What Does It Mean to Be a Rested Leader?
Photo by Kevin Schmid on Unsplash
Leaders are tired. DDI (Development Dimensions International) recently published its latest research, The Global Leadership Forecast 2025: Insights and Trends. They aim to deliver crucial insights into today's top leadership challenges. The study included input from over 10,000 leaders and over 2000 HR professionals worldwide. Here are just a few of the results:
71% of leaders report increased stress, with 40% considering leaving their roles because of stress;
54% of leaders are concerned about burnout;
Between 2022 and 2024, trust in immediate managers dropped from 46% to 29%;
Overall trust in senior leaders is at a low of only 32%;
Only 28% of frontline leaders trust senior leadership;
80% of organizations lack confidence in their leadership pipelines;
C-level leaders' sense of purpose increased, while frontline leaders' sense of purpose decreased by 20%.
All of this adds up to a very challenging climate and culture for leaders and leadership across all sectors of society. The pressures are immense, and optimism is low. DDI sums up their findings by stating, ". . . leaders are struggling. They report increased stress, diminished trust, a weakening sense of purpose, and inadequate development for their expanding responsibilities. And this crisis is self-perpetuating. As the role becomes more demanding and complex, current leaders contemplate leaving their leadership role altogether while younger generations view these positions as increasingly undesirable. The talent pipeline is at risk precisely when effective leadership matters most."
I have noticed a bit of malaise clouding me. Lately, it has been challenging to give the extra effort or go the extra mile in my business of serving and developing leaders. I, too, am tired. Today's topic is "What Does It Mean to Be a Rested Leader?" You are catching me mid-thought. So, I wholeheartedly invite you into my learning journey. I have spent some time in the Bible and surveying outside research about the true nature of rest and a rested leader. I am asking others what they are experiencing and learning on this topic. I am convinced that tired and burned-out leaders do not make for good leadership. So, how do we as leaders face the current challenges of leadership? What does it look like for a follower of Christ to lead as a rested leader and rise above the everyday realities of leadership?
God has set up divine rhythms of rest. God established the concept of sabbath to encourage us to break from the norm and rest. God established a day of rest for people every seven days. Every seven years was designed as a rest for the land so that it might become replenished and ultimately more productive. Every 50 years was labeled a year of Jubilee, where the land would lie fallow, enslaved people would be set free, and all debts would be forgiven.
In summary, God's rhythms of rest were designed to provide rest for people, the land, and all of the economic systems in place. Even in the creation account, we see God model rest, as he rested on the 7th day after 6 days of creative activity. This order is fascinating because this took place before sin entered the world and disrupted everything. It demonstrates that God ordained rest even before we had a more profound need for it. But if we are honest--if I am honest--we are not very good at maintaining God's rhythms of rest.
Here are a few thoughts about how we get there--as I am still in process.
To be a "rested leader"—biblically and practically—means to lead from a place of profound spiritual, emotional, and physical renewal, grounded in God's design for rhythm, dependence, and identity.
Here's what that might look like, both biblically and practically:
A rested leader is rooted in sabbath rhythms, including daily devotions, weekly sabbaths, annual retreats, and periodic sabbaticals. We need to see these as leadership disciplines and not luxuries.
A rested leader lives from identity, not for identity. Even Jesus' ministry began with affirmation, not action. In Matthew 3:17, the Father declared to Jesus, "You are my beloved son. "A rested leader leads from a state of belovedness, not busyness or performance.
A rested leader depends on God's strength. Isaiah 40:31 reminds us, "Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength." Real rest is not just about stopping but about abiding and depending.
A rested leader leads from healthy boundaries and margins. Rested leaders say no to the good to preserve space for the essential. They delegate, turn off notifications, and build margins into calendars.
A rested leader leans into community and confession. They don't carry burdens alone. Rested leaders pursue trusted relationships where they can be honest, prayed for, and re-centered. Find a circle of peers or mentors who ask, "How's your soul?"
A rested leader sees their work as worship, not as a token of their worth. They work hard but not frantically. Their output is an offering, not a source of identity.
In summary, a rested leader leads from a soul at rest in God—anchored in identity, refreshed in rhythm, and freed from the tyranny of proving, producing, or performing. What are your thoughts?
Thanks for stopping by!
I hope this content was helpful and encouraged you in your daily practice of leadership. If you would enjoy receiving more content like this on a regular basis please subscribe by clicking the button below.
