Leading in the Trenches: The Fight of Leadership
Leadership is not always about casting grand visions and inspiring thousands. Some days, leadership is about grit. It is about standing firm in the trenches, making the tough calls, and carrying the weight of responsibility when no one else will. It’s about showing up, grinding it out, and being the steady presence your team needs. This kind of leadership—the behind the scenes kind often forged in adversity—has a greater impact than the fleeting moments of inspiration.
True leadership in the trenches requires consistent development and resilient behavior. It’s about being the kind of leader who doesn’t just survive the battle but thrives in it. Here are three resilient behaviors that will keep you in the fight:
- Steady Mindset Over Emotional Reactivity – The best leaders do not allow their emotions to dictate their actions. They take a step back, assess the situation, and respond with wisdom rather than impulse. This kind of emotional resilience allows them to make clear-headed decisions even when chaos surrounds them.
- Commitment to Personal Growth – Resilient leaders never stop learning. They understand that growth is not an event but a lifestyle. Whether through reading, mentorship, or real-time feedback, they continually refine their skills to become more effective under pressure.
- Endurance and Persistence – Leadership in the trenches demands grit. There will be days when quitting seems like the best option. Resilient leaders push through fatigue, criticism, and setbacks. They find strength in consistency, knowing that steady effort over time yields results that momentary bursts of energy never will.
The Anchor: Leading from the Trenches
Every organization has a key player who isn’t necessarily in the spotlight but is absolutely indispensable. They’re the backbone of the team, the one who holds everything together when things get chaotic. Let’s call this person “The Anchor.”
Example: Lisa, the Operations Manager
Lisa works in a mid-sized tech company. She’s not the CEO, she’s not the visionary, and she’s not the face of the organization. But if Lisa walked away tomorrow, the entire operation would tank in a heartbeat.
Here’s how she leads from the trenches:
- She’s the One Who Keeps the Wheels Turning. When upper management rolls out a big, ambitious initiative, Lisa is the one who translates that vision into action. She creates the processes, aligns the teams, and makes sure the work actually gets done. If a crisis hits—like a missed deadline or a system failure—Lisa doesn’t panic. She stays level-headed, prioritizes the right tasks, and keeps the team moving forward.
- She Absorbs the Chaos Without Passing It Down. Leadership often means being the buffer between problems and the people who need to execute. Lisa takes hits from frustrated clients, last-minute changes from leadership, and logistical nightmares—all without throwing the stress back on her team. Instead of reacting emotionally, she filters information and delivers it in a way that keeps the team focused and motivated.
- She’s Consistently Reliable—Not Flashy, But Essential. Lisa doesn’t need recognition to stay engaged. She isn’t the loudest in the room, but when there’s a problem, everyone looks to her. She’s the leader who shows up early, stays late when needed, and never lets the weight of responsibility crush her.
The Challenge: Validate the Anchor
Every organization has a ‘Lisa’—someone who carries the weight without expecting recognition. Take a moment to identify that person in your organization or workplace. Acknowledge them in a way that feels personal and meaningful. It could be a handwritten note, a direct word of encouragement, or a public appreciation that highlights their impact. A monetary reward is always a great idea, but do not acquiesce your roll as a chief encourager behind a check. Honor your people and they will honor you.
If you are in a leadership position, go beyond verbal praise—give them opportunities to grow, ensure they know their work matters, and support them in ways that align with their strengths and aspirations.
Leadership is a fight, and those who succeed are the ones who refuse to be ruled by their emotions or the pressures of the moment. Keep your head on straight. Make decisions with clarity and conviction. The greatest impact you will ever have is not in a single moment of vision-casting, but in the grit of the day-to-day resilience you demonstrate.
For the One Who is Holding it Together in a Storm She Didn’t Choose
Let’s be real.
Storms aren’t a matter of if—they’re a matter of when. If you’re breathing, you’ve either just come through one, you’re standing in one right now, or there’s one forming on the horizon. And whether you’re leading a team, a business, a congregation, or just trying to keep your own life from unraveling—the storm is your classroom.
That’s right. Every storm teaches.
But not everyone learns.
Some storms can be self-made. We stir the waters through pride, avoidance, indecision, or ego. Other storms come from circumstances totally outside our control—economic crashes, relational implosions, cultural chaos, or medical diagnoses. It really doesn’t matter how it started. What matters is how you respond.
Because the people around you are watching.
They’re not looking for flawless leadership. They’re looking for anchored leadership. Grounded. Honest. Humble enough to say, “Yeah, this is rough—but I’m still here. Still learning. Still choosing to show up.” Make no mistake, there is a victim mentality that wants to make the storm-classroom avoidable, but that is not you. At least that is not you today.
Storms will always push you to your limits. That’s the nature of them. They’re meant to expose what’s underneath the surface:
- What’s your actual capacity?
- Where do you run when the pressure is on?
- Do you over-function? Disappear? Blame? Pretend?
- Or do you lead—not because you’re unshakable, but because you’re willing to be shaped by what you’re in?
Here’s the truth: You don’t get to skip the storm, but you do get to decide what kind of person—and what kind of leader—you become in it.
So let me ask: Have you invited God into the storm yet? Or are you still trying to muscle through it alone?
Because while you’re scrambling to hold it all together, you may be forgetting something—God commands the wind and the waves. That thing that’s overwhelming you? It’s not beyond Him. He’s not checked out. He hasn’t forgotten you. He’s waiting for you to stop thrashing around in panic and start listening for His voice. Even if you don’t believe in Him, He believes in you. God has your best interest at heart and wants the very best for you, those you lead, and those watching how you lead. And when you come out the other side (because you will), you carry something that others need: wisdom.
The lessons you gain in the storm—those aren’t just for you.
They’re for the people coming with you, behind you—even opposing you. The team that’s looking to you for leadership in the storm and the enemies working double time because you lead so well they had to learn to adapt at every decision—yes even they learn from you. There is a person silently watching how you handle pressure. You don’t get to decide whether they apply the wisdom. But you do have a responsibility to share it.
So what has the storm taught you?
- Have you learned trust?
- Patience?
- Decision-making under pressure?
- How to be steady in chaos?
- How to stop hiding behind perfection?
Then speak it into existence. The wisdom you learned is wisdom that needs to be shared.
Don’t waste your storm. Let it refine you. Let it teach you. Let it humble you. Then turn around and offer the hard-earned wisdom to someone else who’s knee-deep in their own mess, wondering if they’re going to make it out.
That’s leadership.
Storm-tested. Real. Courageous.
Lead like that.
