Some of the most expensive leadership mistakes cost nothing to make. They are free. They happen when you are tired, irritated, and convinced you need to respond right now.

That is why one of the most practical disciplines I know is a simple pre-check before you lead: H.A.L.T. Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired. It is not a personality test. It is an integrity test. It asks one question, “Am I in a state where my judgment is compromised?”

When you are hungry, low blood sugar can masquerade as righteous clarity. When you are angry, you stop trying to understand and start trying to win. When you are lonely, you read neutral feedback as an attack and you armor up. When you are tired, everything feels bigger than it is, and you reach for control because you do not have the energy for patience.

Leaders often spiritualize these moments. We call it discernment, boldness, or high standards. Sometimes it is just biology. Elijah, after a victory that should have made him feel invincible, collapsed into fear and despair. God did not start with a lecture. He started with food and rest (1 Kings 19). If the prophet needed a snack and a nap before he could hear clearly, you do too.

This is what H.A.L.T. protects: the email you will regret, the meeting where you punish someone in the name of accountability, the decision you make out of depletion that you later call wisdom. In those moments, the most mature thing you can do is delay or delegate. You do not need a perfect plan. You need a pause long enough to become yourself again.

Scripture calls this wisdom, not weakness. “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (James 1:19). The word slow is not a temperament. It is a command. Slowness is a leadership choice that keeps your authority from becoming a weapon.

If you want to make this actionable, say it out loud before you click send: “I am not leading while H.A.L.T.” Then do something concrete. Eat. Take a walk. Sleep. Ask for counsel. If it is urgent, it will still be urgent after you regain clarity. If it is not, you just saved relational capital you cannot easily rebuild.

Here is the takeaway for this week: build one standing order that blocks compromised leadership. Put a rule in place that your future self will thank you for, and treat it as non-negotiable. Your team does not need your intensity. They need your steadiness.

What is your most common H.A.L.T. trap, and what is one standing order you could set today to protect your team from it?

I write about leadership at the intersection of timeless principles and modern workplaces. Follow for weekly insights on building teams that actually work. For more articles like this consider subscribing to my Substack at: https://justinwilson411.substack.com/