At it's best, leadership holds tension. Between vision and reality, between people and productivity, between outcomes and care.
In his classic book Leadership Is an Art, Max De Pree names this tension perfectly:
“The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality.
The last is to say thank you.
In between, the leader is a servant.”
It's such a good reminder that leadership is never just about direction or achievement.
It’s about the people we lead, and the posture we carry as we lead them.
Let’s start with that first phrase: define reality. For some leaders, this can feel like a license to declare what’s true, to paint an image of how things are or should be.
But defining reality is not about inventing it.
Your people can sense when your words don’t align with their experience.
They know what the culture feels like. They’re aware of the stress beneath the surface. They carry unspoken fatigue or unresolved tension. When leaders offer a version of reality that glosses over their lived experience, trust begins to erode.
Defining reality means naming what is, not just what we wish were true.
And when it comes to the soul health of your team, you can’t afford to guess. We need to know what the reality is.
On the other end of the leadership spectrum, De Pree reminds us of something easy to overlook: say thank you.
Yes, your team is compensated. Yes, they agreed to the job. But that doesn’t make their contributions any less human or sacred.
Every day, your team shows up and brings more than their skills. They bring their ideas, their energy, their hearts, their stories, their resilience, and, also in the mix, their isolation, pain, or weariness.
And while strategy may get the headlines, gratitude builds the culture.
So say thank you. Often. Genuinely. Not as a tactic, but as a practice of honoring the humans walking alongside you.
In between reality and gratitude, a faithful leader holds a posture of service.
This doesn’t mean burnout. It doesn’t mean self-erasure. It means remembering your role: to steward vision, remove limiting constraints, care for people, and model a kind of leadership that looks more like Jesus, marked by humility, attentiveness, and courage. Many leaders naturally gravitate towards the vision, the activation, and courage... while genuine care, humility, and attentiveness beyond the bottom line can be unfamiliar territory.
A posture of service includes being willing to listen, to slow down, and to make space for honest feedback. It means noticing the unseen burdens your team carries and responding with care, not just performance metrics or 'go the extra mile' talks. A holistic understanding of performance and execution naturally generates a posture of service.
If you’re a leader navigating change, casting vision, or simply trying to support your team well, this is your invitation to pause and ask:
When you lead from service, listen with intention, and say thank you often… your team doesn’t just follow you, they, and your shared mission, will flourish.
To lead that way, you need a clear picture of how your team’s souls are doing, not just their output.
We've learned that internal surveys for staff well-being can get messy.
Is this anonymous? Can I really be honest?
We get it. Sometimes outside assessment can give everyone, including the leaders, the space to answer fully.
We don't assess performance or personality type. We assess Soul Health.
Why Soul Health?
Our souls (healthy or unhealthy) drive everything we do.
This fall, Soul Care is offering a limited number of organizations the opportunity to receive the Soul Health Assessment for their teams, free of charge.
That means your team can take part in an insightful snapshot that reveals the true state of their soul health.
How might you and your team respond to statements like:
"I have a deep relationship with God."
"I have taken ownership of my soul health."
"I am utilizing my gifting/strengths well."
"I feel burnt out."
Request a free team assessment
You’ll receive insight into:
Levels of burnout, exhaustion, and flourishing
The spiritual, emotional, and relational health of your people
How connected your team feels to God, one another, and their leaders
Trust and relational dynamics within your organization
If you'd like to participate, you’ll receive:
A unique assessment link for your organization (you can share via QR code or email)
A custom downloadable report with detailed charts, trends, and insights
This is a chance to get an honest, data-informed pulse on the well-being of your organization’s soul.
Getting started looks like this:
Fill out the form to request an assessment.
We’ll generate and send you your organization’s unique link.
Invite your staff (yourself/other leaders included) to participate, either in person or via email.
Review, pray over, and consider your results together.