Ep 206: When Leadership Gets Hijacked: Reclaiming Your Focus, Identity, and Definition of Success (with David Ashcraft)

In this powerful episode of The Global Leadership Podcast, host Whitney Putnam dives deep into the concept of 'leadership hijacks'—internal and external forces that derail leaders from their true purpose and vision. With guest David Ashcraft, president and CEO of the Global Leadership Network, they explore how comparison, self-doubt, shame, and imposter syndrome can stealthily take control of a leader’s identity and direction. Drawing from personal stories, including Ashcraft’s experience as a young leader feeling inadequate in class and Whitney’s reflections on loss and legacy, the conversation shifts from identifying hijacks to reclaiming one’s focus, identity, and definition of success. The episode emphasizes the importance of setting personal metrics for success, listening to the right voices, and prioritizing irreplaceable relationships—family, faith, and community—over external validation. Ultimately, it’s a call to live with radical honesty, define success on one’s own terms, and build a legacy rooted in love and authenticity.