Be the Bison: Leading Through the Storm of the Heart
Introduction
Storms don’t always come in the form of business failure or external crisis.
Sometimes, the fiercest storms arrive quietly—inside our homes, our relationships, and our own hearts.
In a recent Be the Bison conversation, Joe Carrol, Founder and Board Member with Biblical Leadership for Excellence (BLE), shared a deeply personal journey—one not of professional collapse, but of relational strain, emotional disconnect, and spiritual awakening. After decades of marriage, leadership, and ministry, he found himself facing a storm he could not outwork, outthink, or outrun.
This is the kind of storm many leaders face—but few talk about.
Into the Storm
Joe’s storm began subtly.
After 20 years of marriage, raising four children, leading in ministry, and maintaining a strong outward image, cracks began to form beneath the surface. The pressures of life compounded—teenage challenges, caregiving for an ailing parent, leadership responsibilities, and the relentless pace of family life.
But the deeper issue wasn’t external. It was internal.
Raised in a stoic environment where emotions were suppressed, Joe approached life with discipline, logic, and resilience. His wife, however, was expressive and emotionally attuned. What once attracted them to each other became a source of tension.
Slowly, they began drifting—not physically, but emotionally and spiritually.
“We were becoming strangers in our own house.”
This is the moment many leaders recognize: You can lead teams, teach others, and serve faithfully… yet still feel disconnected at home.
The storm had arrived.
Getting Through the Storm
What Joe discovered is what every “Bison leader” must eventually learn: You don’t avoid the storm.
You go through it.
But going through it required something he had never fully developed—emotional awareness and empathy.
Instead of pushing through with grit, Joe was brought to his knees and he began a journey of transformation through:
Community – Engaging in deep, honest group environments where others reflected back truth
Self-awareness – Asking, “What am I really feeling?”
Theology of emotions – Recognizing that emotions are not weaknesses, but signals
Vulnerability – Letting go of the need to lead and instead choosing to be known
One of his most powerful realizations: Emotions are not the enemy—they are breadcrumbs leading to the heart.
This shifted everything.
Instead of suppressing emotions, he began exploring them.
Instead of fixing others, he began understanding himself.
Instead of projecting strength, he embraced humanity.
And through that process, healing began—not instantly, but over time.
Because some storms are not meant to be escaped quickly… They are meant to be walked through deeply.
The Enduring Lesson
At the end of the storm, Joe didn’t walk away with a strategy.
He walked away with a truth: “Enjoy being human.”
In a world where leaders feel pressure to perform, produce, and project strength, this is a radical invitation.
To feel. To connect. To be present. To be fully human.
He reflected on Jesus—not just as Savior, but as the Son of Man—fully human, fully engaged, fully present in emotion and relationship.
Before Jesus ever performed a miracle, the Father declared: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Not for what He did… But for who He was.
Be the Bison Reflection
When the storm comes—and it will—ask yourself:
Am I avoiding this storm… or facing it?
What am I really feeling beneath the surface?
Where do I need to be known, not just respected?
Am I leading from strength… or from authenticity?
Real leadership is not forged in control.
It is forged in surrender. It is forged in awareness.
It is forged in connection.
And sometimes, the most courageous thing a leader can do…Is to turn into the storm within.
