Staying steady when others are spiraling…
Most men don’t quit leading because it’s hard.
They quit because it’s emotional.
They get worn down by resistance, anxiety, and pressure from all sides.
They lose their nerve.
Edwin Friedman, in his book A Failure of Nerve, said our biggest leadership problem today isn’t a lack of information—it’s a lack of courage.
We don’t need more technique.
We need leaders who are clear-headed, calm, and grounded.
Here are three marks of that kind of leader:
1. He stays calm in anxious systems.
He absorbs tension rather than spreading it.
2. He stands firm in his identity.
He doesn’t need consensus to know who he is or what he’s called to do.
3. He expects sabotage.
Resistance is part of the job—not a sign to quit.
The author Joe Rigney sums up this kind of leadership as sober-mindedness (2 Tim 4:5).
It’s spiritual clarity in the fog of pressure.
Emotional steadiness in the face of opposition.
Men who lead with courage don’t need to be the smartest in the room—just the most steadfast.
Keep showing up.
Stay rooted in God and connected to others.
Lead with conviction.
God will strengthen you.