In this bonus episode of the Unfinished Leadership Podcast, Jon Peacock sits down with Ben Zobrist, 2016 World Series MVP of the Chicago Cubs, for a raw and honest conversation about leadership, pressure, and identity. Ben reflects on his journey from small-town Eureka, Illinois, to a last-minute scout day that changed his future, the leaders who offered borrowed belief along the way, and the defining moments of the Cubs’ historic 2016 championship run—including the iconic Game 7 rain-delay meeting. The heart of this episode comes after the win, as Ben opens up about the panic attacks, anxiety, and mental health struggles that followed his greatest professional success, forcing him to confront a question every leader eventually faces: Am I enough if I can’t perform? He closes by sharing his passion for developing emotional intelligence in youth sports through Champion Forward, and why learning to sit with pain—rather than run from it—has become a defining leadership habit in his life.

00:00 – Introducing Ben Zobrist & the unfinished leader

06:05 – The scout day that changed everything (borrowed belief)

14:00 – MLB leadership lessons & belief

17:10 – The 2016 World Series & the Game 7 rain-delay moment

25:15 – When success breaks you: panic, anxiety, and burnout

30:30 – “You are enough”: redefining strength, faith, and leadership

In this extended episode, we wrap up season one of the Unfinished Leadership Podcast. Jon welcomes two great friends to discuss six keys to crush 2026. Each key is explored in depth and provides actionable insights to help you grow and achieve your goals in the coming year.

00:00 — Introductions

08:47 — Key 1 - Win the Identity Game

18:16 — Key 2 - Build Tiny Wins

24:24 — Key 3 - Guard Your Environment Like It’s Your Destiny

32:58 — Key 4 - Leverage the Power of Community & Accountability

43:14 — Key 5 - Plan for the Dip

52:23 — Key 6 - Measure What Matters

In a culture obsessed with more - more results, more goals, more achievement - great leaders practice something countercultural: gratitude. In this episode, Jon unpacks three things the best leaders are thankful for and why gratitude isn’t just a nice personal habit… it’s a leadership multiplier.

00:00 — Why Gratitude Is a Leadership Multiplier

04:23 — Great Leaders Are Grateful for Their Mentors

08:34 — Leaders Must Be Grateful for Their Followers

11:05 — Embrace Challenges as Opportunities for Leadership Growth

In this episode of the Unfinished Leadership Podcast, Jon Peacock sits down with longtime friend and leader Chris DeLeenheer for a honest and inspiring conversation on resilience. Chris shares the behind-the-scenes story that shaped his leadership philosophy. You’ll hear how pain of adversity forged a new mindset and led to building a legacy. This episode will challenge and encourage any leader who feels like they’re on the sidelines or starting over.

00:00 – Welcome

01:12 – Introduction to Chris DeLeenheer

02:01 – Chris's Athletic Journey

14:53 – Life Doesn't Happen To You, It Happens For You

20:41 – Leadership Traps

25:14 – Final Encouragement to Leaders

On this episode of the Unfinished Leadership Podcast, Jon Peacock sits down with Shawn Williams, Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, to talk about the realities of leading through a rebuilding season. From stepping into a post-crisis environment to making painful but necessary changes, Shawn shares what he’s learned about putting values in the driver’s seat, rebuilding culture, and restoring trust. He opens up about the endurance required to keep showing up, the role of feedback in shaping healthier teams, and why leaders must hold onto vision even when it feels dormant.

If you’ve ever found yourself leading in the aftermath of disruption - whether in business, ministry, or community - this conversation will encourage you to stay committed, lead with integrity, and hold out hope for the “fun stuff” ahead.

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction

05:57 – From building to rebuilding at Willow Creek

09:14 – Post-crisis realities and shattered vision

11:48 – Making painful but necessary staff and structure changes

14:58 – Culture on life support: addressing trust and morale

17:51 – Staff surveys, feedback, and rebuilding culture

20:54 – Personal endurance, calling, and convictions

23:51 – Values in the driver’s seat vs. vision in the driver’s seat

26:47 – Looking ahead: the future of leadership at Willow Creek

This episode continues our deep dive into the role of habits in leadership and life. Building on the foundation from the last conversation, Jon introduces three more powerful mind shifts that reshape how we think about growth. Instead of trying to fight bad habits head-on, Jon shows why it’s more effective to avoid them altogether. He unpacks the surprising power of simply showing up daily, and he explores what it means to rely on God’s strength rather than our own limited willpower.

Together, these shifts create a framework for lasting transformation helping leaders close the gap between who they are today and who they are becoming tomorrow.

In this episode, Jon Peacock challenges leaders to confront the gap between where they are and where they want to be and to close that gap with consistent, intentional habits. But more than just building habits, Jon explores how we think about habits and why that mindset shift is essential to sustained growth. Jon introduces three powerful mind shifts that can help leaders stay in the game, even when progress feels slow.

In this episode of Unfinished Leadership, Jon Peacock gets real about the pain that comes with leadership. Whether it’s emotional, relational, or physical, pain is inevitable. How we respond to it determines the kind of leader we become. Jon walks through three essential steps to turning pain into growth: recognize it, release it, and reframe it.

In this debut episode of the Unfinished Leadership Podcast, host Jon Peacock explores the hidden ways ego undermines effective leadership. Rather than being a source of strength, ego often becomes a silent killer—eroding trust, distorting accountability, and stalling personal growth. Jon offers a fresh, honest take on how humility can shift a leader’s posture from self-preserving to self-aware. He outlines three key stages of leadership—Beginning, Building, and Decline—and unpacks how ego and humility uniquely show up in each. It’s a conversation for anyone who wants to grow, lead with authenticity, and leave behind the myth of the finished leader.

In this debut episode of the Unfinished Leadership Podcast, host Jon Peacock explores the hidden ways ego undermines effective leadership. Rather than being a source of strength, ego often becomes a silent killer—eroding trust, distorting accountability, and stalling personal growth. Jon offers a fresh, honest take on how humility can shift a leader’s posture from self-preserving to self-aware. He outlines three key stages of leadership—Beginning, Building, and Decline—and unpacks how ego and humility uniquely show up in each. It’s a conversation for anyone who wants to grow, lead with authenticity, and leave behind the myth of the finished leader.