One of the more dangerous things a leader can do with doubt and fear is to eliminate them too quickly.

Unless harm is imminent, seeking to escape from difficult situations without first learning from them robs us of powerful opportunities.

Healthy leaders don’t run. They ask what might be behind the emotions they’re feeling and seek to learn from them.

Doubts and fears are a part of life and leadership. They pop up in the strangest of places.

Progress always creates friction. The question isn’t whether you irritate others, but whether you do so with purpose and intention.

Two phrases have been sitting with me lately. One is new. One I have walked with for years. Both are deeply uncomfortable for most people. And both separate the pack.

If you run from them, you are likely a follower.

If you embrace them, you are likely a leader (or on your way to becoming one).

As leaders, we all face moments when unfiltered honesty feels justified, even righteous.

Our minds are always working on something…

But the impulse to engage outside of the lane(s) God has called us to serve can be one of the most dangerous temptations we encounter.

I felt that impulse over the long Thanksgiving weekend. More than once.

Every senior leader knows the weight of waking up on an “off” day and still carrying the responsibility of others.

The question is not whether those days will come, but how we will lead when they do.

Illness, fatigue, emotional heaviness, or spiritual dryness can cloud even the strongest leader’s judgment. Yet these very moments often reveal the depth of our character more clearly than our best days.

The best athletes hit their drills hard in practice. Leaders seeking to be their best are required to do the same.

Mike Rowe’s “Safety Third” concept caught my attention some time ago with its “What did he just say?!” allure.

But his sentiment goes far beyond a simple “gotcha.” It is, in many ways, a declaration of what it takes to lead boldly in a world obsessed with avoiding discomfort and pain.

Over the past three weeks we have applied kingdom language and setting as a metaphor for your role as a senior leader.

It seemed only proper this week to bring that conversation back to its source – an addendum of sorts to this brief 3-part series.

“If you’re not growing, you’re dying.”

As you look across the landscape of your kingdom – your business, your team, your culture – does this statement ring true to you?

Every kingdom faces attack. Some threats are negligently invited through the gates with a smile. Others arrive at night with torches.

Wise leaders know that stewardship is not just about building well. It’s also about guarding well.

But protecting the kingdom does not have to be about building walls of fear. Ideally, it’s more about creating firm boundaries with clarity and purpose.

Leadership is not a democracy. It is a benevolent dictatorship – and the health of your organization depends on how well you handle the authority entrusted to you.

Your business is your kingdom, and you are the king (or queen as the case may be).