Getting Out of the Weeds

Getting Out of the Weeds | How to Regain Clarity and Elevate your Leadership

Get Out of the Weeds: Why So Many Leaders Feel Stuck — and How to Move Forward with Clarity

You didn’t step into leadership to manage chaos. You stepped in to make a difference.

But somewhere along the way — between meetings, messages, and the never-ending to-do list — you lost sight of the horizon. You’re buried in details, putting out fires, and trying to keep the mission alive… all while wondering if this pace is sustainable.

If you’ve ever felt that way, you’re not alone.Many pastors, nonprofit executives, and ministry leaders today aren’t just tired — they’re stuck in the weeds.

The Growing Leadership Strain

Recent studies paint a sobering picture:

• 42% of pastors have considered leaving full-time ministry in the past year.

• 40% of church leaders report being at high risk of burnout — up from just 11% in 2015.

• Among nonprofit leaders, 95% say burnout is a major concern within their organization.

• 76% admit staff burnout is already impacting their ability to achieve their mission.

(Sources: Barna Group, Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Network, Center for Effective Philanthropy, Nonprofit Pro 2024)

Behind each number is a leader with a calling, a family, and a mission worth protecting.

Leaders don’t get stuck because they stop caring.They get stuck because they’ve been carrying too much, too long, without clarity, alignment, or support.

How Leaders Get Lost in the Weeds

1. Over-functioning becomes the default.When you’re solving every problem and approving every detail, you become the system — and the bottleneck.

2. The urgent replaces the important.You’re responding to what’s loud instead of what’s lasting. Strategy gets lost in the noise of the day-to-day.

3. The leader’s own “NEXT” never gets defined.Without a personal or professional plan for what’s next, burnout becomes inevitable — and vision begins to fade.

4. The team loses alignment.When the leader is overwhelmed, the team loses rhythm. People stop thriving and start surviving.

The Good News: You Don’t Have to Stay There

Getting out of the weeds isn’t about doing more — it’s about doing what matters most, with clarity and confidence.

Here’s where you can start today:

5 Action Steps to Get Out of the Weeds — Starting Now

1️⃣ Reclaim the 30,000-Foot View

Block 90 minutes on your calendar this week. Step away from the noise.Ask: “If I could rebuild my week from scratch, what would I keep? What would I stop?”You’ll be surprised how quickly clarity returns when you make space for it.

2️⃣ Name What’s Stuck

Gather your team (or just one trusted advisor).Ask: “What’s one area where we keep spinning our wheels?”Write it down. Don’t fix it yet — just name it. Awareness always precedes alignment.

3️⃣ Redefine Roles

Often, teams are exhausted because the wrong people are doing the wrong things.Clarify who owns what, who decides what, and who supports what.A few hours of role clarity can save months of frustration.

4️⃣ Build in Rhythms of Review

Healthy leaders and organizations regularly pause to realign.Try this:

• Weekly: Team check-ins for clarity.

• Monthly: Leadership alignment meeting.

• Quarterly: Vision + systems review.

Small, consistent rhythms build lasting clarity.

5️⃣ Ask for Help

Even the strongest leaders need outside perspective.You can’t see the whole field when you’re playing the game.Invite a coach, consultant, or trusted peer to walk alongside you for a season.(Spoiler: this is where we love to come in.)

How the Aaron Hur Group Helps Leaders Move Forward

You don’t have to keep leading from exhaustion or isolation.We’ve built our entire model around helping churches and nonprofits move from stuck to scaling — from survival to significance.

Here’s how we do it:

🔹 Executive Search & Staffing

Finding the right team member changes everything.We help organizations identify and hire leaders who not only fit the culture but move the mission forward.The right person in the right seat restores momentum.

🔹 Executive Coaching

Great leaders never stop growing.Our coaches help you lead at your full potential — with emotional health, relational wisdom, and strategic clarity.We help you shift from surviving leadership to sustaining it.

🔹 Organizational Strategic Planning

Every thriving organization has one thing in common: clarity.We help churches and nonprofits develop actionable, faith-aligned strategic plans that bring unity, focus, and measurable impact.When everyone rows in the same direction, the organization gains strength — and sustainability.

🔹 NEXT Level Leadership Succession Planning

Succession isn’t the end of a story — it’s the beginning of the next one.Our NEXT Level process helps leaders and organizations prepare for transition with intentionality and faith.We don’t just plan for a replacement — we prepare both the organization and the leader for maximum Kingdom impact and lasting legacy.

You Don’t Have to Stay Stuck

If you’re in the weeds right now — you don’t have to stay there.Clarity is possible. Alignment is achievable. Impact is waiting.

At Aaron Hur Group, we help churches, schools, and nonprofits thrive by strengthening leaders, aligning teams, and crafting strategies that sustain long-term impact.

Your next step out of the weeds could start today.

Schedule a Discovery Call or learn more at aaronhurgroup.com

Aaron Hur Group

Better Leaders | Better Teams | Better Organizations

Let's Connect at megan@aaronhurgroup.com