International

Leaders are constantly presented with opportunities, expectations, and decisions—but not every open door is an assignment. In this episode of the Global Leadership Podcast, GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft talks with Priscilla Shirer about how leaders discern what is truly theirs to carry. Priscilla shares practical wisdom on calling, wise counsel, humility, accountability, and learning to say yes or no from a place of clarity rather than fear or guilt. She also reflects on how leaders can protect their families, carry public attention lightly, and create “green space” for rest, responsiveness, and deeper awareness of God’s work. For leaders navigating full calendars, growing influence, or the pressure to keep saying yes, this conversation offers a grounded reminder: faithful leadership requires both courage and discernment.

Many leaders are trying to solve burnout with more inspiration, when their teams may actually need clearer progress. In this episode, GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft talks with Chris McChesney, author of The 4 Disciplines of Execution, about the difference between employee satisfaction and true engagement. Chris explains why people can have what looks like an ideal job and still feel disconnected from the work, while others can serve in demanding environments and remain deeply motivated. The difference often comes down to progress and purpose.

Through practical examples from manufacturing, creative work, ministry and leadership, Chris helps leaders understand how to create a “winnable, high-stakes game” for their teams. This conversation will help leaders translate big vision into visible wins, address burnout with greater clarity and give their people something meaningful to move toward.

Communication can make or break trust on a team, especially when the conversation gets tense. In this episode, Whitney Putnam and GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft talk about one of the most common leadership challenges: how to communicate with clarity, candor and care when the stakes are high. They unpack a real moment from a recent GLN all-staff meeting, where a public challenge created tension, required follow-up and ultimately helped sharpen strategy. Whitney and David explore why leaders often think they are being clear when others are hearing something different, how trust makes hard conversations possible, and why “keeping short accounts” can prevent tension from becoming toxic. This conversation gives leaders a practical look at how honest communication, handled with humility and follow-through, can strengthen both the work and the relationship.

Every leader eventually faces a moment when the plan stops working. A strategy fails, a team dynamic breaks down, growth creates new complexity, or an unexpected circumstance forces a change in direction. In this episode, David Ashcraft talks with Craig Groeschel, founder and senior pastor of Life.Church, about how leaders can respond when leadership does not go as planned.

Craig reflects on failed ideas, organizational pivots, team conflict, and the ongoing discipline of letting go as leadership expands. He also shares how humility, preparation, prayerfulness, candor and trust have shaped the way he leads through uncertainty. For leaders navigating disruption—whether external circumstances or internal challenges—this conversation offers a grounded reminder: the mission matters more than the method, and growth often requires the courage to release what you can no longer carry.

Every leader eventually encounters disruption—moments that challenge assumptions, redirect plans, and test resilience. In this episode, GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft talks with Edgar Sandoval, President and CEO of World Vision, about navigating what David calls “leadership hijacks”: unexpected events that reshape both leadership and life.

Edgar shares his journey from immigrating to the United States as a teenager with little money and no English skills, to leading one of the world’s largest Christian humanitarian organizations. Along the way, he reflects on lessons learned through personal hardship, raising children with special needs, leaving a successful corporate career at Procter & Gamble, and leading World Vision through COVID and global uncertainty.

This conversation explores how leaders can remain grounded during disruption, communicate hope without ignoring reality, and create healthy organizational cultures that help people thrive even in difficult seasons.

Leadership doesn’t usually derail all at once—it gets hijacked slowly by subtle internal forces like comparison, self-doubt, and misplaced definitions of success. In this episode, Whitney Putnam sits down with David Ashcraft to unpack the internal and external “hijacks” that pull leaders off course. They explore how even confident leaders can fall into comparison traps, how self-doubt often disguises itself in different ways, and why defining success based on others’ metrics leads to frustration. This conversation brings leaders back to what matters most: clarifying personal priorities, choosing the right voices to listen to, and aligning success with purpose rather than perception. If you’ve ever questioned your place, your progress, or your impact, this episode offers a grounded way to refocus and move forward with clarity and intention.

Ryan Leak, bestselling author and CEO of The Ryan Leak Group, invites you to join him at the 2026 Global Leadership Summit where you will learn how to build a culture people never want to leave. Register today at https://www.globalleadership.org/summit

Every organization has a culture—but not every leader is shaping it intentionally. In this episode, Jenni Catron explains why culture is one of the most important (and often overlooked) responsibilities of leadership.

In this conversation with GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft, Jenni offers a practical definition of culture, along with clear ways to translate values into everyday behaviors and reinforce them through consistent rhythms.

Jenni also outlines what it actually takes to change culture—where to start, how long it takes, and why many efforts stall. Along the way, she highlights the subtle signs of an unhealthy culture and the role leaders play in either reinforcing or correcting them.

If you’re responsible for a team, this conversation will help you take a more intentional, long-term approach to building a culture where people and performance can thrive.

Strategy can feel intimidating.

Maybe it brings up pressure to get it right. Maybe it feels restrictive. Or maybe it’s something you’ve been avoiding because you’re not quite sure where to start.
In this episode, Whitney Putnam sits down with GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft to simplify strategy and make it practical. Together, they unpack why strategy matters at every level of leadership—and why waiting for perfect clarity might be the very thing holding you back.

If you’ve ever felt stuck trying to “figure it all out” before taking a step forward, this conversation will help you move.

Leadership isn’t just about building something successful; it’s about building something meaningful, aligning what you believe with how you lead and using what you’ve been given to make a difference. Today’s guest is someone who has spent years helping leaders do exactly that.

Justin Forman is a strategist and leader working at the intersection of faith, entrepreneurship. He’s the cofounder and president of Faith Driven Entrepreneur and Faith Driven Investor: global movements helping more than 1 million leaders integrate faith and how they lead and build businesses. Justin brings people together—entrepreneurs investors, and leaders—to move from good intentions to lasting impact. GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft recently sat down with Justin to talk about how faith, media and entrepreneurship can create meaningful change and what it looks like to build something that truly matters overtime.