Leading is hard.

It really is. Sometimes you just don’t know which way to turn, or what to do. It can become overwhelming if you don’t stop, take stock of the situation, and recalibrate yourself.

So what do you do when you don’t know what to do?

Here are four steps I take when I’m not sure what to do next as a leader.

Pray

This is so simple, most people often miss it. Prayer is key to any leadership position and situation, in the church as well as the workplace or the home. Prayer is essential. In order to be the most effective leader you can be, especially in situations where you don’t know what to do, letting go and giving it all to God is the first and best thing that you can do. Everything else comes after this.

Organize Your Thoughts

When faced with a difficult situation, I grab a legal pad and a pen. I write down every aspect of the issue I am facing that I can possibly think of. Then I go back through and label each item as either positive, negative, or neutral. This allows me to disconnect any emotions from the situation, and look at it as objectively as possible. Often when I do this, a possible solution, or at least a next step, seems to jump out at me. Go back to the first suggestion with that idea, and immerse it in prayer.

Talk Over The Idea

Too many people think that they are the only ones who can have a great idea. That’s simply not true. When I’m facing a tough situation in one of my leadership roles, I will talk it over with a trusted friend. Often my wife does this. She has some great perspectives that I usually haven’t thought of. Other people may include co-workers, colleagues (other youth ministers, in my case), or close friends. Discuss the issue, include your thoughts from your notes, and ask for their input. Chances are good that they will see things from an angle that you haven’t considered.

Act

Once I have done these three things, the next step is to take some action. It’s easy to become paralyzed by fear or difficulties. Once you see a possible solution, have viewed the situation from all sides, and prayed over it, move. Don’t sit still, because the longer you sit, the harder it will become to act. Don’t worry about success or failure, or what others will think. Chances are good that if you’ve done the work outlined above, you’ve reached the right conclusion already. Trust God, trust others, and trust your instincts. Act.

Obviously, these aren’t the only steps that will help you lead through tough situations. But I’ve found them to be helpful, not only in my role as a minister, but also in my role as a father. They’ve helped me; maybe they can help you as well.

What do you do to lead through tough situations? You can share your thoughts in the comment section below.