The Strongest Ministries Don't Ignore the People Closest to Them — Michael Martin, ECFA

Most leaders think they still have time to figure out their AI policy. Dustin W. Stout says that clock ran out the moment their staff opened ChatGPT for the first time. Christian leaders are facing a technology shift moving faster than most policies can keep up with. In this episode, Dustin W. Stout — CEO of Magai and a former youth pastor — talks through why AI adoption inside organizations is already happening below the surface, why the extremes of fear and over-reliance both miss the point, and what it actually looks like to lead well through a moment this disruptive. You'll Gain Insight On Why "we haven't decided on AI yet" is already a decision How to think about AI as a tool rather than a threat or a savior What Dustin's own path from youth ministry to founding Magai reveals about calling and timing Where AI can free up a leader's time for the relational work only people can do 👉 Subscribe to Called to Flourish and share this conversation with a fellow leader. Access full show notes, resources, and transcript at: https://workplaces.org/podcast/your-staff-is-already-using-ai.-do-you-have-a-policy

Not every leader gets to choose when growth arrives. David Corry, General Counsel for Liberty University, didn't choose the timing — but what he did with the opportunity is the real story. When Liberty University committed to investing in its leaders' growth, David Corry was one of the executives given the chance to go through a full 360 assessment. In this episode, David shares why he chose to lean fully into the process — engaging honestly with feedback instead of simply going through the motions. His story offers a real look at what humility, coaching, and sustained growth look like in practice for a leader who'd spent nearly five decades in the workforce without this kind of opportunity before. You'll Gain Insight On: How to respond well when change is required, not requested How to turn feedback into a workable monthly growth plan instead of an overwhelming list What it takes to recognize and interrupt decades-old leadership habits How coaching and honest self-assessment work together, even for veteran leaders 👉 Subscribe to Called to Flourish and share this conversation with a fellow leader. Access full show notes, resources, and transcript at: https://workplaces.org/podcast/he-didnt-ask-for-a-360-he-chose-what-to-do-with-it

Most Christian leaders believe they value women's full contribution — but the structures working against that belief are often invisible until someone measures them. Leaders in Christian-led organizations are facing a quiet retention problem: women disengaging not over pay, but over voice, access, and influence. This episode unpacks how ordinary policies — job descriptions, meeting habits, mentorship norms — can unintentionally exclude women from decision-making, and why leaders often don't see it until someone brings the data. You'll Gain Insight On: Why structural bias hides inside well-intentioned policies What BCW's engagement data reveals about how women experience culture differently Practical personal, relational, and structural habits that close the gap Early signs of quiet disengagement leaders often miss 👉 Subscribe to Called to Flourish and share this conversation with a fellow leader. Access full show notes, resources, and transcript at: https://workplaces.org/podcast/women-arent-leaving-over-pay-theyre-leaving-because-no-ones-listening

Most leaders who plateau aren't missing feedback — they're avoiding what honest feedback requires of them. Self-identification, it turns out, is only 20% of self-awareness. Leadership development has a blind spot of its own: it focuses heavily on skills while overlooking the inner work that growth actually demands. In this episode, leadership strategist and executive coach Amy Clark explores why so many leaders stall even after they've named their weaknesses, and offers a clear path forward. From the concept of the "edge of familiarity" — where leaders cling to the expertise that got them to their current role — to a simple two-question method for gathering honest feedback from the people they lead, Amy provides practical tools that build both self-awareness and team trust. You'll Gain Insight On Why knowing your blind spots is only 20% of self-awareness — and what the other 80% requires The "edge of familiarity" and how technical expertise quietly becomes a leadership ceiling Two direct questions that build self-awareness and trust without a formal review process Why care must be practiced rather than posted on a wall 👉 Subscribe to Called to Flourish and share this conversation with a fellow leader. Access full show notes, resources, and transcript at: https://workplaces.org/podcast/the-leaders-who-stay-stuck-already-know-their-blind-spots

Many leaders assume disengagement is primarily a motivation or performance problem. But what if the real issue is that people no longer experience their work as life-giving? In this episode, Jay Bransford, President & CEO of Best Christian Workplaces, explores why Life-Giving Work is the second most powerful driver of employee engagement. Drawing from decades of workplace culture research, he explains how leaders unintentionally drain meaning from work, why role alignment matters, and how connecting daily tasks to mission can dramatically increase engagement and ownership. You'll gain insight into: • Why Life-Giving Work is one of the strongest drivers of engagement • How leaders unintentionally drain meaning from work • What happens when employees are in the wrong seat • Practical habits that create energized, flourishing teams 👉 Subscribe to Called to Flourish and share this conversation with a fellow leader. Access full show notes, resources, and transcript at: https://workplaces.org/podcast/your-people-arent-burned-out-their-work-may-be-draining-the-life-out-of-them 

Many Christian-led organizations are passionate about serving people externally—but struggle to care for the health of their own teams internally. In this episode, Michael Martin, President & CEO of ECFA, explains why flourishing cultures require intentional stewardship, leadership rhythms, and a deep commitment to caring for people well. Drawing from ECFA's experience building a 100th-percentile workplace culture, he shares how mission clarity, collaboration, employee voice, and healthy leadership practices strengthen both culture and Kingdom impact.  You'll gain insight into: • Why ECFA made culture one of its core strategic goals • How mission clarity creates stronger employee engagement • What leaders miss when they focus only on external ministry impact • Practical rhythms that help teams stay healthy and connected 👉 Subscribe to Called to Flourish and share this conversation with a fellow leader. Access full show notes, resources, and transcript at: https://workplaces.org/podcast/the-strongest-ministries-dont-ignore-the-people-closest-to-them      

Trust problems rarely begin with strategy. More often, they begin with fear, self-protection, and leaders trying to create stability externally while struggling internally. In this episode, Dr. Rob McKenna—CEO of WiLD Leaders and bestselling author of Whole Leaders, Wild Trust—shares why trust grows through honesty, vulnerability, and truth-telling rather than perfection. He explains how internal formation shapes team trust, why self-protection quietly destroys cultures, and what leaders can do to build environments where people feel safe enough to tell the truth.  You'll gain insight into: • why trust begins with personal formation before organizational transformation • how self-protection quietly erodes team trust • the three questions employees are silently asking every day • why high-trust teams confront reality faster 👉 Subscribe to Called to Flourish and share this conversation with a fellow leader. Access full show notes, resources, and transcript at: https://workplaces.org/podcast/you-cant-build-external-trust-on-internal-instability  

Employee engagement across Christian-led organizations has reached its highest level in 15 years. Yet nearly 4 in 10 employees still cannot bring their best to work each day. In this episode, Dr. Doug Waldo, Research Director and Senior Consultant at Best Christian Workplaces, explains what the 2026 State of the Christian Workplace Report reveals about trust in leadership, employee voice, and the organizational barriers that still limit engagement—and what leaders can do about them. You'll gain insight on: • why 61% engagement represents meaningful progress across Christian workplaces • how disengagement quietly reduces organizational capacity • the trust signals employees are looking for from leaders today • why giving staff a stronger voice improves engagement outcomes 👉 Subscribe to Called to Flourish and share this conversation with a fellow leader. Access full show notes, resources, and transcript at: https://workplaces.org/podcast/engagement-hit-a-15-year-high-so-why-are-39-still-disengaged

Many leaders assume diversity creates tension on teams. But the deeper threat to engagement isn't difference—it's disconnection. In this episode, Dr. James Borishade of Circle Urban Ministries explains how leaders can create psychological safety across differences so teams remain unified around mission. He shares practical lessons on listening well, modeling humility, and repairing trust when leadership decisions unintentionally silence team voices. You'll gain insight on: • recognizing when withdrawal signals relational unsafety • inviting meaningful input before decisions are finalized • repairing trust through humility and accountability • creating space for diverse perspectives without losing alignment 👉 Subscribe to Called to Flourish and share this conversation with a fellow leader. Access full show notes, resources, and transcript at: https://workplaces.org/podcast/diversity-isnt-the-problem-disconnection-is    

What happens when leaders invite feedback before decisions are finalized instead of after they're announced? In this episode of Called to Flourish, Peter Krol, President, and Tom Hallman, Vice President of DiscipleMakers, share how their ministry built one of the most engaged workplace cultures in their sector by creating clear rhythms of listening, collaboration, and shared ownership. Rather than relying on top-down decision-making, they developed practical ways for staff to contribute input early—strengthening alignment as the organization expanded from 11 to 26 campuses. Their experience offers a compelling model for ministry leaders who want to grow without losing mission clarity or cultural health. You'll gain insight on: • Why inviting feedback early strengthens trust across teams • How shared fundraising builds unity throughout an organization • How engagement surveys help leaders detect culture drift sooner • What it takes to scale ministry while protecting mission alignment 👉 Subscribe to Called to Flourish and share this conversation with a fellow leader. Access full show notes, resources, and transcript at: https://workplaces.org/podcast/ask-for-feedback-before-the-decision-how-disciplemakers-built-a-100th-percentile-ministry-culture