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.
INTHIS EPISODE
0:00 Intro
02:35 What is December like for most pastors? Isthere any space for reflection?
04:30 Finding smaller pockets of time to pause andreflect.
06:15 Why is it important for leaders to balanceaction with taking time to ask, “What’s working and what’s not working?”
09:30 Dealing with distractions.
13:10 What is one leadership lesson that stands outfrom 2025?
15:50 How does owning mistakes connect withreflection and celebration?
17:50 Some impactful ways to celebrate teammates.
25:00 Outro
LISTEN
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
STANDOUTSAND TAKEAWAYS
- Sometimesinstantly reflecting on an event or situation can be very helpful.
- Short-termreflection is more natural for leaders; the longer-term is a challenge.
- Having4-5 hours of unstructured time creates space for idea generation.
- Sometimeswe need to press pause on taking in information (podcasts, etc.) and allow forspace to be quiet.
- Enjoythe moment while you can but keep moving ahead: there will always be somethingyou can work on.
- Beintentional about creating space to be idle, because it will not happennaturally.
- Whena mistake happens, if you work hard to correct it, it is possible to generate agreater positive response than if the mistake hadn’t happened.
LINKSMENTIONED
- Website: Team365
- Website: 2026 GlobalLeadership Summit
Related
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Ep 208: Leading When the Plan Falls Apart with Craig Groeschel
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Ep 207: Leading Through Leadership Hijacks with Edgar Sandoval
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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.

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