| a leader in crisis |
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| If there’s anything we’ve learned as leaders it's that being a leader isn’t easy. Usually, the most difficult part of leadership is the inner battles. Within a divided heart, internal conflicts can wage a terrible war. When the war is finally won, there still remains unsettling causalities. Yes, we’re better for the battle…but wounding is unpleasant. When a leader faces crisis, they usually don’t talk about it to the people they are leading. The followers wouldn’t fully understand all the complexities and it isn’t right to dump it all on them anyway. Even if we did dump it on them, they probably couldn’t offer much help anyhow. So where does this leave leaders, when they are in a crisis? Questions abound. Loneliness magnifies. Fear arrives. One’s calling is even challenged. As a leader, you may feel the pressure to appear as though you have “it all together.” That is, at a minimum, you may feel the need to have it together “enough” to lead teenagers. But the deep confusion that can come from a fierce internal wrestling match will ultimately undermine your leadership confidence. In the depth of your heart, you probably realize that you’re not alone, but it sure feels lonely. And the way you feel is very real. Crisis can yield ugly fruit in the life of a leader, like cynicism or criticism, both of which can dismantle and destroy leaders. Unfortunately, that ugly fruit doesn’t help one overcome a crisis. Actually, cynicism and criticism keep others (who might be able to comfort and help) at a safe distance. Fortunately, during these moments (and even seasons) of ugly fruit, GOD doesn’t leave us on our own. He may be difficult to sense through our hardened filters of cynicism and criticism…but he’s there waiting to give us the wisdom we so desperately need. Until we pursue him, the loneliness is magnified. By Doug Field & Matt McGill |
