January arrives every year with a lot of noise. but affirmations of what already works when leaderNew rules. New goals. New versions of ourselves ship is grounded, human, and consistent. we’re apparently supposed to unveil by February. In So as this new year unfolds, resist the pressure leadership circles especially, the pressure to anto become someone else. Your community doesn’t nounce something—anything—can feel relentless. need a new version of you. It needs the truest verBut rural leadership has never worked that way. sion—clear-eyed, steady-handed, and rooted in In small towns, credibility isn’t built on declarapurpose. That has always been enough. And in tions. It’s built on presence. On showing up again.

2026, it still is.

On being recognizable not just by title, but by temperament. People know how you respond when Warmly, things don’t go as planned. They remember whether you stayed when it got uncomfortable. They trust what you’ve proven over time.

That’s why this issue begins with a simple truth: a new year does not require a new you.

Dr. Kuanita E. Murphy What it requires is steadiness. Rural communiPublisher & Editor-in-Chief ties are not laboratories for trends. They are living,

What you do matters. @RuralLeaderMag GetRuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026 3

What You Do Matters. In the image above, he’s just young, standing on tiptoe, gripping a paintbrush too big for his hand. The wall in front of him is dull gray—blank, forgotten. But with one bold stroke of blue, everything starts to change.

This isn’t just paint. It’s possibility.

In that small moment, he reminds us of something we too often forget: what you do matters.

The choices we make—especially the quiet ones, the unseen ones—have the power to shape the world around us.

Whether you’re raising a child, planting a garden, helping a neighbor, or showing up when it would be easier to walk away—every act of effort, care, and courage adds color to the world. It may not feel big. It may not look like much. But it matters.

So pick up the brush. Make your mark. Because someone, somewhere, is watching you create hope where there used to be gray.— Rural Leader Magazine

4

RuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026

GetRuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026 5

6

RuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026

COVER STORY

The Quiet Strength of Rural Leadership

Why the Loudest Voices Aren’t Always the Ones That Last Rural Leader Magazine Staff

In a culture that rewards volume, rural leadership remains deliberately restrained.

There are no viral moments in most small towns.

No ribbon cuttings every week. No press conferences announcing reinvention. Instead, leadership shows up early, stays late, and often goes unnoticed by anyone outside the community it serves.

And yet—when things fall apart, rural leaders are the ones people look for first.

This is the paradox of rural leadership: it is deeply influential, yet rarely visible. Powerful, yet understated. Enduring, yet often overlooked.

In small communities, authority is not granted by title alone. It is earned through familiarity, consistency, and trust built over years—sometimes decades.

People know where you stand because they’ve seen how you respond in moments that don’t make the minutes. They remember who stayed when funding fell through, when volunteers dwindled, or when progress moved slower than hoped.

Quiet leadership lasts because it is relational before it is strategic.

Rural leaders are not operating from a distance.

They shop where their constituents shop. Worship where they worship. Attend the same funerals, celebrate the same graduations, and share in the same disappointments. Leadership is not an abstract role— it is woven into daily life.

This proximity changes everything. Decisions carry weight because consequences are personal. Words matter because relationships are ongoing. There is little room for performative leadership when tomorrow you’ll see the same people again.

In recent years, leadership conversations have increasingly centered around visibility—branding, platforms, and presence. While these tools have their place, rural leadership reminds us of something older and more durable: credibility is built through behavior, not broadcast.

The leaders who last are rarely the loudest in the

room. They are the ones who listen carefully, act deliberately, and understand the value of timing. They know when to speak and when to stay silent. When to push forward and when to hold steady.

This kind of leadership does not lend itself to shortcuts.

It requires patience in a world that rewards speed.

It demands humility in a culture that often confuses confidence with competence. And it insists on responsibility long after the spotlight has moved on.

Rural leaders also carry institutional memory—an asset too often underestimated. They remember what has been tried before. They know which ideas failed quietly and which ones succeeded slowly. This memory acts as both compass and guardrail, protecting communities from repeating mistakes while guiding them toward sustainable progress.

In times of uncertainty—economic shifts, policy changes, funding instability—this steady presence becomes even more essential. Rural communities do not need leaders who panic or posture. They need leaders who can hold tension without unraveling, who understand that resilience is built through steadiness, not spectacle.

The strength of rural leadership lies not in its ability to dominate conversation, but in its capacity to endure.

It is leadership that understands the long game.

Leadership that values people over optics. Leadership that shows up again—not because it’s easy, but because it’s necessary.

As we begin a new year, it is worth naming this truth plainly: the future of rural communities will not be shaped by the loudest voices, but by the steadiest hands.

And those hands—quiet, capable, and committed— are already at work.—

GetRuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026 7

Holding the Line Leadership in Uncertain Times Rural Leader Magazine Staff

Uncertainty is not new to rural communities.

What is new is the pace at which it arrives—and the expectation that leaders respond instantly, publicly, and decisively, often without the luxury of full information or adequate resources.

Funding cycles shift. Policies change midstream.

Partnerships evolve or dissolve. And in the middle of it all stands the rural leader—expected to reassure, stabilize, and move forward while quietly absorbing the weight of decisions that affect neighbors, families, and futures.

In moments like these, leadership is not about bold declarations. It is about holding the line.

Holding the line does not mean resisting change at all costs. It means protecting what must not be compromised while navigating what must adapt. It is the discipline of knowing the difference.

Rural leaders understand this instinctively. They know that some things—trust, relationships, credibility—are fragile. Once broken, they are difficult to repair in a place where people don’t disappear after 8

RuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026

disagreements. They remain neighbors. This reality shapes how leadership shows up in uncertain times.

When outside pressures mount, there is often a push to pivot quickly or adopt solutions that look impressive but lack local grounding. Rural leaders have learned, sometimes the hard way, that not every opportunity is worth the cost of disruption. Progress that undermines trust is rarely progress at all.

Instead, effective rural leadership during uncertainty is marked by restraint.

It looks like asking hard questions before making promises. It sounds like measured communication rather than reactionary messaging. It feels like steadiness—especially when others expect urgency.

Holding the line also requires courage. It takes courage to say no when resources are limited. Courage to slow things down when the moment calls for reflection rather than reaction. Courage to absorb criticism while maintaining focus on long-term community well-being.

In rural spaces, leaders are often deeply connected

to the outcomes of their decisions. There is no distance between policy and impact. When a program ends, it affects someone you know. When funding falls short, it shows up in real ways, in real households.

This proximity can make uncertainty heavier—but it also makes leadership more honest. Rural leaders who hold the line do so with clarity of purpose. They return repeatedly to core questions: Who are we serving? What do we stand for? What must remain intact, even if circumstances change?

These questions act as anchors. They prevent drift.

They keep leadership rooted when external forces push for speed over substance.

As 2026 unfolds, uncertainty will likely remain a defining feature of the landscape. But uncertainty does not have to produce instability. With steady leadership, it can become a proving ground for values, discernment, and long-term vision.

Holding the line is not passive. It is active stewardship.

It is choosing continuity over chaos. It is leading with conviction rather than convenience. And it is understanding that the most important work a rural leader can do in uncertain times is not to move faster—but to stand firm.

Communities notice this kind of leadership. They may not always name it, but they feel it. In moments of doubt, they look for leaders who do not waver— not because the path is easy, but because the responsibility is clear.

That is the work of rural leadership in uncertain times.

And it matters more than ever.—

GetRuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026 9

Making the Connection The Power of Showing Up Again Season of Light — January Reflection

By Dr. Kuanita E. Murphy

January has a way of making people restless.

There’s pressure to announce plans, unveil goals, and prove momentum. Calendars fill quickly. Conversations turn toward what’s next. And somewhere in the midst of all that forward motion, it becomes easy to overlook one of the most powerful leadership practices we have in rural communities: Showing up again. Not with fanfare. Not with a new title or strategy. Just… again.

In small towns, leadership is rarely about grand entrances. It’s about familiarity. People notice who is still there when the excitement fades, when meetings run long, when progress feels slow, or when the same issues resurface year after year.

Showing up again is not dramatic, but it is deeply meaningful.

It looks like attending the meeting you’ve attended dozens of times before. Checking in on a partner organization even when there’s no immediate ask.

Keeping commitments that don’t come with recognition. Being present in spaces where leadership is felt more than seen.

This kind of presence builds trust in ways no announcement ever could.

Rural leadership is built on memory. People remember who stayed engaged when things were uncertain. They remember who listened without rushing to fix. They remember consistency—especially when circumstances made consistency difficult.

January is often framed as a time to start over. But rural communities don’t always need starting over.

10

RuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026

They need staying power.

Showing up again sends a quiet message: I’m still here. I’m still invested. This still matters.

That message carries weight. It reassures volunteers who wonder if their efforts are noticed. It steadies partners who are navigating their own uncertainty. And it reminds communities that leadership is not a temporary role—it is a relationship.

There is also humility in showing up again. It requires accepting that not everything changes quickly, that progress is often incremental, and that some of the most important work happens outside of public view.

In rural life, people don’t disappear after disagreements or difficult seasons. They remain neighbors.

That reality makes presence not just meaningful, but necessary.

As this new year unfolds, the invitation is simple but profound: don’t underestimate the power of being consistently present. You don’t have to reinvent yourself or your leadership to make an impact. You don’t have to announce your intentions to validate your work.

Sometimes, the most effective leadership move you can make in January is to keep showing up— steady, familiar, and grounded in purpose.

That kind of light doesn’t flicker. It stays on. And in small towns, that makes all the difference.—

Practical Leadership: Four Questions Every Rural Leader Should Ask in January (This Is Not a Resolution List.)

Rural Leader Magazine Staff

January invites reflection—but too often, leaders are handed formulas instead. Set new goals. Launch new initiatives. Do more, faster, better. The problem is that rural leadership rarely fails because of a lack of ideas. It struggles when leaders are pushed to move forward without first understanding what they are carrying.

Before adding anything new to the calendar, January offers a quieter, more productive invitation: ask better questions.

These four questions are not designed to create urgency. They are designed to create clarity.

1. What actually worked last year—and why?

Not what looked good on paper.

Not what sounded impressive in reports.

What truly made a difference?

Rural leaders know that some of the most effective efforts are modest, relational, and hard to quantify. January is the time to name those wins honestly and without embellishment. Understanding why something worked is far more valuable than simply repeating it.

This question also guards against unnecessary change. If something is serving the community well, it may not need to be replaced—just protected.

2. What drained us that we’ve been avoiding naming?

Every organization has energy leaks. Sometimes it’s a program that no longer fits current capacity.

Sometimes it’s a partnership that demands more than it gives. Sometimes it’s the unspoken expectation that a small group of people will continue carrying an outsized load.

Rural leaders often push through exhaustion out of loyalty. But January is an appropriate time to name what is unsustainable. Ignoring drains does not make them disappear—it only makes leadership heavier.

Clarity here is not failure. It is stewardship.

3. Who carried more than their share? In small communities, a few dependable people often hold every-

thing together.

They show up early. Stay late. Fill gaps without complaint. Over time, their reliability can become invisible. January is a moment to take inventory—not just of programs, but of people.

Who consistently carried more responsibility than was fair or healthy?

Who filled in when no one else could?

Who might be tired but hasn’t said so?

Leadership that notices this is leadership that lasts.

4. What must be protected in 2026—no matter what changes? Every organization has non-negotiables.

These may include trust, relationships, community presence, or a particular way of serving that reflects local values. External pressures will always push leaders to adapt, expand, or pivot. This question helps distinguish between what can change and what must remain intact.

Protection is an active leadership decision. Naming priorities early helps prevent drift later.

Why These Questions Matter? These four questions do not produce quick answers. They produce honest ones.

They slow leaders down just enough to make wise decisions. They prevent unnecessary reinvention.

And they remind rural leaders that progress is not measured by how much is added—but by how well what already exists is cared for.

January does not require resolution.

It requires reflection with purpose.

And the leaders willing to ask these questions— quietly, thoughtfully, and consistently—are the ones best prepared for the year ahead.—

GetRuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026 11

A New Community Spotlight Series in Rural Leader Magazine In rural communities, leadership is rarely defined by titles or headlines. More often, it is defined by endurance—by the people who stayed when it would have been easier to step away.

Beginning this year, Rural Leader Magazine is introducing a new recurring segment titled Still Standing, created to honor rural leaders whose impact is measured not by visibility, but by consistency, commitment, and care for their communities.

This feature will spotlight individuals who have continued to lead through uncertainty, limited resources, and changing seasons—leaders who showed up again and again, often without recognition, and kept the work moving forward simply because it mattered.

These are the leaders who: Remained engaged when progress was slow Carried responsibility quietly and faithfull Chose stewardship over spotlight Continued serving even when conditions were far from ideal They may be nonprofit directors, volunteers, educators, faith leaders, local advocates, or community builders whose names may not be widely known— but whose presence is deeply felt.

12

RuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026

As this is a new segment, we are inviting our readers to help shape it.

We are now accepting nominations for the February issue.

If you know a rural leader who embodies resilience, steadiness, and long-term commitment to their community, we invite you to nominate them for consideration. Nominations should reflect leadership grounded in service, relationship, and perseverance—not perfection or publicity.

This segment exists to honor the kind of leadership that often goes unrecognized, yet holds communities together over time.

Because rural communities endure not through moments, but through people. And many of them are still standing. — ****How to Submit a Nomination**** Nominee name and role Community or organization they serve A brief description of why their leadership matters Your contact information Selected nominees will be featured in upcoming issues of Rural Leader Magazine.

Why Rural Leadership Is Still Personal (And Why That’s a Strength, Not a Liability) Rural Leader Magazine Staff

In many leadership spaces today, distance is treated as professionalism. Boundaries are emphasized.

Roles are clearly defined. Objectivity is prized. And while these principles have their place, rural leadership has always operated by a different—and older— logic.

In rural communities, leadership is still personal.

Leaders know people by name, not just by role. They understand family histories, not just organizational charts. They carry awareness of who is struggling, who is grieving, and who quietly stepped up when help was needed.

This closeness is often misunderstood. It is sometimes framed as a lack of professionalism or an obstacle to progress. But in reality, it is one of rural leadership’s greatest strengths.

Personal leadership creates accountability that no policy ever could. When leaders are embedded in the communities they serve, decisions are not theoretical. There is no abstraction between action and impact. Leaders see the consequences of their choices in real time, often in everyday interactions. That reality encourages care, deliberation, and responsibility.

Rural leaders cannot disappear behind process.

They will see the people affected by decisions at the grocery store, at school events, and at community gatherings. This ongoing proximity shapes leadership that is more relational, more thoughtful, and often more humane.

Personal leadership also builds trust. Trust in rural communities is rarely transactional. It is earned through consistency, honesty, and presence over

time. People trust leaders who show up repeatedly, who listen without rushing, and who treat relationships as long-term commitments rather than temporary arrangements.

That trust becomes a form of social infrastructure—one that sustains communities even when formal systems fall short. There is, of course, a cost to personal leadership.

It can be emotionally demanding. Boundaries must be navigated carefully. Leaders carry knowledge they cannot unsee and responsibilities they cannot easily set aside. But rural leaders have long understood that leadership without relationship is hollow—and that effectiveness without connection rarely lasts.

In a world increasingly driven by scale, speed, and metrics, rural leadership offers a counterexample.

It reminds us that leadership does not have to be distant to be effective. That knowing people personally does not weaken judgment—it often sharpens it.

And that community-centered leadership, grounded in relationship, remains one of the most resilient models available.

As rural communities continue to navigate change, this personal approach will remain essential. Not as a relic of the past, but as a guide for sustainable leadership rooted in care, accountability, and shared life.

Rural leadership is still personal because rural communities are still human.

And that is not a liability. It is the reason they endure.— GetRuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026 13

14

RuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026

GetRuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026 15

Leadership Without the Burnout Talk Rest, Rhythm, and Real Life in Rural Communities Rural Leader Magazine Staff

Burnout has become a popular word. It shows up in leadership articles, conference sessions, and productivity advice—often accompanied by long lists of things leaders are supposed to do to prevent it. Meditate more. Optimize schedules. Take better breaks. Step away.

For many rural leaders, that advice feels disconnected from reality.

In small communities, leadership is not something that can be neatly set aside at the end of the workday.

Leaders live where they lead. They are recognized in public spaces. They are approached informally, often outside of official hours. Responsibility follows them home.

Wellness in rural leadership has always looked different—and it still does.

It is less about escape and more about rhythm.

Rural leaders have long practiced sustainability without naming it as such. They walk familiar roads. They pause on porches. They take comfort in routine. They mark seasons not just by calendars, but by changes in light, weather, and community pace.

This kind of rest is not performative. It is practical.

A quiet morning walk before the day begins. Sitting in the same place at the same time each evening.

Turning down invitations not out of disinterest, but out of discernment. These moments may seem small, but they accumulate.

They restore steadiness. Unlike conventional burnout narratives that frame rest as a reward or recovery from failure, rural leadership understands rest as maintenance. It is part of the work, not an escape from it. Leaders who endure do not wait until

16

RuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026

exhaustion forces them to stop. They learn, often through experience, to pace themselves.

That pacing is deeply personal. What restores one leader may not restore another. Some find clarity in solitude. Others in conversation. Some through movement. Others through stillness. The key is not adopting someone else’s routine, but honoring one’s own.

There is also wisdom in knowing when not to push.

Rural leaders often carry a strong sense of responsibility—to people, to history, to place. That responsibility can quietly turn into overextension. Sustainable leadership requires recognizing that saying no, slowing down, or leaving something undone is sometimes the most responsible choice available.

This is not about lowering standards. It is about protecting longevity. As conversations about leadership wellness continue to evolve, rural communities offer a grounded reminder: rest does not have to be loud to be effective. It does not need branding or performance. It simply needs to be practiced consistently.

Leadership without the burnout talk is not leadership without care. It is leadership that understands care as something lived daily—through rhythm, restraint, and respect for human limits.

And in rural communities, that understanding has been quietly sustaining leaders for generations.—

GetRuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026 17

The Light We Carry Into 2026 There is a particular kind of light found in small towns. It is not bright or blinding. It does not demand attention. It simply stays on—steady, familiar, and reliable. You notice it most at dusk, when the day has done its work and the night has not yet fully arrived.

That light is a reminder. It reminds us that someone is home. That care is present. That even in uncertainty, there is continuity.

As this new year begins, rural leaders carry that same kind of light. Not the kind that shines for applause or recognition, but the kind that guides others through long seasons of work, decision, and responsibility. It is the light of presence. Of showing up again. Of holding the line. Of leading personally, patiently, and with purpose.

Throughout this issue, we have returned to a simple truth: rural leadership endures because it is grounded in relationship, rhythm, and resolve. It does not rush. It does not retreat. It understands that progress is often quiet—and that impact is measured over time.

18

RuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026

2026 will bring its own challenges. It always does.

There will be moments that require adaptation, courage, and discernment. But there will also be moments that call for stillness, restraint, and trust in what has already been built.

The light rural leaders carry into this year is not new. It has been shaped by experience, tested by difficulty, and strengthened through consistency. It is the light of knowing when to move forward—and when to remain steady. Of understanding that leadership is not about reinvention, but about alignment.

As you step into the months ahead, may you carry that light with confidence. May it remind you that the work you do matters—even when it goes unnoticed. And may it guide you, and those you serve, through the year ahead with steadiness and care.

In rural communities, the lights stay on not because everything is perfect—but because someone chooses to keep them lit.

That has always been the work.And it still is.—

GetRuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026 19

20

RuralLeaderMag.com | JANUARY 2026