Following Before Leading - Tara-Leigh Cobble - Global Leadership Summit

As the afternoon sessions of Day 2 of the Global Leadership Summit 2026 continued, the focus shifted from leadership strategies to something even more foundational—the heart of the leader.

Throughout the day, we had been challenged from every angle. David Ashcraft reminded us that pride is leadership's silent assassin and that great leaders build organizations that become better when they're gone.

Priscilla Shirer challenged us to rise to readiness, protect our vision from distractions, and pursue excellence because our work reflects the Creator we serve.

Arthur Brooks reminded us that happiness isn't a feeling but a life built on enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning, and that technology should remain a tool rather than becoming our master.

Alison Levine showed us what leadership looks like under pressure: making difficult decisions, adapting to changing conditions, and taking the next step even when you can't see the summit.

Andy Stanley challenged every leader to ask better questions, create curious organizations, and continually ask,

"What would a great leader do?"

Then Tara-Leigh Cobble took the stage.

While every previous speaker had focused on leadership, Tara reminded us of something deeper:

Before you can lead well, you must first learn to follow well.

Tara-Leigh Cobble is the founder of D-Group (Discipleship Group), a worldwide Bible study movement with more than 300 groups across the globe. She is also the creator and host of the immensely popular The Bible Recap, a daily podcast helping millions of people read, understand, and love God's Word. She also hosts the daily radio feature The God Shot, leads teaching trips to Israel, and has written several books focused on biblical literacy.

Tara often says that her life changed not because someone else taught her about God, but because she finally began reading Scripture for herself.

That personal experience became the foundation of her message at the Summit.

Her opening statement immediately reset the room.

"Being a good leader starts with being a good follower."

For Christian leaders, she reminded us, that means being followers of Jesus and sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading before trying to lead anyone else.

Leadership isn't ultimately about influence.

It's about obedience.

The quality of our leadership will never exceed the quality of our relationship with the One we're following.

One of the most memorable moments came when Tara shared part of her own story. She admitted she had become comfortable with a secondhand relationship with God.

• She knew about Him.

• She knew Scripture.

• She had grown up around faith.

But eventually she realized something profound.

"You will never have an intimate relationship secondhand."

That's a powerful insight.

• You can inherit beliefs.

• You can borrow sermons.

• You can quote podcasts.

• You can admire someone else's faith.

But you cannot borrow intimacy.

Every leader eventually has to decide whether they will know God personally or simply know about Him.

One of the most encouraging truths from her message came in a simple sentence.

"What God initiates, He will sustain, and He will fulfill."

Leadership often feels like carrying an impossible weight. Tara reminded us that when the assignment truly belongs to God, the outcome ultimately belongs to Him too.

Our responsibility is faithfulness.

His responsibility is fulfillment.

That doesn't remove effort.

It removes anxiety.

Verse 1

"The Lord is my shepherd."

She reminded us that God isn't merely our provider. He is our Shepherd.

He actively:

• Leads

• Protects

• Guides

• Provides

Leadership begins by recognizing that we ourselves are sheep before we're shepherds.

Verse 2

God leads us beside quiet waters. He makes us lie down.

Tara pointed out something many leaders struggle to hear:

God actually cares about our practical needs. He invites rest because exhausted leaders rarely lead well.

Verse 3

"He restores my soul."

God doesn't simply restore our energy. He restores us. He repairs what leadership, disappointment, failure, and busyness slowly wear away.

Verse 4

This may have been my favorite insight.

She noted that when David reaches the valley of the shadow of death, his language changes. Instead of talking about God, David begins speaking to Him.

The valley makes everything personal.

"Things get very personal in the valley of the shadow of death."

She also highlighted the purpose of the shepherd's staff.

The staff wasn't only for protection from predators. Sometimes it protected the sheep from themselves.

That thought stayed with me. Many of the greatest dangers we face as leaders aren't external.

They're internal:

• Pride

• Fear

• Impatience

• Self-reliance

God doesn't simply defend us from enemies.

Sometimes He lovingly redirects us from ourselves.

Verse 5

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies."

Tara asked an unforgettable question:

How much do you have to trust the One who prepared the banquet while your enemies are still surrounding you?

That's remarkable confidence.

God doesn't always remove the battle.

Sometimes He simply reminds us Who's hosting the table.

Verse 6

She closed with the beautiful reminder that:

Goodness and mercy aren't temporary visitors; they are eternal companions.

God's goodness doesn't simply appear occasionally.

It follows His children.

Tara also reminded us why leadership matters in the first place.

"We've been assigned the mission of exporting the most important message in the universe."

• No strategy

• No organization

• No business success

• No influence

Nothing compares to faithfully carrying the hope of the Gospel.

Leadership is important. But the mission is even greater.

Tara-Leigh Cobble reminded us that the strongest leaders aren't simply better communicators or better strategists.

They're better followers.

The better we know the Shepherd, the better we'll shepherd the people He's entrusted to us.

Her message left me asking a simple question:

Am I leading primarily from borrowed knowledge about God...or from a growing, personal relationship with Him?

Because in the end, leadership may begin with influence. But lasting leadership always begins with following.

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