Counting Our Days in 2026: Why a Veteran Dean Says Leaders Are Facing a Purpose Crisis

KNOXVILLE, TN, UNITED STATES, January 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As the nation enters a new year marked by artificial intelligence disruption, executive burnout, delayed retirements, and declining trust in institutions, one question is quietly rising beneath the noise: What is all this work actually for?

According to Dr. Daryl D. Green, award-winning educator, former federal executive, and Dean of the School of Business at Langston University, America is entering what he calls a “purpose reckoning,” particularly among leaders.

“We’ve optimized everything except meaning,” Green says. “Efficiency is up. Burnout is up. Trust is down. And too many leaders are realizing, often too late, that titles don’t translate into legacy.”

A Leader at the Crossroads
As Dr. Green turns 60 in 2026, ten years removed from a successful federal retirement and ten years into full-time academia, his reflection is not academic; it is personal. After walking away from a secure federal career in Tennessee, Green became the first African American business professor in Oklahoma Baptist University’s more than 100-year institutional history.

In 2024, he was called again, this time to Langston University, where he helped lead one of the fastest business school turnarounds in the region, including:
• National recognition as a Top 30 HBCU Business School
• Enrollment growth from 270 to 416 students in just 18 months
• Graduating seniors scoring in the top 1% nationally on the Peregrine Business Exam

Still, Green insists that the most critical outcomes will not appear in rankings.
“I’ve been to too many funerals to confuse accomplishment with impact,” he says. “The real question is simple: Did you make it better for people because you were there?”

The 2026 Litmus Test: 10 Questions for Purpose-Driven Living
As part of his 2026 thought-leadership campaign, Dr. Green is challenging leaders, professionals, and everyday Americans to confront the following legacy-defining questions:
1. If your role ended tomorrow, what would be meaningfully different?
2. Who became stronger, not dependent, because of your leadership?
3. What difficult decision did you make because it was right, not safe?
4. How did you treat people when you held power?
5. What truth did you speak that cost you something?
6. Who would speak well of you without being asked?
7. What broken system did you improve instead of tolerating?
8. Did you develop people, or merely manage them?
9. What unfinished work still calls your name?
10. If today were your last day, would your legacy be evident or confusing?
“These questions aren’t religious,” Green adds. “They’re human, and they’re unavoidable.”

Books That Frame the Conversation on Purpose and Leadership
Dr. Green’s reflections are grounded in two complementary works that shape his perspective on leadership, purpose, and legacy. His earlier book, Mapping Out Your Life After Retirement, examines how individuals can redefine meaning and contribution beyond titles, paychecks, and positions of authority.

Building on that foundation, his forthcoming release, The Dean’s Devotional: 21 Proverbs for Academic and Executive Leadership, will be available as an e-book on Kindle in February 2026, with a paperback release scheduled for May 2026.

Together, these works offer a practical leadership blueprint for a generation navigating artificial intelligence disruption, institutional distrust, delayed retirement, and widespread meaning fatigue, inviting leaders and professionals to reflect not only on what they do but also on why their work truly matters.

Why Reporters Are Paying Attention
With January and February traditionally considered a “quiet” news cycle, producers and editors are actively seeking:
• Reflective New Year content
• Leadership and workplace insights
• Human-interest stories with credibility
• Experts who can translate chaos into clarity

Dr. Green’s lived experience, spanning federal service, higher education reform, and national leadership commentary, positions him as a trusted voice on purpose, leadership, and legacy.

To book Dr. Green for an interview or event, contact AGSM Consulting, LLC at +1 (865) 719-7239 or email advice@darylgreen.org.

About AGSM LLC
AGSM Consulting, LLC provides consulting, guidance, and management training for today’s small businesses. Estraletta Green and Dr. Daryl D. Green formed the Tennessee-based consultancy to offer comprehensive, customized services tailored to business owners’ needs. These services include, but are not limited to, business and marketing plan preparation, audit and management evaluations, general business consulting, leadership development training, professional seminars and workshops, speaker services, and personal advisement. The firm focuses primarily on new start-ups, particularly those in the early stages of operation.

For more information, visit www.agsmconsulting.com.

About Dr. Daryl D. Green:
Dr. Green is an award-winning educator, strategist, and business leader with more than 27 years of management experience. As Dean of the School of Business at Langston University, he is committed to empowering future leaders with the tools they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world.

Estraletta A. Green
AGSM Consulting LLC
+1 865-719-7212
email us here

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