The Global Leadership Podcast
Global Leadership Network
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.
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
Mentioned books
11 snips
Mar 25, 2026 • 38min
Ep 202: Creating Meaningful Change Through Faith and Entrepreneurship (with Justin Forman)
Justin Forman, strategist who builds bridges between faith, entrepreneurship, and capital. He recounts a formative faith trip, the rise of Faith Driven Entrepreneur, and using media and courses to mobilize leaders. He discusses entrepreneurs as problem-solvers, collaborative giving funds, and scaling faith-led philanthropy for measurable impact.
19 snips
Mar 18, 2026 • 49min
Ep 201: Five Essential Functions of Leadership (with Henry Cloud)
Henry Cloud, bestselling author and psychologist known for work on boundaries and leadership, shares a five-part model for moving teams forward. He uses a body-and-neuroscience metaphor to map core leadership functions. Topics include vision, engaging talent, strategy and saying no, accountability and pruning, and practical hiring and resource tactics.
9 snips
Mar 4, 2026 • 22min
Ep 200: Resilience for Leaders (with David Ashcraft)
David Ashcraft, longtime pastor and CEO of the Global Leadership Network, shares reflections on leading through hard seasons. He contrasts resilience with stubbornness. He tells a camp turnaround story and why staying through brutal early years matters. He urges setting end goals, tracking small wins, protecting your inputs, and cultivating practical traits that help leaders endure.
Feb 25, 2026 • 39min
Ep 199: Creativity, Perseverance and Gratitude (with Walker Hayes)
Walker Hayes, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter behind hits like "Fancy Like," shares quick takes on creativity, persistence, faith, and recovery. He talks about his words-first songwriting process, collaborating to fill musical gaps, finding joy in creating, and how gratitude reshapes perspective. He also reflects on sobriety, family influence, and mentoring that deepened his spiritual life.
13 snips
Feb 18, 2026 • 46min
Ep 198: The World of Creativity (with Fredrik Haren)
Frederick Herron, author and creativity explorer who studied creative practices across 75 countries, discusses creativity as a human practice shaped by environment and perspective. He covers why leaders should cultivate curiosity, how copying can spark novelty, settings that boost ideas, and practical ways teams reveal and fertilize their creative DNA.
Feb 3, 2026 • 28min
Ep 197: Innovation (with David Ashcraft)
David Ashcraft, President & CEO known for leading organizational growth, reframes innovation as remixing familiar ideas. He describes field trips and cross-industry sessions to spark thinking. He stresses adapting ideas to context, involving teams in design, and building rhythms that create space to innovate.
46 snips
Jan 20, 2026 • 35min
Ep 196: A Lifetime of Leadership (with John C. Maxwell)
In this insightful conversation, John C. Maxwell, a globally recognized leadership expert and bestselling author, shares his journey shaping modern leadership. He recounts early lessons from ministry, the significance of mentors like John Wooden, and his transition to the secular business world. Maxwell emphasizes the importance of character-building from failures, the evolution of his leadership style, and the fulfillment found in every life stage. With a focus on humility and optimism, he inspires future leaders through global values training.
9 snips
Jan 6, 2026 • 23min
Ep 195: On Purpose and Calling (with David Ashcraft)
David Ashcraft, President & CEO of the Global Leadership Network and former pastor, shares insights on purpose and calling in leadership. He discusses how the new year inspires reflection on one’s calling and emphasizes that purpose is relevant at every life stage. Ashcraft highlights that calling is about character and serving others, not just job titles. He stresses the importance of steady leadership and aligning individual and organizational goals. Finally, he provides practical encouragement for leaders to grow their capacity and guide their teams effectively.
15 snips
Dec 17, 2025 • 35min
Ep 194: A Look Back at 2025 (with Whitney Putnam and Eric Case)
Reflecting on 2025, Whitney and Eric share highlights from memorable conversations. They discuss Marcus Buckingham’s idea that 20% of work should be activities you love to prevent burnout. Joni Eareckson Tada’s insights on leadership through service shine a light on vulnerability. David Ashcraft emphasizes the importance of a clear vision, while Gabe Salguero encourages bridge building across cultures through active listening. These themes inspire leaders to cultivate passion, serve others, and communicate effectively.
Dec 2, 2025 • 25min
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 thoughts on reflection and celebration.
