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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 learn to build bridges with those they lead. Gabe also shares the story of how he came to be a leader and talks about how leaders can balance their authority with the call to serve their followers. This is an episode that speaks to the challenges facing leaders in today’s world.
IN THIS EPISODE
0:00 Intro
04:45 When did Gabe first figure out that he was a leader?
6:55 What led Gabe into pastoral work?
9:40 What does it mean to be a “hyphenated leader”?
12:20 How Gabe’s upbringing was key to developing his “bridge-building” capabilities.
13:30 What was the turning point in his development?
14:45 The role of intentionality and self-awareness.
19:25 What does it mean for leaders to invest rather than impress?
23:50 How has working remotely impacted the ability to listen to each other?
30:00 How can leaders balance the need for action with the need to go slow and listen deeply?
33:50 What is the relationship between authority and serving?
38:20 What would Gabe say to his 20-year-old self?
41:00 What does Gabe wish others knew about Latino culture?
46:40 Outro
LISTEN
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STANDOUTS AND TAKEAWAYS
- If you take risks in ways that inspire people, that’s leadership.
- Part of leadership is being a trusted voice and stewarding that trust well.
- A hyphenated leader is someone who listens and listens well, and makes connections where previously there were none. They build consensus where possible, and do it in a way that people feel heard.
- A hyphenated leader knows how to live amidst complexity and uncertainty.
- It’s not just about race or ethnicity; anyone who leads has to navigate diversity, complexity and different points of view.
- A lot of learning can come from failures and mistakes.
- Failing to try to understand others can lead to losing key personnel.
- It takes humility for leaders to create space but if you do the mission can go deeper and further.
- Silence is a leadership skill.
- It takes time to embrace complexity; busy-ness can be a prison.
- Sometimes leaders need to think in terms of decades. To do that, you need different voices to speak, and time to digest those voices.
- The shared mission is the star of the show, and in order to have a shared mission, people need to feel that leaders are invested in them.
- Until you know the root causes of the problem, the different manifestations of the problem, you don’t know the real problem.
- Innovation can sometimes feel like betrayal.
- Leaders can offer others a timeframe within which they are listening, but with the awareness that after that time, a decision must be made and action must be taken.
- Another way to be a hyphenated leader is to balance action with analysis.
Related
Ep 208: Leading When the Plan Falls Apart with Craig Groeschel
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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 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.
Leadership That Lasts
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