Many of my friends, colleagues, and clients who serve as pastors were able to take a sabbatical this past summer. And I am very glad. The renewal that comes from an extended time of several weeks away is real and really necessary.

Most leaders I know need far more rhythms of rest and renewal in their lives in order to lead and minister with deep health for the long haul. I know that I do. To this day, I try to take several weeks of time off for both rest and writing (a deeply restorative activity for me).

Honestly, it can sound pretty sad and to start the awkward “do you want to be my friend conversation?” is so humbling. And yet we need it. Our friends are our anvil as we are forged in leadership.

Great leaders are committed learners. Resilient leaders remain the most teachable. While it is true that the best teacher is the leadership experience itself, Warren Buffet estimates that he spends 80 percent of his time reading.

The problem with most leadership programs, this and other studies have concluded, is that they are focused more on concepts than context, principles than practices, more on reading experts than reflecting on themselves, and, mostly, more on learning about leading than actually doing the work of bringing organizational change.