When plans change, leaders still need to provide clarity, steady themselves internally, and help their teams keep moving forward. In this Q2 “Best Of” episode, Whitney Putnam and Eric Case revisit four leadership moments from recent conversations with Craig Groeschel, David Ashcraft, Chris McChesney, and Edgar Sandoval. Together, these clips explore what leaders can do when strategy meets reality: stay flexible when plans shift, avoid comparison, define success by the right measures, create visible progress for their teams, and communicate with steadiness during pressure-filled seasons. This episode is a practical look at the internal and external work of leadership. Whether you are navigating organizational change, team fatigue, personal self-doubt, or a season that feels unpredictable, these four lessons will help you lead with greater clarity, humility, and purpose.
IN THIS EPISODE:
00:37 Why this quarter’s conversations matter for leaders
02:11 Craig Groeschel on failed ideas, flexibility, and pivots
06:31 David Ashcraft on comparison and self-doubt
15:15 Chris McChesney on big purpose and small progress
20:51 Edgar Sandoval on crisis decision-making
24:24 Takeaways and Outro
WHY THIS CONVERSATION MATTERS:
Leadership is often tested when reality does not match the plan. In uncertainseasons, leaders need more than good intentions—they need internal clarity,practical tools, and the ability to help others stay focused. This conversationhelps leaders think about how to pivot wisely, measure success honestly, createmomentum for their teams, and lead through pressure without spreading fear orconfusion.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
· Hold the goal clearly, but stay flexible about the path.
· When plans change, mature leaders adjust without abandoning the larger vision.
· Avoid overpromising when circumstances are likely to shift.
· Comparison can quietly become a false scorecard for leadership success.
· Define success by your assignment, your calling, and your next faithful step.
· Big purpose may bring people into the mission, but small progress helps sustain them.
· Leaders need to notice and name small wins so their teams can feel momentum.
· In crisis, start by asking, “What are the facts?”
· Communicate honestly without sugarcoating reality or creating unnecessary alarm.
· Do the internal work needed to keep chaos and complexity from trickling down to your team.
WHO THIS EPISODE WILL HELP:
· Leaders navigating changing plans, failed strategies, or unexpected pivots
· Pastors and ministry leaders carrying pressure from staff, boards, congregations, or communities
· Business and nonprofit leaders trying to keep teams focused and encouraged
· High-achieving leaders who struggle with comparison or self-doubt
· Team leaders responsible for morale, communication, and momentum
· Emerging leaders learning how to define success in a healthier way
· Leaders guiding people through crisis, uncertainty, or organizational change
STANDOUT IDEAS:
“The goal can be clear, but we might have to flex in the way that we reach it.”
“Am I right, is usually an indicator that I might be blind to something.”
“You have a different plan for you, and you don’t know all the failures those other people have.”
“My goal is not to be successful, it’s to live my life with humility.”
“Unless you have an internal script going on for yourself, that is nobody else’s, it is not your spouse’s, it is not even your team’s, it is your internal script, we can very easily get off.”
“Big purpose is what gets the right people in the door, but I gotta give them small progress and purpose to have oxygen in the hallway.”
“It is the leader’s job to notice what the small wins area nd not just notice them, but to call them out.”
“The first thing that you do is you get the facts.”
“Otherwise, people are gonna fill in the void.”
“You need to learn how not to trickle down whatever it is that you’re feeling.”
Links Mentioned
- Website: 2026 GlobalLeadership Summit
Listen
Related
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.
