Why Leadership Is Shaped Early: Setting the Tone for the Year Ahead

There’s a subtle danger that comes with the start of a new year.

Not burnout.
Not apathy.
Momentum.

Momentum feels productive. It feels energizing. It gives the illusion of progress. But momentum, by itself, is not direction. And too often, leaders confuse movement with intentionality.

I’ve entered new years before already in motion—meetings on the calendar, goals in mind, responsibilities waiting. Everything felt urgent. Everything felt necessary. Yet somewhere along the way, I realized I never actually stopped long enough to choose how I wanted to lead that year. I was moving quickly, but I hadn’t set the tone.

Leadership doesn’t usually unravel in dramatic moments. It drifts quietly—through what we tolerate, what we rush past, and what we normalize early.

Momentum Is Not the Same as Intention

There’s nothing inherently wrong with momentum. In fact, leaders need it. But momentum without intention often produces activity without alignment.

You can build quickly and still build poorly.

Early in the year, momentum has a way of masking misalignment. Everything feels fresh. Energy is high. Optimism is strong. But if the foundation is off—even slightly—that misalignment compounds over time.

Leadership isn’t shaped by one defining decision. It’s shaped by the small, early patterns that quietly become normal. What you allow in January becomes what you manage in June. What you excuse early becomes what you resent later.

Tone forms quietly.

Tone Forms Before You Realize It

Tone isn’t set in mission statements or kickoff meetings. It’s set in what you reinforce when no one is watching.

It’s set by:

• The conversations you delay

• The behaviors you overlook

• The pace you model

• The standards you quietly relax

Leaders often assume they’ll “address it later.” But later rarely arrives without cost. By the time something feels urgent, it’s usually already entrenched.

What you normalize early doesn’t stay small. It multiplies.

Early Patterns Matter More Than Big Moments

Leadership culture is not built through one big moment of clarity. It’s built through repeated patterns that slowly harden into expectation.

That’s why early decisions matter so much—not because they’re dramatic, but because they’re formative.

The tone you set at the beginning of the year quietly answers questions your team may never ask out loud:

• Is excellence expected, or just effort?

• Is rest valued, or only output?

• Is alignment more important than speed?

• Is character non-negotiable, or situational?

These answers are rarely spoken. They’re observed.

Creating the Future You Actually Want

Peter Drucker famously said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
That creation doesn’t happen through vision alone. It happens through tone.

Tone creates direction.

If leaders want a different outcome at the end of the year, they must be willing to shape different patterns at the beginning. Otherwise, the future simply becomes a faster version of the past.

This requires restraint. It requires intentional pauses when momentum begs you to accelerate. And it requires humility—the willingness to slow down long enough to ask uncomfortable questions about alignment.

A Scriptural Lens on Foundation

Scripture speaks directly to this idea of early alignment and foundation. Psalm 127:1 reminds us:

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.”
— Psalm 127:1, (ESV)

This isn’t a rejection of effort. It’s a warning about misplaced confidence.

You can build tirelessly. You can plan strategically. You can work relentlessly. And still labor in vain if alignment is missing.

For leaders, this verse isn’t about withdrawing from responsibility—it’s about ordering it. It’s about ensuring that what we’re building is anchored to the right foundation before momentum takes over. For Christians, that anchor is Jesus Christ. We don’t build without Him.

Activity vs. Alignment

Leadership often rewards activity. Alignment requires patience.

Activity feels measurable. Alignment feels slower. But alignment is what sustains leadership when pressure increases.

You can:

• Build quickly… or build wisely

• Move fast… or move aligned

• Gain momentum… or establish direction

The best leaders resist the false urgency of early momentum long enough to choose wisely.

Pause Before Speed

Before the year gains more momentum, there’s value in slowing down just enough to choose the tone.

Ask yourself:

• What am I allowing right now that I don’t want normalized?

• What pace am I modeling?

• What standards am I quietly communicating?

• What foundation am I building on?

These questions don’t stall leadership. They strengthen it.

Reflection

Leadership doesn’t drift all at once. It drifts early.

What you allow, prioritize, and tolerate quietly sets the tone for everything that follows. Before the calendar fills and the pace accelerates, choose the tone you want to live with—not just this month, but all year.

What Are You Creating in 2026?

What Are You Creating in 2026?

The opening weeks of a new year tend to pull leaders toward planning.
Goals. Strategies. Metrics. Initiatives.

None of those are bad things. But they are rarely where leadership actually begins.

Before there was a plan, before there was a command, before there was even a person to lead, there was creation.

Genesis 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

That single sentence doesn’t try to explain leadership. It simply reveals something about the nature of God—and, by extension, something about the nature of leadership itself. Leadership begins with intentional creation.

God didn’t start by giving instructions.
He started by making space.

Creation Before Command

One of the most overlooked leadership mistakes is assuming that clarity, motivation, or productivity should come first. In reality, those things emerge after something has already been created.

Before anything could grow, there had to be an environment where growth was possible. Before there could be purpose, there had to be order. Before there could be movement, there had to be space.

That’s true in creation—and it’s true in leadership.

Whether we realize it or not, leaders are always creating something. The question isn’t if you’re creating. It’s what you’re creating.

You’re creating culture.
You’re creating expectations.
You’re creating pace.
You’re creating emotional tone.
You’re creating space—or pressure.

Sometimes all at once.

Creativity Isn’t About Being Artistic

When we hear the word “create,” many leaders instinctively disqualify themselves.

“I’m not creative.”
“I’m not artistic.”
“That’s not really my gift set.”

But leadership creativity isn’t about imagination or innovation in the traditional sense.

It’s about design.

It’s about intentionally shaping the environment your team operates in—often through decisions that look small on the surface but carry significant weight over time.

You don’t need to be artistic to create clarity.
You don’t need to be imaginative to create rhythm.
You don’t need to be inspirational to create space.

You just need to be intentional.

The Environment Is the Message

Most leaders spend a lot of energy communicating expectations. Far fewer stop to consider the environment those expectations live in.

If a leader says, “We value excellence,” but the environment rewards speed over quality, the environment wins.

If a leader says, “We want people to grow,” but there’s no margin to learn or fail, the environment wins.

If a leader says, “We care about our people,” but the pace is relentless and unpredictable, the environment wins.

Creation always speaks louder than intention.

The systems you build, the rhythms you establish, and the space you allow communicate far more than any speech, meeting, or email ever could.

A Pause Worth Taking

As you move into 2026, before you finalize plans or launch initiatives, it’s worth slowing down long enough to ask a more foundational question:

What am I intentionally creating for my team to thrive?

Not what are you fixing.
Not what are you reacting to.
Not what are you pushing harder.

What are you creating?

A Few Questions to Sit With

Not as a checklist. Not as a framework. Simply as prompts.

• What have I created that helps my team know what matters most?

• What rhythms have I created that shape how work actually gets done?

• Where have I created space for people to think, grow, or recover?

• What kind of emotional or relational environment have I created?

• Where have I created ownership instead of dependency?

Even sitting with one of these honestly can be a meaningful starting point.

One Small, Intentional Step

You don’t need to redesign everything at once.

This week, choose one thing to create intentionally.

Leadership rarely changes through grand gestures. It changes through thoughtful creation, repeated over time.

Beginning Again

Genesis doesn’t begin with activity.
It begins with intention.

As leaders, we often feel pressure to do more. But sometimes the most faithful and effective leadership move is to pause long enough to create the conditions where others can truly flourish.

As you step into this year, consider:

What are you creating for your team to thrive in 2026?

12 Leadership Decisions That Will Shape Your Year

Strong leaders don’t drift into good years.
They decide — early — how they’ll lead.

Over time, I’ve noticed that leaders who experience clarity, health, and sustained influence don’t rely on motivation or momentum. They make intentional decisions before the year begins to move too fast.

Not resolutions.
Not goals.
Decisions.

John Maxwell puts it simply: “Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make makes you.” Leadership formation works the same way. Over time, our decisions shape our character, our influence, and the environments we lead.

Scripture reminds us that intentional leadership isn’t about control — it’s about alignment:

“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.”
— Proverbs 16:9 (ESV)

Here are 12 leadership decisions that quietly shape the year ahead.

1. Decide What You Will Protect

Time, energy, health, and relationships don’t protect themselves. Without clear boundaries, leadership demands will slowly erode what matters most. Deciding what you will protect early in the year creates margin that sustains you when pressure increases.

2. Decide How Your Calendar Will Reflect Your Priorities

Your calendar reveals your real values, not your stated ones. Strong leaders don’t just react to requests — they intentionally schedule what matters most. When your priorities live on your calendar, they stop competing with everything else.

3. Decide How You Will Communicate Expectations

Many leadership frustrations aren’t people problems — they’re clarity problems. Deciding how and when you’ll communicate expectations reduces confusion and builds trust. Clear expectations give people confidence in how to win.

4. Decide How You Will Develop People

Leadership that lasts multiplies. Growth doesn’t happen accidentally — it happens through intentional coaching, feedback, and opportunity. Deciding who you’ll invest in ensures your leadership impact extends beyond your own capacity.

5. Decide What You Will Say “No” To

Focus requires restraint. Every “yes” carries a cost, whether you see it immediately or not. Deciding ahead of time what doesn’t belong in your year helps you preserve energy for what does.

6. Decide How You Will Handle Pressure

Pressure is inevitable in leadership, but panic is optional. Deciding in advance how you’ll respond under stress keeps emotions from driving decisions. Prepared leaders respond thoughtfully instead of reacting impulsively.

7. Decide How You Will Care for Your Health

Leadership is demanding, and neglect eventually shows up somewhere. Physical, emotional, and spiritual health directly affect how you show up for others. Deciding to care for your health isn’t selfish — it’s responsible leadership.

8. Decide How You Will Build Trust

Trust grows through consistency, integrity, and follow-through. Small, repeated actions shape credibility far more than big moments. Deciding to be dependable in both visible and unseen ways builds a foundation others can rely on.

9. Decide How You Will Course-Correct

Strong leaders don’t avoid adjustment — they expect it. Deciding now that feedback and correction are part of growth keeps pride from blocking progress. Course-correction is not failure; it’s leadership maturity.

10. Decide How You Will Finish the Year

Strong finishes don’t happen by accident. Deciding early how you want to close the year influences how you pace yourself throughout it. Leaders who finish well build momentum that carries forward.

11. Decide How You Will Measure Success

Busyness is not success, and visibility isn’t impact. Deciding what “winning” actually means protects you from chasing the wrong metrics. Clear measures of success bring focus and reduce unnecessary pressure.

12. Decide What You Will Carry Forward

Every year leaves something behind — habits, lessons, and patterns. Deciding intentionally what you’ll carry forward helps you build on growth instead of repeating mistakes. Reflection turns experience into wisdom.

Final Thought

You don’t need a perfect plan for the year ahead.
You need clarity.

Strong leadership starts with intentional decisions — and those decisions quietly shape everything that follows.

Start Strong. Lead Well.

Leadership That Multiplies

Strong leadership doesn’t stop with self-growth.
It moves outward — from self, to home, to others.

That’s where leadership multiplication begins.

Throughout the December Reset, we’ve talked about clarity, intentionality, and consistency. But leadership was never meant to end with personal improvement. Healthy leadership reproduces. It shapes others. It outlives the moment.

Your Team Rises to Your Example

One of the most important leadership truths I’ve learned is this:
Your team doesn’t rise to your intentions — they rise to your clarity, your consistency, and your example.

Good intentions don’t build leaders.
Clear expectations do.
Consistent modeling does.
Daily faithfulness does.

That’s why leadership multiplication always starts small.

Scripture captures this principle clearly:

“Whoever is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.”
— Luke 16:10 (ESV)

Before leadership multiplies outward, it must be lived inwardly.

You See This Clearly in College Football

College football offers a powerful illustration of leadership multiplication.

Great coaches don’t just win games — they develop assistants who go on to lead programs of their own. Over time, you can trace entire coaching trees back to a single leader who invested deeply in others.

Their success isn’t just measured in championships.
It’s measured in how many leaders they’ve sent out.

That’s multiplication.

I’ve Seen This Play Out in My Own Life

I’ve seen this same pattern play out beyond the football field.

Leaders I once served with are now leading businesses, pastoring churches, and influencing people in meaningful ways. Different arenas. Same calling.

Leadership that multiplies isn’t loud.
It’s faithful.
It’s patient.
It’s intentional.

And often, you don’t see its full impact until years later.

As You Step Into 2026

As you step into 2026, it’s worth asking yourself a few honest questions:

• Who am I intentionally developing?

• Who will lead better because I invested in them?

• If my leadership ended today, what would remain?

Leadership that multiplies outlives the moment.
It leaves a legacy of people, not just results.

Bringing the December Reset Together

This week closes the December Reset series.

The final Study Guide brings all four weeks together — helping you reflect, integrate, and identify your One Word for 2026. It’s designed to help you step into the new year with clarity, intention, and purpose.

If you’re ready to bring it all together, you can download the Week 4 Study Guide here:

Leadership Begins at Home: Why Presence Shapes Everything You Lead

There’s a leadership truth I’ve come to appreciate more deeply with every season of life:

Your leadership at home shapes your leadership everywhere else.

Home is the place where your values are lived, not just stated.
It’s where trust is formed, where emotional stability is either reinforced or eroded, and where the people closest to you experience the truest version of your leadership.

Home is the foundation you lead from.

At the center of that foundation is presence — not proximity, not perfection, but intentional presence.

Presence that adapts as seasons change, but never disappears.

This past year brought new rhythms into our home. Our oldest stepped into adulthood, and presence began to take a new shape. It became shared Bible studies through an app, encouraging messages, and phone calls across the distance.

At the same time, this season opened space for deeper connection with our younger son and more intentional support for my spouse.

Different rhythms.
Same calling.

Be present for the people who matter most.

Scripture captures this truth with quiet strength:

“In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
and his children will have a refuge.”
— Proverbs 14:26 (ESV)

That word refuge matters.

A refuge is not built in moments of intensity.
It’s built through stability.
Through consistency.
Through leadership that can be felt, not just heard.

This is where leadership at home becomes leadership everywhere else.

Patrick Lencioni says it well:
“Great teams are built on trust. So are great families.”

Trust doesn’t come from grand gestures or perfectly executed plans.
It grows through everyday choices — the tone you set, the attention you give, and the rhythms you create.

As we look toward 2026, here are three practices that help leaders strengthen their leadership at home — and, by extension, every other place they lead.

1. Be Present

Presence is your most powerful form of influence.

Not because you are always physically nearby, but because when you are present, you are engaged. Listening. Paying attention. Not distracted.

Presence communicates value.

At home, people don’t need flawless leadership.
They need leadership that shows up — consistently and intentionally.

Presence looks different in every season.

Sometimes it’s time around the table.
Sometimes it’s a conversation before bed.
Sometimes it’s a message sent across the distance just to say, “I’m thinking about you.”

What matters most isn’t the format.
It’s the intentionality behind it.

2. Create Rhythms

Strong families aren’t built on intensity.
They’re built on rhythms.

Small, repeatable moments that anchor connection.

Rhythms reduce uncertainty.
They create predictability, safety, and shared expectation.

A weekly meal.
A standing conversation.
A consistent check-in.
A shared practice.

These moments don’t need to be elaborate. In fact, the simplest rhythms are often the most powerful because they’re sustainable.

Over time, rhythms do something remarkable:
they make connection feel normal — not forced.

And that sense of stability becomes the emotional foundation your leadership rests on everywhere else.

3. Speak Life

Words carry weight — especially at home.

Encouragement isn’t about hype or flattery.
It’s about naming what matters, affirming growth, and reinforcing identity.

When leaders speak life at home, they help build resilience.
They remind their family who they are — even when circumstances are changing.

Encouraging words don’t ignore challenges.
They help people face them with confidence.

And when encouragement is consistent, it becomes a quiet strength others carry with them long after the conversation ends.

As you prepare for 2026, remember this:

Your leadership at home is part of your leadership story.

When your home is strengthened, your leadership everywhere else is steadied.

This week’s Study Guide is designed to help you:

• reflect on your current rhythms

• strengthen intentional presence

• and begin shaping patterns that will carry into the year ahead

👉 Download the Week 3 Study Guide and continue building your 2026 Leadership Guidepost.

Why Self-Leadership Shapes Every Other Sphere

December Reset Series • Part 2 of 4

There’s a quiet truth every leader eventually learns:

Some years you drift your way into January… and some years you lead your way into it.

I’ve lived both.

A few years ago, I ran half marathons regularly. I was disciplined, consistent, and focused. But over time, I drifted. What slipped in my physical life eventually showed up everywhere—in my energy, my mindset, and even in the way I led at home and at work.

That season taught me something I needed to remember:

Self-leadership is the foundation of every other kind of leadership.

Not the books you read.
Not the strategies you use.
Not the roles you hold.

Your private patterns—your habits, inputs, rhythms, and boundaries—shape the person who shows up publicly.

And drift?
Drift never stays in one area.
Strength doesn’t either.

Why January Isn’t the Beginning

For most people, the new year starts in January.
But for a leader, the new year begins long before the calendar turns.

Your intentions, your energy, your focus, and your disciplines in December quietly set your trajectory for the year ahead. If you’re not leading yourself well now, it’s unlikely that flipping a date on a calendar will change that.

That’s why this week of the December Reset Series focuses entirely on the first sphere of leadership:

Lead Myself.

Because everything else—
how you lead your family,
how you lead your team,
how you influence your world—
is shaped by the person you are becoming privately.

Proverbs 25:28 puts it this way:

“A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” (ESV)

Self-control is not about restriction.
It’s about protection.
Strength. Stability. Clarity.

It builds the walls that support every other part of life.

Consistency Over Intensity

Most leaders overestimate the power of big moments and underestimate the power of small, daily ones.

A ten-minute habit practiced consistently will change your life more than a one-hour burst once a month.

Craig Groeschel says it this way: “Successful people do consistently what others do occasionally.”

And John Maxwell adds: “The toughest person to lead is always yourself.”

Consistency and self-leadership.
Those two themes shape everything.

Three Systems Every Strong Leader Builds

To strengthen your self-leadership, start with three systems:

1. Guard Your Inputs

Your mind eventually reflects whatever you feed it.

Most drift doesn’t begin with a major decision; it begins with subtle inputs we barely notice. What we watch, what we listen to, who we spend time with, and even the internal conversations we entertain—all of it shapes our thinking more than we realize.

Strong self-leadership starts with paying attention to the “gateway” of your life. Just like poor nutrition eventually weakens the body, poor inputs eventually weaken your leadership. The opposite is also true: when you feed your mind with truth, wisdom, stillness, and clarity, your leadership gains strength from the inside out.

Guarding your inputs isn’t about withdrawing from the world.
It’s about choosing what forms you.

2. Build Daily Rhythms

Small habits compound over time. The right ones change everything.

Most leaders underestimate the power of rhythm. We want breakthrough moments, but God often shapes us through steady, quiet practices done faithfully over time. A ten-minute reading habit, a short daily prayer, a nightly reflection, a morning walk—these don’t look dramatic, but they build spiritual, emotional, and mental muscle.

Daily rhythms carry us when motivation dips.
They keep us aligned when life gets loud.
They remind us who we are becoming.

Great leadership isn’t created in the big moments; it’s revealed in them.

But it’s built in the ordinary ones.

3. Stay Accountable

Isolation weakens leaders. Partnership strengthens them.

You can be incredibly gifted and still get stuck if you lead alone. Every leader has blind spots—places we don’t see clearly or drift more easily.

Accountability isn’t about people policing your life.
It’s about people supporting your growth.

The right relationships do three things:

• They remind you of your commitments.

• They help you see what you can’t see.

• They strengthen you when you feel discouraged or unfocused.

Isolation creates drift.
Relationship creates traction.

If you want to grow in self-leadership, don’t do it alone. Invite trusted people into the journey.

A Quiet Direction for the Year Ahead

As you pay attention to how you lead yourself, you’ll also begin noticing themes—words, ideas, invitations from God—that may shape your One Word for 2026.

We’ll explore that more in the weeks ahead, but this is where clarity begins.

Not in January.

Now.

Because strong self-leadership sets the direction for 2026.

Week 2 Study Guide (Free Resource)

To guide your reflection, I created a free study guide designed to help you:

• assess your current patterns

• identify areas of drift

• strengthen key habits and rhythms

• build one daily action for the week

• begin noticing themes that may shape your One Word for 2026

Click below to download the Week 2 study guide and continue building your 2026 Leadership Guidepost.

Closing Thought

The greatest gift you can give your family, your team, and the people you lead… is a healthy, grounded, consistent you.

Start there.
Lead there.
Build from there.

The Leader You Become in 2026 Starts Now

Why December Matters More Than January

There’s something unique about December.

On the surface, it looks like a slowdown month — schedules ease up, routines relax, and many leaders shift into “coast mode.” But the more I’ve paid attention to my own leadership rhythms, the more I’ve realized something:

December determines January.

I’ve had years where I entered a new year aligned, focused, and grounded.
And I’ve had years where I entered scattered and exhausted.

And as I look back, the consistent theme is clear:

The decisions I made in December shaped the direction I carried into the new year.

Intentionality Sets the Direction

Proverbs 4:26 encourages us to “ponder the path of your feet,” reminding us that strong leadership begins with intentional steps. It’s rarely the big moments that shape a leader — it’s the small daily choices when no one’s watching.

John Maxwell frames it well:
“You will never change your life until you change something you do daily.”

Three Spheres of Leadership

Whether we realize it or not, every leader carries influence in three arenas:

1. Lead Myself

2. Lead My Family

3. Lead My Team

These three spheres anchor the entire December Reset journey.

The One Word That Shapes a Year

Throughout this month, we’ll also work toward identifying your One Word for 2026 — a simple, powerful word that brings clarity and direction to your leadership.

I’ve used a “one word” focus for several years, and it’s made a significant difference in helping me stay grounded and intentional. Leaders like Craig Groeschel and Jon Gordon teach this approach because it simplifies your focus and strengthens your direction.

Not a resolution.
Not a long list of goals.
Just one clear word that shapes the way you lead yourself, your family, and your team.

Week 1: Where Am I Now?

Before choosing a word or setting any goals for 2026, we begin with honest reflection:

Where am I right now as a leader?

Not where you wish you were.
Not where you “should” be.
Where you truly are.

This week’s worksheet will guide that reflection — and help you start preparing your 2026 Leadership Guidepost.

Because strong years don’t start in January.

They start now.

Thankfulness Isn’t Just a Gesture — It’s a Force Multiplier

Week 47 | StartStrong | LeadWell

Thanksgiving has a way of slowing us down long enough to notice what should have mattered all along. It’s a rare pause in the year — a moment when pace gives way to perspective and we’re reminded of something leaders often forget:

Thankfulness isn’t sentimental.
It’s strategic.

In leadership, the pull to produce never stops. There’s always a deadline, a fire, a meeting, a need. Pressure pushes teams to perform — and yes, urgency has its place. But urgency alone can’t build a healthy culture.

Gratitude can.

When leaders practice thankfulness with intention, something powerful happens: stability increases, trust deepens, and people begin to engage from the heart rather than obligation. Appreciation creates conditions where people want to grow, not just where they’re expected to.

Paul’s words in Colossians 3:15 (ESV) illuminate this beautifully:
“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts… And be thankful.”
He wasn’t writing about workplace pressure, but the principle still holds. Peace and gratitude go together — and together, they shape the environments we influence.

In a world that moves fast, gratitude slows us down long enough to see the people who move the mission forward.

So how do leaders cultivate gratitude in a meaningful way? Here are three practical, relationally rich practices that cost nothing but intention — and return more than you imagine.

1. Be Specific

A vague “Great job!” rarely inspires.
But specific appreciation? That creates impact.

“Thanks for staying late” becomes:
“Thank you for staying late and keeping the project moving. Your attention to detail made the difference.”

People feel valued when they feel seen.
And when people feel seen, confidence rises — and culture strengthens.

2. Invite Voices

Asking for input is one of the simplest forms of gratitude.

It says far more than, “What do you think?”
It communicates:
“Your perspective matters. What you see matters. You matter.”

Leaders who listen well don’t just gather insight — they build trust.
And trust is the foundation of every strong team.

3. Stay Consistent

Gratitude shouldn't appear only during holidays, recognition days, or annual reviews.
It should show up in:

• quick messages
• hallway conversations
• unexpected acknowledgments
• small check-ins that communicate care

When gratitude becomes a rhythm, it becomes a culture.

Consistency turns appreciation from a moment into a movement.

Where Gratitude Leads Us

Gratitude doesn’t demand more time — it demands intention.
It asks leaders to slow down long enough to notice, appreciate, and affirm the people who make the mission possible.

This week, consider:
Where can you practice gratitude with more clarity?
And how might it strengthen the people you lead?

Because the truth is simple:
The more consistently you practice gratitude, the stronger your leadership becomes.

WEEK 47 | The Strategy of Rest: Why Margin Makes You a Better Leader

Most leaders love the stretch. We love momentum, progress, and the feeling that comes from pushing toward what’s next. Last week, I wrote about stepping out of your comfort zone and growing in your strength zone — and that kind of growth matters. But there’s a part of leadership that rarely gets talked about, and I’ve had to learn it the hard way:

Stretch can make you strong,
but margin keeps you standing.

For years, especially in ministry, I felt the pressure to be “always on.” If someone needed something, I said yes. If something had to be done, I did it. I convinced myself that being exhausted meant I was being faithful. And on paper, it looked like I was leading well — things were happening, people were happy, and momentum was strong.

But underneath all of that movement was a pace I couldn’t sustain.

There came a point when the internal pressure and the external demands collided, and the fallout touched every area of my life. My health suffered. My marriage felt the strain. My kids got the version of me that was present physically but stretched thin emotionally. Any leader who has lived there knows the tension: you’re functioning… but you’re not flourishing.

And here’s the lie high-capacity leaders often believe:
“If I slow down, I’ll let people down.”

But the truth is the opposite. When you lead without margin, you don’t just drain yourself — you diminish the people who depend on you. Your presence shifts. Your clarity dims. Your patience thins. Your leadership starts to leak, just like Dr. Henry Cloud often says: leaders reproduce the emotional reality they create.

That was the turning point for me. I realized the things suffering most were the things that mattered most — things God had entrusted to me long before positions, titles, or responsibilities. And so, I made a difficult decision: I stepped back. I released roles I cared about and expectations I carried. It felt like a free fall at the time… but it became one of the best leadership decisions of my life.

Because stepping back gave me space to breathe again.
And space became the soil where clarity grew back.
Margin didn’t weaken me — it rebuilt me.

In Mark 6, Jesus says something that’s become a leadership anchor for me. The disciples had been pouring themselves out, serving nonstop, with people coming and going so quickly they didn’t even have time to eat. And Jesus didn’t congratulate them for their grind. He didn’t say, “Push harder — you’re almost there.” Instead, He said,

“Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” (Mark 6:31, ESV)

That wasn’t a suggestion.
It was direction.
He was protecting His team from the pace that would eventually destroy the mission.

And if Jesus Himself invited leaders to rest, we can stop feeling guilty for needing it too.

Over the last few years, I’ve come to see rest not as a retreat from responsibility, but as part of responsibility. Rest isn’t stepping out of leadership — it’s what strengthens leadership. Margin isn’t empty space — it’s the oxygen leadership breathes.

Cloud says, “Your energy is your responsibility.” And he’s right.
Leaders without margin eventually lead without clarity.
Leaders who never stop eventually stop leading well.

The truth is simple:
You lead better when you lead from a full mind and a grounded heart.

And margin is what makes that possible.

For me, margin now looks like protecting space in my calendar, not just filling it. It looks like unplugged hours, not guilt-filled pauses. It looks like choosing presence with my family over the pull of productivity. It looks like resting before I’m exhausted, not after. And not surprisingly… I lead stronger, not weaker.

So here’s my question for you — the same one I’ve been asking myself:

Where do you need more margin so you can lead well again?
Is it your pace?
Your expectations?
Your schedule?
Your boundaries?
Your willingness to step back when everything in you wants to push forward?

Whatever it is, give yourself permission to slow down — not as an escape from leadership, but as an investment in it. The people you lead aren’t looking for a leader who’s always busy. They’re looking for a leader who’s healthy, steady, clear, and present.

A rested leader is a stronger leader.
And sometimes the bravest thing you can do is breathe —
because clarity grows in the space hustle can’t reach.

Week 46 | Strength Zone vs. Comfort Zone

Where Growth Begins

Leadership is a constant balance between what you do best and what challenges you most.

John Maxwell once said, “Stay in your strength zone, but continually move out of your comfort zone.” That one principle has shaped how I think about growth and how I coach others to lead.

Your strength zone is where your natural talents create the most value. It’s the space where you feel energized, focused, and capable—the work comes naturally, and the results often follow.

But your comfort zone is something different. It’s where those same talents stop growing. Comfort feels safe, but it never produces growth. It protects what was instead of preparing what could be.

The best leaders know how to stay in one and step out of the other.

The Trap of Comfort

It’s easy to drift into maintenance mode—especially when things are working. Teams are stable, systems are smooth, and results are steady. But comfort can quietly dull innovation and initiative.

The truth is: leaders who settle for comfort eventually lose purpose. Leaders who develop their strengths discover greater purpose.

Your comfort zone protects you.
Your strength zone propels you.

The Purpose of Strength

Scripture reminds us,

“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”
— 1 Corinthians 12:7 (ESV)

Our strengths—both natural and spiritual—were never meant to stay static. They were given to serve. The more you use them, the more they mature and multiply.

If you spend your career only fixing weaknesses, you might achieve competence. But if you invest in the strengths within you, you’ll grow in influence, excellence, and fulfillment.

Growth happens when we stretch what we already do well into new territory.

The Growth Challenge

This week, ask yourself:

• Where have I gotten too comfortable?

• What step could stretch my strengths again?

Leadership isn’t about staying where it’s safe—it’s about stepping into the stretch that shapes you.

Because growth begins where comfort ends.

The Power of Presence

We live in a world that rewards speed, noise, and multitasking.
Our calendars stay full, our phones are always within reach, and our attention is constantly being pulled toward whatever is urgent in the moment.

But distraction has a cost—especially in leadership.
When our focus drifts, so does the focus of those we lead.

Presence isn’t just personal; it’s formative. It shapes teams, culture, and trust. And it’s one of the simplest, most overlooked ways we reflect Christ in the way we lead.

The Moment That Convicted Me

Not long ago, I caught myself in a meeting—leading, talking, multitasking—but not truly there.

I was guiding the conversation, answering questions, nodding at the right moments. On the surface, everything looked fine. But quietly, I was also skimming an email I had convinced myself “couldn’t wait.”

In that moment, I realized how easy it is to be active without being attentive.

I wasn’t trying to be dismissive or disrespectful. I was just moving fast, trying to keep up with everything coming at me. But my lack of attention said something I didn’t intend to say.

And if we’re honest, I think we’ve all had moments like that as leaders.

We show up physically—but our minds are somewhere else.
We’re in the room—but not really with the people in it.

Activity Isn’t Engagement

Somewhere along the way, we started confusing busyness with effectiveness. We measure how full our schedules are, how many projects we’re touching, how quickly we’re responding.

But busyness doesn’t build trust—attention does.

People remember how present we were long after they forget what we said.
They may not recall every detail of the meeting, but they will remember whether they felt seen, heard, and valued.

Presence is what turns a conversation into connection.
Without it, our leadership risks becoming efficient, but empty.

Martha, Mary, and the Better Portion

There’s a moment in Scripture that speaks directly into this tension between activity and attention.

“But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’”
— Luke 10:41–42, ESV

It’s important to honor what’s actually happening in this passage.

Martha wasn’t wrong for working. Someone had to prepare the meal. Hospitality mattered. Her desire to serve Jesus was sincere.

But in her striving to serve Him, she nearly missed sitting with Him.

Jesus wasn’t rebuking her work ethic—He was redirecting her attention.
He was gently calling her from anxiety and distraction back to what mattered most in that moment: His presence.

Her activity was good.
Mary’s focus was better.

That scene isn’t primarily about workplace distractions or leadership habits; it’s about a heart that’s invited to choose what is most important in the presence of Christ.

But the principle is still deeply relevant for us as leaders today:

Presence always begins with priorities.
What we give our attention to reveals what we value most.

What It Means for Leaders

The same invitation that Jesus extended to Martha still stands for us.

Even in leadership, it’s easy to be busy for people but not truly with them.
To respond to emails, move projects forward, and keep everything spinning—while quietly drifting away from the people we’re actually called to serve.

Presence isn’t about doing less. It’s about being fully there with the people in front of you.

For years, both as a pastor and now as a leader in the workplace, I’ve come back to a simple phrase:

Your presence matters.

Sometimes the most meaningful thing you can give isn’t an answer or a solution—it’s simply you, fully present.

When leaders give their full attention, they give dignity.
Meetings gain meaning.
Conversations carry trust.

Distraction fractures all of that.
Presence reminds people they matter more than the task.

Wisdom from Experience

Leadership thinkers have been circling this idea for a long time. Patrick Lencioni puts it plainly:

“If you can’t be fully present with the people you lead, you’ll eventually lose the right to lead them.”
— Patrick Lencioni

That’s a strong statement—but it’s true.

Our teams don’t need us to be everywhere. They need us to be here.

Not half in the room and half in our inbox.
Not nodding along while our mind is already in the next meeting.
Not physically present but emotionally unavailable.

Leadership presence isn’t about charisma or being the loudest voice.
It’s about attention. It’s the steady, quiet power of showing up fully—in the meeting, in the conversation, in the moment.

A Leader’s Challenge

So here’s a simple challenge for this week:

Slow down.
Be where your feet are.
Lead with your eyes, your ears, and your heart.

That might look like:

• Putting the phone face-down during a 1:1.

• Closing the laptop in a team conversation.

• Pausing before you respond so you can really listen.

• Giving someone your full attention when they walk into your office.

People may appreciate how efficient you are—
but they’ll remember how present you chose to be.

In a world that constantly pulls us away from the moment we’re in,
presence is one of the most powerful ways we can start strong and lead well.

Thermostat Leadership: Steady Under Pressure

When Pressure Tests Your Leadership

Pressure has a way of revealing what’s really inside us.

Over the past few months, I’ve been leading through one of the most complex and high-stakes projects of my career. Plans shifted. Timelines moved. The outcome looked nothing like what we expected. And yet, in the middle of it all, I saw something powerful taking shape—grit, perseverance, and true leadership rising to the surface.

Those seasons have a way of humbling you. They strip away comfort, test your character, and force you to ask: What kind of leader am I under pressure?

Thermometers vs. Thermostats

Every leader faces a choice in moments like that.
We can be thermometers, simply reflecting the atmosphere around us, or thermostats, intentionally setting it.

A thermometer rises and falls with the environment.
A thermostat regulates the environment with consistency and composure.

The best leaders don’t react to the climate—they reset it.
They bring calm into chaos and confidence into uncertainty.

As author Brian Tracy once said:

“The true test of leadership is how well you function in a crisis.”

Pressure Doesn’t Just Reveal Character — It Refines It

I’ve learned that the true measure of leadership isn’t control—it’s composure.

Anyone can lead when things go right. But when the unexpected happens, leaders are called to steady others by first being steady within themselves.

Pressure doesn’t just reveal character—it refines it.
It shapes endurance. It deepens empathy. It reminds us that leadership is less about holding everything together and more about staying grounded in what matters most.

A Steadfast Spirit

James 1:12 puts it this way:

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”
— James 1:12 (ESV)

James wasn’t writing about workplace stress or project deadlines—he was speaking about trials that test our faith. Yet the same steadfast spirit that anchors us in faith can also steady us in leadership.

When our confidence is grounded in God, not outcomes, we can lead with peace even when everything around us feels uncertain.

Lead with Composure

When pressure builds, I’ve learned to pause and ask myself:
Am I mirroring the chaos around me, or modeling the peace within me?

Leadership isn’t about control; it’s about composure.

When we choose to lead from that quiet center—rooted in faith, anchored in peace—we create stability for everyone around us.
Our teams don’t need us to have all the answers; they need us to carry peace into the room.

Set the Temperature

Leadership has never been about avoiding the heat; it’s about standing in it with the kind of faith and steadiness that changes the atmosphere.

Be the thermostat this week.
Set the tone.

Lead with clarity, faith, and steadfast presence.
Because when peace rules in you, it spreads through those you lead.

#StartStrongLeadWell

The Decision Filter: Leading with Wisdom and Peace

When Leadership Demands Discernment

Leadership rarely gives you perfect information.
More often, it gives you tension—two good options, one hard choice, and the weight of knowing people are depending on your decision.

I’ve been there. Early in my career, I used to pray for certainty—for God to spell it out clearly. But I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about finding certainty; it’s about walking in discernment.

Certainty demands control.
Discernment requires trust.

And that shift has changed the way I lead.

The Decision Filter

Over the years, I began using what I call The Decision Filter—a simple way to slow down and align choices with what matters most.

I run every significant decision through three questions:

1. Values — Does this line up with who I am and what I believe?
2. Vision — Does this move me toward where God is leading?
3. Voice — Have I invited wise counsel and God’s perspective into it?

It’s not a formula; it’s a framework.
The Decision Filter helps me lead from conviction, not emotion—rooted in truth rather than driven by pressure.

Wisdom for the Asking

James gives leaders a promise that’s both simple and profound:

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
— James 1:5 (ESV)

James was writing to believers facing trials, not executives facing deadlines, but the principle still holds: wisdom isn’t earned; it’s asked for.

Leaders don’t need to have every answer—they just need the humility to seek God’s.

Dr. Tony Evans once said,

“All decision-making is a values-clarifying exercise.”

He’s right. Every choice—big or small—reveals what’s really leading us.
When we pause to examine our motives through the Decision Filter, we discover what’s steering our hearts: fear or faith, ambition or obedience.

Peace as Confirmation

There’s one more layer to wise leadership: peace.

After I’ve walked through my filter, I pay attention to what’s happening in my spirit. When the peace of God settles deep in my heart—even if the situation still feels uncertain—that’s my signal I’m heading in the right direction.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
— Philippians 4:7 (ESV)

That peace doesn’t guarantee an easy road; it simply assures me I’m not walking it alone.
It guards my heart, confirms my direction, and gives me confidence to step forward in faith.

Leading with Clarity and Conviction

Leadership decisions will always carry weight, but they don’t have to carry confusion.

When you filter your choices through Values, Vision, and Voice, ask for wisdom, and follow peace, you can move forward—even into uncertainty—with confidence.

Because godly leadership isn’t about controlling outcomes.
It’s about walking faithfully in the direction of wisdom and trusting God with the rest.

#StartStrongLeadWell

What’s Your Story? Leading Through Listening

One of the most powerful questions a leader can ask is simple yet profound:
“What’s your story?”

Over the years, I’ve learned that question has the power to change relationships, reshape teams, and reveal the heart behind the work we do.

When we take time to listen, we do more than gather information—we build bridges. Every story we hear becomes a bridge we can lead across.

The Power of a Question

When I served as a pastor, I became known for asking that one question. Most of those conversations happened over coffee—just two people sitting down, one cup and one story at a time.

I discovered that when people share their stories, they open the door to their hearts. They share their dreams, fears, values, and faith. And often, what begins as small talk turns into sacred ground.

Jesus said it best:

“Out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
— Luke 6:45 (ESV)

If we listen long enough, we begin to hear what fills a person’s heart. Their words reveal what matters most to them—their priorities, their pain, and their purpose.

Good leaders learn to listen that way—not just with their ears, but with discernment.

From the Church to the Marketplace

What I learned in ministry still shapes how I lead today.
Every person on your team has a story shaping how they work and why they care.

If you listen long enough, you’ll always find common ground—a shared value, a familiar struggle, or a common dream. It might take some digging, but it’s always worth the effort.

Listening turns workplaces into communities and coworkers into collaborators.

The Divine Intersection

I call this the Divine Intersection—the place where your story intersects with mine, and together they align with a greater mission and vision.

When stories connect, trust grows. Connection deepens. Collaboration strengthens.
Purpose becomes shared.

That’s the moment leadership becomes more than strategy—it becomes ministry.

Lead People, Not Tasks

Leadership at its best isn’t about directing tasks; it’s about developing people.
And people are shaped by their stories.

The moment you ask, “What’s your story?” you stop leading tasks and start leading hearts.

So, here’s the challenge for this week:
Who’s one person on your team whose story you need to hear?

Because every time we listen with intention, we lead with compassion.
And that’s where trust—and transformation—begin.

#StartStrongLeadWell