Leading Before You’re Ready: Lessons from the Field
Most men wait for the moment they feel ready to lead.
But that moment rarely comes.
Leadership doesn’t wait for your confidence to catch up. It arrives unannounced—usually in the middle of uncertainty, and asks a simple question:
Will you step forward anyway?
If you wait until everything feels secure, you’ll miss the moments God designed to shape you. Leadership starts long before you feel qualified.
The Assignment I Didn’t Feel Qualified For
Not long ago, I found myself in Africa, invited to help a nonprofit build a mentorship program for men, a program to help them understand what godly masculinity looks like and mentor young boys ages 12–16.
On paper, this was my lane. I’ve spent years helping men discover who they are and what they’re called to do.
But the truth?
I didn’t feel ready.
There were too many unknowns:
What were the cultural differences?
Would language be a barrier?
How did they define masculinity in their context?
What if my version of leadership didn’t translate?
And to top it off, many of the men I’d be working with were pastors—men I assumed had it more together than I did.
Every insecurity started to whisper:
You’re not equipped for this. You’re going to look like an idiot.
The Shift: From Expert to Learner
When I finally got there, I did the only thing that felt honest, I started asking questions.
Instead of trying to prove myself, I focused on listening.
I asked about their stories, their struggles, and their vision for manhood in their culture.
Then it hit me:
I wasn’t there to have all the answers.
I was there to create space for discovery.
Leadership isn’t about standing in front, it’s about standing with.
By the end of our time together, we built a mentorship framework that felt authentic to their context, something they owned, not something I imposed.
And it all started because I stopped trying to be the expert and chose to be the student.
The Real Lesson: Leadership Is Presence, Not Perfection
When you don’t feel ready, remember this:
Leadership isn’t about certainty, it’s about presence.
You don’t need to know every answer before you step in.
You just need to show up, stay curious, and trust that God equips the willing, not the perfect.
Those men in Africa didn’t need another polished talk.
They needed someone willing to walk beside them as they built something new.
And through that, I learned what most leaders eventually do: sometimes leadership looks less like commanding the room, and more like asking the right questions in it.
Reflection: Leading in Uncertainty
If you’re in a season where leadership feels bigger than your capacity, ask yourself:
What fear is making me hesitate right now?
Am I waiting for confidence when I should be stepping out in faith?
Who can I learn from before I try to lead?
What would it look like to show up with humility instead of certainty?
True leaders aren’t defined by how ready they feel, but by how willing they are to respond when called.
Closing Thought: God Calls the Willing, Not the Ready
Readiness is often a lie we tell ourselves to delay obedience.
The truth is, God rarely calls the ready, He calls the willing.
When you step forward in faith, you’ll find that leadership isn’t about being the one who knows, it’s about being the one who goes.
Take Your Leadership to the Next Level
If you’re ready to lead with faith, humility, and confidence, even when you don’t feel ready, the Next Level Leader program was built for you.
You’ll learn how to:
Lead through uncertainty with presence
Communicate with clarity and conviction
Align your leadership with your God-given purpose
Build accountability that fuels growth
