This is an unedited, unfiltered conversation with Aaron Kennedy.

No script. No notes. No clock. No cleanup.

No cutting around uncomfortable moments.

Aaron and Jon Chasteen talk openly about leadership, faith, pressure, doubt, calling, and the things leaders usually keep to themselves.

Nothing here is polished.

Nothing here is packaged.

It’s just a real conversation.

In today’s episode, Jon talks about one of the most underrated tools in leadership: Consistency.

Drawing from history and real-life leadership experience, he explores why the silence that comes after the honeymoon phase may not be failure, but trust, stability, and cultural health.

If the applause has stopped and leadership feels quiet, this episode will help you reframe what consistency really is and how it builds.

Link to Book: ReLeader: How to Fix What You Didn’t Breakhttps://www.amazon.com/ReLeader-How-What-Didnt-Break/dp/B0FHJVZ5TB/ref=monarch_sidesheet_title

ReLeader article referenced in episode: “A Case for Consistency”https://releader.co

This is the second half of a two-part series on the things leaders need to unlearn in order to lead with clarity, health, and confidence.If you missed Part 1, pause this and go back — it sets up the whole framework.In this episode, we look at the final three Unlearnings:Unlearn Old Metrics of SuccessUnlearn the Desire to Lead Like Your Predecessor Unlearn Survival ModeThese three hit leaders especially hard when you’re stepping into an existing role, inheriting old expectations, or trying to rebuild a culture. We’ll talk about shifting from hype to health, finding your own voice instead of living in someone else’s shadow, and learning to lead from vision instead of fear.This wraps the series, but it continues the same theme:Sometimes the future God has for you is locked behind one thing you’re willing to let go of.And if you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, make sure you do — the two episodes work together.

Leadership is usually framed around what we need to learn — new books, new tools, new strategies. But the longer I lead, the more I’m convinced that some of the biggest breakthroughs come from what we’re willing to unlearn.In this first episode of a two-part series, I walk through the first four things leaders must release if they want to grow in a healthy way:Unlearn the Need to Prove YourselfUnlearn the Idea that More is BetterUnlearn the Urge to Keep Everyone HappyUnlearn the Belief that Conflict Means You’re FailingThese are the things that keep leaders stuck, anxious, and exhausted, especially when you step into an environment you didn’t start. I’ll share personal stories, practical examples, and a few lessons I’ve learned the hard way.And this is only part one.Next week we’ll finish it out with Unlearnings 5–7.If this episode resonates, be sure to catch Part 2 in our next episode—it builds directly on this conversation.

In this episode, Jon breaks down what it means to be the “doctor” of the organization you’ve inherited. ReLeading is less like raising a child and more like adopting an adult with pre-existing conditions, and the first step is always a diagnosis.

Jon walks through five health metaphors—cardiovascular health, high blood pressure, arthritis, diabetes, and obesity—to show how hidden issues in culture, pace, conflict, systems, and overload can keep an organization unhealthy.

You’ll learn what symptoms to look for, how to treat them, and how to lead your team back to health from the inside out.

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In this episode, Jon shares four moments in leadership that almost took him out. He opens up about battling self-doubt, carrying the pressure of expectations, leading without enough resources, and realizing that a mindset of lack had slowly taken over.

Now eleven years into his role, Jon reflects on what nearly broke him, how he got through it, and why he’s still leading today. If you’ve ever felt the weight of leading something you didn’t start, this conversation will hit home.

Jon would love to hear what challenges you’re facing right now as a leader. Leave a comment wherever you’re listening.

Instinct got you through the wilderness, but it won’t get you into the Promised Land. In this episode, Jon Chasteen unpacks the critical shift every ReLeader must make: from leading by instinct to leading with intention.

Jon shares his personal wake-up call, realizing that frustration with systems, staff, or culture often pointed back to his own leadership failures.

Drawing from Joshua’s transition moment (“When the manna stopped, Israel didn’t panic; they planted”), he explores what it looks like to stop reacting to yesterday’s problems and start designing tomorrow’s future.

Through three practical shifts, Jon shows how ReLeaders can move from survival to strategy:

1. Stop Managing Around People — Start Leading Through Culture

2. Stop Doing It All — Start Developing Others

3. Stop Avoiding Hard Conversations — Start Restoring Healthy Accountability

Whether you’re inheriting a ministry, rebuilding after a crisis, or simply ready to grow beyond maintenance mode, this episode will help you trade instinctual reactions for intentional rhythms that build a healthy, lasting culture.

Most leaders are wired to start things. But what if the most powerful thing you could do as a leader isn’t to start something new — it’s to stop something old?

In this episode, Jon Chasteen unpacks The Power to Stop — a countercultural principle that every ReLeader eventually has to learn. Using Michelangelo’s sculpture of David as a metaphor, Jon explores how greatness is often revealed not by what we add, but by what we remove. Just like a sculptor chips away what doesn’t belong, effective leaders must learn to prune, pause, and say no — not out of weakness, but out of wisdom.

Through Scripture and stories, Jon walks through four truths every ReLeader needs to understand:
1️⃣ Pruning Isn’t Punishment; It’s Preparation — God cuts back fruitful branches so they can produce even more.
2️⃣ Stopping Isn’t Quitting; It’s Trusting — Like Moses learning from Jethro, wise leaders know when to let go and share the load.
3️⃣ Saying No Isn’t Weakness; It’s Wisdom — Boundaries create margin, and margin fuels mission.
4️⃣ Less Isn’t Loss; It’s Leverage — Jesus wasn’t afraid of smaller crowds because He knew focus multiplies fruit.

Every ReLeader faces the same internal questions: Who am I to lead this? Do I have what it takes? What if I’m not enough? In this episode, Jon Chasteen unpacks the calling of Moses in Exodus 3 and shows how God answers those very questions—not by listing tasks, but by affirming identity, revealing capacity, and supplying sufficiency. If you’re leading something you didn’t start, this episode will remind you: God chose you, equipped you, and will fill in every gap if you're willing to go. Whether you’re leading a church, a team, or a turnaround, this is the reminder you didn’t know you needed.

Ever felt overwhelmed stepping into a new leadership role? You're not alone! Join Jon Chasteen as he talks with Ben Kendrew, Lead Pastor at Arise Church in New Zealand, about finding confidence amidst uncertainty. Ben shares practical insights on navigating leadership challenges, overcoming imposter syndrome, and remaining authentic even in tough times. Discover how difficult seasons are often God’s preparation for something greater. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation! 🌊💡 #Leadership #Confidence #Authenticity