Calling
Execution
Productivity
Vision
June 4, 2025

Ep 176: GLN President and CEO David Ashcraft on De-Cluttering Your Leadership

Contributor
David Ashcraft
David Ashcraft
President and CEO
|
Global Leadership Network
Whitney Putnam
Whitney Putnam
Vice President of Marketing
|
Global Leadership Network

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 care for themselves so they can stay in the game for the long haul.

SUMMARY

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 care for themselves so they can stay in the game for the long haul.

IN THIS EPISODE

0:00 Intro

03:00 How impact has “clutter” had on David’s life and leadership efforts? .

05:30 How does David approach organizing his life in order to maintain clarity on his priorities?

08:30 The importance of delegation.

10:40 Les McKeown’s concept of “Whitewater,” and how an organization can work through it.

12:00 How to learn to say, “No.”

14:20 Outro

LISTEN

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

STANDOUTS AND TAKEAWAYS

  • There are things you currently think are really important to keep doing, but in reality they probably aren’t that important to the overall success or mission of your organization.

  • Delegation is about realizing you cannot achieve a goal on your own and owning your limitations. It is also about developing people over the long haul

  • If you find that you continue to postpone something on your “To Do” list for weeks, consider the fact that it might be something you don’t need to do.

  • Another word for de-clutter is “simplify.”

  • Look for activities in your organization where you can give people permission to stop doing them.

  • Take advantage of “Snow Days” to take stock of where you can simplify.

LINKS MENTIONED

Calling
,
Relationship with God
,
Resilience
,
May 13, 2026

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.

Leading Yourself
Leading Organizations
Emotional Intelligence
,
Confidence
,
Calling
,
May 6, 2026

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.

Leading Yourself
Leading Organizations
Calling
,
Resilience
,
Emotional Intelligence
,
April 29, 2026

Ep 205: Our Favorite Moments, Winter 2026 — Lessons on Resilience, Presence, and Perspective (with Whitney Putnam and Eric Case)

This episode highlights key moments from recent conversations to help you stay grounded in those seasons. You’ll hear insights on perseverance from Walker Hayes, practical wisdom on resilience from David Ashcraft, and a timely reminder from John Maxwell about embracing the season you’re in. Whitney and Eric also share personal leadership challenges and what helped them keep going.

Leading Others
Leading Yourself

Leadership That Lasts

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