When the Leader Runs Empty

There are days when leadership feels heavy. Not because of the workload or the deadlines, but because the spark inside you has dimmed. You wake up with no energy, no drive, and no desire to push forward. The hardest part is that you notice it spilling into your team. Their energy mirrors yours. Their pace slows down. The room feels heavier, and deep down you know it has everything to do with what you’re carrying.

But you’re stuck. You know you should do something, yet the very thought of fixing it feels exhausting. So, instead of addressing it, you leave things as they are, hoping somehow they’ll get better on their own.

I’ve been there. And maybe you have too.

The truth is, leadership isn’t about always being strong. It’s about being human, and sometimes humanity comes with emptiness. The danger, however, is when we stay there. A demotivated leader can quietly pull an entire team into survival mode without ever saying a word. Our silence speaks. Our disengagement echoes. And the longer we remain motionless, the more we communicate: this is acceptable.

So what do you do when you have nothing left to give?

First, you admit it. Leadership doesn’t mean faking strength; it means modeling honesty. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can say to your team is: “I’m not at my best right now, but I’m committed to finding a way through this.” That small act of vulnerability can reset the atmosphere because it shifts the weight from hidden tension to shared understanding.

Second, you take one small step. Not ten. Not the whole mountain. Just one. Maybe it’s reaching out to a mentor, stepping outside for fresh air, or writing down the one thing that matters today. Momentum doesn’t begin with giant leaps — it starts with the tiniest movement forward.

Finally, you remind yourself that your energy doesn’t come from you alone. Leadership that tries to run on empty will always burn out. But leadership rooted in faith, in something deeper than yourself, has a source that never runs dry. “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31).

If you find yourself empty today, know this: you are not alone, and this moment does not define you. Leadership isn’t about never running out — it’s about choosing to reach for renewal when you do. Your team doesn’t need you to be superhuman. They need you to be real, to keep showing up, and to keep daring, even in weakness, to take one more step forward.

What’s one small step you can take today to shift the weight and renew your strength?