The Global Leadership Podcast
Self-Improvement
About
You have influence, right where you are. We'll help you ignite it — at work, home, church and in your community. The Global Leadership Podcast brings you honest, practical conversations with world-class leadership experts across industries. Past guests have included Craig Groeschel, Joni Eareckson Tada, Coach K, Erin Meyer, Marcus Buckingham, Juliet Funt, Ryan Leak and more.Your hosts David Ashcraft, President & CEO of the Global Leadership Network (GLN), and Whitney Putnam, VP of Marketing and Communications at GLN, draw on GLN's 30 years of curating fresh, actionable leadership insights. The GLN is the creator of the Global Leadership Summit, which reaches more than 350,000 leaders worldwide every year. Learn more at https://www.globalleadership.org/.Because everyone wins when the leader gets better.
Episodes
- Ep 207: Leading Through Leadership Hijacks with Edgar Sandoval
In this episode, David Ashcraft speaks with Edgar Sandoval, CEO of World Vision, about navigating leadership challenges and disruptions. Sandoval discusses his experiences immigrating to the US, leading a major humanitarian organization, a…
- Ep 206: When Leadership Gets Hijacked: Reclaiming Your Focus, Identity, and Definition of Success (with David Ashcraft)
David Ashcraft joins Whitney Putnam on The Global Leadership Podcast to discuss how internal forces like comparison and self-doubt can hijack leadership. They explore how misplaced definitions of success lead to frustration and offer ways…
- Ep 205: Our Favorite Moments, Winter 2026 — Lessons on Resilience, Presence, and Perspective (with Whitney Putnam and Eric Case)
Whitney Putnam and Eric Case share leadership lessons on resilience, presence, and perspective, drawing on insights from guests like Walker Hayes, David Ashcraft, and John Maxwell. The episode focuses on navigating challenges and maintaini…
- Ep 204: Why Culture Is a Leader's Responsibility (and How to Shape It) with Jenni Catron
In this episode, Jenni Catron details why culture is a critical leadership responsibility, explaining how leaders can intentionally shape it by translating values into behavior and addressing unhealthy signs within an organization. She pro…
- Ep 203: How Leaders Use Strategy (with David Ashcraft)
On The Global Leadership Podcast, GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft discusses how leaders can approach strategy in a practical way, addressing common feelings of intimidation or restriction. He emphasizes the importance of strategy at a…
- Ep 202: Creating Meaningful Change Through Faith and Entrepreneurship (with Justin Forman)
Justin Forman, co-founder of Faith Driven Entrepreneur and Investor, shares insights on how faith, entrepreneurship, and media can drive meaningful change, emphasizing the alignment of personal beliefs with leadership for lasting impact.
- Ep 201: Five Essential Functions of Leadership (with Henry Cloud)
Dr. Henry Cloud, an expert in leadership, psychology, and author of Your Desired Future, spoke with David Ashcraft about essential leadership functions and practical application for personal and professional growth.
- Ep 200: Resilience for Leaders (with David Ashcraft)
Today we're talking with GLN president and CEO David Ashcraft about resilience. Honestly, sometimes I love the word, "resilience." However, sometimes I kind of hate it: usually when I'm in the middle of a really challenging time that I jus…
- Ep 199: Creativity, Perseverance and Gratitude (with Walker Hayes)
In this episode, David Ashcraft sits down to do a live webinar with Walker Hayes, the singer and songwriter behind hits like "Fancy Like" and "Stetson", to talk about the faith and grit that it takes to create over the long-term, and how a…
- Ep 198: The World of Creativity (with Fredrik Haren)
Whether it's ideating from nothing, feeling pressure to be original or wondering if creativity is something you either have or you don't, most of us struggle with creativity at some level. However, for today's guest, to be creative is to b…
- Ep 197: Innovation (with David Ashcraft)
When the word, "innovation" gets mentioned, there tends to be two broad reactions: some people love pioneering and creating new things. However, a lot of people immediately think, "I am not creative; innovation is something that comes easi…
- Ep 196: A Lifetime of Leadership (with John C. Maxwell)
Have you ever wished you could sit down with someone who has truly mastered their craft? Michael Jordan on winning; Mozart on music; Leonardo Da Vinci on creativity. Not just to review their highlight reels but to unpack all the lessons th…
- Ep 195: On Purpose and Calling (with David Ashcraft)
Today's episode is all about purpose and calling. As a leader who is rolling into a new year, you might be thinking about what's next. This conversation with GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft will encourage you with the unique ways you'…
- Ep 194: A Look Back at 2025 (with Whitney Putnam and Eric Case)
As 2025 wraps up and 2026 gets started, we thought we'd take a look back on all the great conversations we've had over the past year and pick a few of our favorites to share with you. Whitney and Content Producer Eric Case talk through the…
- Ep 193: Reflection and Celebration (with David Ashcraft)
The end of the year is a natural time to look back and take stock on what we've done and how far we've come. In honor of that, GLN VP of Marketing and Communication Whitney Putnam sat down with President and CEO David Ashcraft to get his t…
- Ep 192: Creating Spaces Where Productivity, Creativity and Well-being Soar (with Bradley Rapier)
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see the people around you—your teammates, your friends, your spouse, your children—absolutely thriving? Today's guest is Bradley Rapier. Bradley is an award-winning, Emmy-nominated choreograp…
- Ep 191: Leadership and Rest with David Ashcraft
When the topic of rest comes up, most of us fall into one of two camps. Some of us welcome the conversation and immediately begin to think about when we get to ease off the gas pedal and relax a little. Others, however, just as quickly sta…
- Ep 190: New Communication Tools for the Digital Era, with Erica Dhawan
If you're looking for some best practices around communicating in today's digital, virtual environments, this episode is for you. Today, we listen in on a conversation between David Ashcraft and digital body language expert Erica Dhawan. T…
- Ep 189: Jon Acuff on Overcoming Procrastination
What keeps you from accomplishing your goals? Jon Acuff is passionate about answering that question and helping people to become the best versions of themselves. Recently he sat down with GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft to talk about…
- Ep 188: David Ashcraft on How to Create, Steer and Correct Culture
There are few things more powerful than the culture of an organization. Culture has the power to enhance a leader's vision, or it can be a powerful roadblock. The good news is that leaders have a strong influence on organizational culture,…
- Ep 187: Gabriel Salguero on Bridge-Building Leadership
Gabriel Salguero is a pastor and the founder and CEO of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition. Recently he sat down with GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft, and together they had a vital and honest conversation about how leaders can…
- Ep 186: Christine Caine on Moving From Inspiration to Execution
In this episode, David Ashcraft sits down with speaker, author and activist, Christine Caine. They explore what Christine's path to leadership looked like, what it was like to overcome gender bias and prejudice, and how she moved from a mo…
- Ep 185: David Ashcraft on The Importance of Execution
As critical as "vision" is, if a leader fails to execute on that vision—and helps others to do the same—nothing ever changes. In this episode of the Global Leadership Podcast, GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft shares his wisdom and expe…
- Ep 184: David Ashcraft on His Favorite Moments From the 2025 Global Leadership Summit
As we kick off Season 9 of the Global Leadership Podcast, Whitney Putnam sits down with GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft to hear about some of his favorite moments from the 2025 Global Leadership Summit. David also shares wisdom regard…
- Ep 183: Lori Hermann (GLN SVP, Summit Experiences) on Producing a World-Class Leadership Event
With the 2025 Global Leadership Summit just a few weeks away, GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft sits down with Senior Vice President, Summit Experiences, Lori Hermann. to talk about how she leads the people that create and execute the w…
- Ep 182: Dr. James Hewitt on High Performance for Cognitive Work
Dr. James Hewitt is a human performance scientist who works with some of the world's top businesses to bring about sustainable high-performance through science-backed strategies. In this conversation with GLN President and CEO David Ashcra…
- Ep 181: GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft on Vision
Developing, casting, and protecting an organization's vision is one of the most critical functions of a leader. In this episode, GLN VP of Marketing Whitney Putnam asks President and CEO David Ashcraft to share what he's learned about visi…
- Ep 180: Juliet Funt on Freeing Your People (and Yourself) for High-Value Work
How often do you struggle to navigate the desire to contribute high-impact, important work for your organization, and the seemingly constant demands on your attention from email, messages, and other activities? As a voice in the battle aga…
- Ep 179: Les McKeown on Making Success "Predictable" (Pt. 2)
In this second part of a two-part episode, GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft continues his conversation with author and consultant Les McKeown on the lifecycle stages of organizations, and the different ways leaders can respond in order…
- Ep 178: Les McKeown on Making Success "Predictable" (Pt. 1)
What does it take for a new organization to succeed? After launching numerous companies, Les McKeown began to identify some common patterns that new ventures all seemed to go through, releasing his findings in his book, Predictable Success…
- Ep 177: Carey Lohrenz on How Leaders Can Stay Laser-Focused
As a pilot of a U.S. Navy F-14 Tomcat fighter plane, Carey Lohrenz learned the importance of being able to focus when the stakes are high. In this conversation with Jason Jaggard, she shares some of the simple tools that can help leaders i…
- Ep 176: GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft on De-Cluttering Your Leadership
Part of the work of leadership is about achieving and maintaining clarity: on your personal vocation, on your organization's purpose and mission, and on the most important activities to achieve results. Moreover, clarity helps us navigate…
- Ep 175: Organizational Psychologist Dr. Tasha Eurich on Moving Beyond Resilience and Becoming "Shatterproof"
What does it truly mean to be resilient? In this episode, GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft interviews top management thinker, organizational psychologist and self-awareness expert Dr. Tasha Eurich. Together they unpack Tasha's latest b…
- Ep 174: Jo Saxton on Engaging Next Generation Leaders
A quick survey of Jo Saxton's life would tell you that she is deeply passionate about developing leaders. Whether it's through speaking, her leadership of the Ezer Collective and Bethel University's "The 25," her podcast or her books, her…
- Ep 173: Arthur C. Brooks on How to be Happier
Recorded live at last year's Global Leadership Summit, Erwin Raphael McManus sat down to interview Harvard Business School Professor Arthur C. Brooks. Arthur takes us on a deep dive of science and physiology of happiness and gives us an in…
- Ep 172: GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft on Well-Being for Leaders
How can leaders stay holistically healthy amidst demands for high-performance and the constant chaos of the modern world? GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft sits down with Whitney Putnam to share his thoughts on what leaders can do to ca…
- Ep 171: Stephanie Chung on Leading People Who Are Not Like You
Stephanie Chung spent her career in the aviation industry, rising from being a baggage handler to eventually making history as the first African American and second female president of a major private aviation company. During that rise, sh…
- Ep 170: Dan Owolabi on Entrepreneurship and Authentic Leadership
Dan Owolabi is a CEO, a sought-after speaker and an author. He founded Branches Worldwide based on the belief that faith-fueled entrepreneurs can transform communities. Branches Worldwide works diligently to raise up entrepreneurs around t…
- Ep 169: Joni Eareckson Tada's Inspiring Story of Hope and Perseverance
At the 2024 Global Leadership Summit GLN President and CEO, David Ashcraft interviewed Joni Eareckson Tada—an internationally recognized speaker, author, and advocate who has spent decades leading with grace, resilience, and faith. After a…
- Ep 168: GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft on the Essentials of Leaving a Legacy
This month, our focus at the GLN is on leaving a leadership legacy and today podcast host (and GLN VP of Marketing), Whitney Putnam interviews GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft on his experience with organizational transitions and succe…
- Ep 167: David Ashcraft on Building Team Culture
A healthy and effective team culture is essential to organizational success, but building a culture of excellence is not automatic. Today's episode is a live recording of a workshop led by GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft. In the works…
- Ep 166: Mike Krzyzewski ("Coach K")—A Legend Shares Leadership Essentials
In this special live recording of the podcast, Craig Groeschel interviews former Duke University men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski ("Coach K"): a Naismith Hall of Fame coach, five-time national champion at Duke, and six-time gold meda…
- Ep 165: GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft on Nuts and Bolts of Teamwork
Today's episode draws on the wealth of experience of GLN President and CEO, David Ashcraft, as he and GLN VP of Marketing Whitney Putnam cover a variety of topics related to working with teams. This conversation ranges from values, to empo…
- Ep 164: Marcus Buckingham on How Love Drives Business Success
"Love" and "work" are not words that are usually thought of in the same context. For today's guest, however, "love" has a measurable and positive impact on the metrics of work. Marcus Buckingham is known for starting the "Strengths Revolut…
- Ep 163: Paula Faris on Leading with Passion and Intuition
Paula Faris joins the podcast today to talk about the different ways leaders can "lead with heart." Paula is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, podcast host and the founder of CARRY Media, and she sat down for this conversati…
- Ep 162: GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft on Leading with Heart
This month's theme at the Global Leadership Network is "leading with heart," and in this episode of the Global Leadership Podcast, Whitney Putnam sits down with GLN president and CEO David Ashcraft. Together, they explore what it means to…
- Ep 161: Molly Fletcher on Choosing Fulfilment Over Achievement
As leaders, we understand that purpose and calling play critical roles in achieving our goals. This week's guest highlights the potential pitfall of focusing solely on achievement. In this episode, former top sports agent Molly Fletcher sh…
- Ep 160: Megan Fate Marshman on Balancing Public Leadership with Private Disciplines
One aspect of purpose and calling is being willing to live it out with freedom and joy. But what do you do if your purpose is highly visible and involves frequent accolades and applause? In this episode, author and speaker Megan Fate Marsh…
- Ep 159: GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft on Being a Purposeful Leader
"Vision leaks" is a well-known leadership axiom, and to kick off January's theme of being a "purposeful leader," Whitney Putnam sits down with GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft. In this conversation, they explore the role purpose and mi…
- Ep 157: Conflict—GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft
Our topic for December is "conflict," and GLN President and CEO gets us started with this conversation with Whitney Putnam. We invite you to listen as David shares how his approach to conflict has evolved and some of the practical lessons…