JANUARY 2026
Welcome to the Protocol Monthly Magazine
The January 2026 issue of Protocol Monthly Magazine opens the year with a thoughtful examination of professionalism, judgment, and long-term growth in the protocol field.
We begin with Follow-Up Is Not Mistrust, a leadership-focused reflection on how diligence, accountability, and thoughtful follow-through strengthen trust rather than undermine it. From there, SELE™: Social Education & Life Etiquette for a Global Protocol Landscape explores the growing importance of interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and social awareness in today’s increasingly interconnected environments.
In Etiquette Trends for 2026, we look ahead to how etiquette is evolving—less about rigid formality and more about awareness, restraint, and respect. What We Carry Forward continues that reflective tone, encouraging professionals to set intentions rooted in judgment and presence rather than short-term resolutions.
The issue then turns outward with Sports Diplomacy and the Art of Gifting, examining how symbolism, culture, and soft power converge in global sporting engagements, before closing the feature articles with The Long View, a reminder that protocol is not just about executing events, but about building a career and a craft over time.
Our recurring columns round out the issue: Mastering Leadership focuses on creating shared understanding, Developing Success highlights the importance of follow-through, and Lessons in Protocol History revisits Khrushchev’s shoe at the United Nations—a lasting lesson on composure, optics, and consequence.
Together, this issue sets a calm, purposeful tone for the year ahead, centered on professionalism, perspective, and the quiet disciplines that define excellence in protocol.