August 2026

Good decisions depend on more than having the most information—they require knowing when to trust experience, whose judgment matters most, and how to keep hierarchy from getting in the way. In this episode, Andy Stanley draws from his latest book, What Great Leaders Do, which identifies seven practices of effective leadership. This conversation goes deeper on two: trusting your leadership intuition and resisting the “evolution of a court” around influential leaders. Andy explains why intuition is often acquired knowledge leaders cannot immediately articulate, how to draw that judgment out of the right people on your team, and why positional authority should not determine whose voice carries the most weight. He also explores the safeguards leaders need as their influence grows and why finishing well requires choosing enduring values over immediate pressures. The conversation was conducted by Life.Church founding pastor Craig Groeschel in front of a live audience at the 2026 Global Leadership Summit.

Organizations can have vision, resources, and opportunity—and still be held back because they do not have enough leaders ready to take responsibility. In this episode, David Ashcraft explains why leadership development works best when it becomes part of an organization’s culture rather than another class, program, or pipeline.

David outlines the practices that help create an environment where people continually grow as leaders: intentionality, consistent development rhythms, shared experiences, and time. He also explains the power of ‘unconscious competence’—how an idea can become so embedded in a culture that people begin developing in that direction almost without realizing it.

Whether you lead a large staff, a small team, or a volunteer-driven organization, the conversation offers a practical challenge: develop the people already around you so your organization is prepared when new opportunities arrive.

Leaders — we see you. We hope you are walking away from this week knowing that you are not alone and that you have influence. Different starts now.

Register now for #GLS27 on August 5-6, 2027 — www.globalleadership.org/summit

Join online host Trey McKnight for the 2026 Global Leadership Summit, featuring special guests exclusive to the online experience.