10 Lessons Learned From Bad Days In Leadership

As leaders, we all have bad days.  These are times when nothing goes right and everything we touch goes sour.  We’ve all been there.  You can’t be a leader and not have those type of days.

The question then becomes how do we properly frame the days we wish would just end.  Here is the truth about bad days:

1. Bad days are normal.  You are not alone and we’ve all been there.
2. Bad days confirm that your task is not easy.  If you read the Bible from cover to cover, you will not find an instance where God ever called a leader to an easy task.
3. Bad days remind us that we are leaders.  If you feel you’re constantly being kicked in the backside, it simply means that you’re in the front.
4. Bad days are why leadership is desperately needed.  It is when things are difficult or unclear that leaders are needed to help individuals navigate these times.
5. Bad days are times for personal development.  Sometimes events take place as a result of our actions or poor decisions.  We need to accept that and learn from them.
6. Bad days will eventually come to an end.  Every day, whether good or bad, comes to a close.  Tomorrow is a new day and the sun will rise again.
7. Bad days need to be compartmentalized.  If you have a bad day at the office, it shouldn’t affect your home.  Your home should be a sanctuary.
8.  Bad days remind us about the importance of healthy priorities.  It’s my relationship with Jesus Christ and my family that are the most important things in my life.  They will love me when I feel no one else does.
9. Bad days are neutralized with solitude.  As leaders, tough times force us to step back, get alone, and gain a proper perspective of the situation.
10. Bad days can be a gift.  As leaders, difficult people and situations uniquely force us to press into Jesus and trust Him for our next steps.  It is these times that bring deeper intimacy with the One who loves us most.

I hope this post encourages you.  Leadership is a wonderful, marvelous thing.  It has incredible perks but also comes with a price.  When you are paying the price of a bad day, pull out this list and look at the bigger picture.  You are being shaped into the leader you were meant to be.

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