.webp)
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 successions. David shares gems from his 30 years of local church leadership, including how to get started planning a legacy, and the one thing that can absolutely derail a positive transition. Every leader should be thinking about what (or who) will follow them, and this episode is a great starting point for your plans.
SUMMARY
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 successions. David shares gems from his 30 years of local church leadership, including how to get started planning a legacy, and the one thing that can absolutely derail a positive transition. Every leader should be thinking about what (or who) will follow them, and this episode is a great starting point for your plans.
IN THIS EPISODE
0:00 Intro
02:00 Why legacy matters
04:30 The work to become a “Level 5” leader
07:30 How anyone can develop a plan to leave a legacy
11:10 What people really remember about a leader
18:10 Outro
LISTEN
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
STANDOUTS AND TAKEAWAYS
- To be a top-level leader, your organization needs to better after you leave than it was when you were still around.
- When planning for a transition, time can be your best friend or your worst enemy, depending on when you start the process.
- You don’t always need a completely detailed plan; sometimes, a rough, one-page plan is enough.
- Start with the question, “Where would I like to go?” as opposed, “Where am I now?”
- Beware of pride, selfishness and self-centered thinking. It’s always about stewardship.
- People will forget your name, but legacy lives on in phrases, ideas and the heart that you instill in the organization.
- If you think it’s about you, you can blow up a potentially successful transition.
- You’re lucky if you can be remembered for two generations.
- No one is perfect: try to “lean” in the direction of being humble and others focused.
LINKS MENTIONED
- Website: Team365
- Website: Global Leadership Summit 2025
- Website: Global Leadership Network
Related
Ep 208: Leading When the Plan Falls Apart with Craig Groeschel
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.
Ep 207: Leading Through Leadership Hijacks with Edgar Sandoval
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.
Ep 206: When Leadership Gets Hijacked: Reclaiming Your Focus, Identity, and Definition of Success (with David Ashcraft)
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.
Leadership That Lasts
Team365 isn’t just a platform. It’s a commitment to grow, lead and live with purpose — every single day. Whether you’re here for content, community or clarity, you’re in the right place. Your leadership matters. Let’s keep going.
