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In Season and Out of Season: Leadership Lessons From a Broken Heater

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It’s a universal truth: heaters never break in the summer, and air conditioners never break in the winter. This irony circled my mind as I bundled up against the biting cold, relying on a feeble mini heater to ward off the chill. My main heater had called it quits, and the maintenance man’s words—“the timing couldn’t be worse”—only underscored our predicament, as we navigated below-freezing temperatures.
 
Surprisingly, this brought to mind a phrase I’d often heard in church growing up: “You have a responsibility to preach in season and out of season.” Only later did I realize that this wisdom came straight from scripture: “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2 ESV).  Leaders, pastors, and people alike are called to act, whether conditions are ideal or not.
 
This experience with the broken heater, paired with that familiar saying, merged into a powerful revelation: true leadership—and true character—are tested not when everything runs smoothly, but when things go awry. It’s easy to lead, perform, or keep a positive outlook when life is comfortable. The real test comes when the company is failing, your plans unravel, or the warmth you need—literally or metaphorically—is missing.
Here are some lessons that we all need to settle into:
  1. Expect Adversity: Problems rarely show up when it’s convenient. Being prepared for challenges—mentally and practically—makes it easier to face them when they arise.
  2. Lead Regardless of the Season: Leadership is not about waiting for the right moment; it’s about stepping up when things are tough, even if no one seems receptive or conditions are unfavorable.
  3. Resilience Is Built in the Cold: Just as you find out how well your heater works when it’s cold, you discover your own resilience when circumstances are harsh. These are the moments that shape you.
  4. Consistency Matters: Whether it’s delivering a message, guiding a team, or simply staying true to your values, showing up consistently—“in season and out of season”—builds trust and respect.
  5. Adapt and Improvise: Sometimes all you have is a mini heater and a pile of sweaters. Make do with what you have, and don’t wait for perfect conditions to act.
The next time something breaks at the worst possible moment, remember: these are the moments that define us and present our greatest opportunities for growth. Whether leading in warmth or in cold, our responsibility is clear—show up, lead, and grow, in season and out.
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5 Keys to Leadership We Learn from Genesis 1

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     Genesis Chapter 1 is famously known as the Creation Story, but did you know that this story contains five leadership keys that are crucial to our daily lives? These skills can be utilized in business, in your family, and in achieving your personal goals. Let’s get into it.

 

Key #1. You must have a vision

      Why is a vision important?  Anyone can have a dream, but a vision implies you are ready to act. It involves completing a specific set up of steps within a certain timeframe with the intent to complete. Obviously, you have a vision for your business if you are a business leader.  You know precisely what you want to do and why you want to do it, and you have placed systems in place to achieve what you want. To go deeper, you even have a vision for each project in development. Why? It helps you reach your intended goal, contributes to your overall goal, and allows you to do so efficiently.

     Vision is essential to your personal life and household, too. Where do you want to see your family? Have you ever created a family vision board to determine how each member can contribute to the family vision? What vision do you have for yourself? How do your faith, spiritual belief system, and beliefs about yourself contribute to what you desire? Do you have an actionable plan for yourself, even if it involves withdrawing from the world for rejuvenation? Without a vision, you will find yourself flailing.

 

Key #2: You must be creative.

     Oftentimes, people only think of creativity in the form of the arts. However, creativity is also knowing when you need to create something to solve a specific issue and what to do when things go wrong. We don’t have to create, but if we don’t, how will we solve the problems we face every day? How will we pivot when the best-laid plans come crashing down?  You must pause, think, or at least know who to call, and create a new plan.

 

Key #3: You have to call forth the right things from the right people.

     In the Creation story, we see that the earth yielded trees, grass, and plants at God’s command, the sea yielded marine life, and the sky yielded birds of the air. Each thing called forth knew how to function in its environment. It is the same with people.

     You need to know your team, suppliers, and clients in business. What are they equipped to produce on demand? If you understand this, you will not have an issue with their production ability, but if you ask an elephant to climb a tree and grab an apple instead of simply using their trunk to pick the apple, you will. The same applies to our family life and ourselves. What are you asking of family members? Do they have the capacity and time to provide you with what is requested?  What about yourself? Are you asking for too much or too little? Have you found the sweet spot to serve as the best version of yourself in each role you play?

 

Key #4 You must see beyond the darkness.

     What does the scripture tell us? The Earth was covered in darkness and void. It looked hopeless and without form (or order).  You will face days in every aspect of your life that will be dark and chaotic. Look beyond the darkness. Today may not look like you want, but another day is coming. Just like God, you must choose to see the potential in tomorrow, to know that something greater can come out of the scene before you. When you do, the possibilities are limitless, which leads us to our final key.

 

Key #5 You must see the possibilities.

     God never questioned whether his vision was possible. Of course, He is God, but seeing possibilities speaks directly to our mindset. When people look at art, each person can see a different interpretation of the piece. While some may argue about the true interpretation, all the interpretations are possibilities to me. God saw in the dark, disorderly, and shapeless Earth the potential of green trees, fields filled with beautiful flowers, dolphins playing in the water, and birds singing in the trees. What is possible with your business? What is possible with your family? What are you capable of doing? Paint the beautiful scene and set forth to do it.

 

     In conclusion, the world and your world are waiting for you to implement these five keys of leadership fully. In doing so, you can completely change the narrative of how you serve in your business, in your family, and every personal aspect of your life. Go and be great!