About Todd Cothran
Todd is a entrepreneur, educator, and pastor. As the founder of both a media and a software company as well as starting one non-profit organization and reviving another, Todd has consistently demonstrated the ability to innovate and drive success with a desire to help others participate and grow in the process.
Recognized as a dedicated teacher and mentor, Todd has a talent for inspiring and guiding others. His passion for personal development has motivated countless individuals to grow both personally and professionally.
Driven by a deep desire to see people flourish, Todd continues to inspire and empower others through his innovative ventures in training and education as well as mentoring and coaching efforts. Todd is unwavering in his commitment to creating positive change and he knows that always begins with people.
One of Todd’s greatest joys is spending time with his family in beautiful Charlottesville, Virginia and visiting grandkids in Colorado and Texas.
About Lead Develop Care
Simple leadership wisdom for complex times
The Story Behind the Framework
"There must be a better way." That's what drove us to create something different—not another leadership theory to collect dust on your shelf, but a practical framework that actually works on Tuesday morning when you walk into the office.
How It All Started
Picture this: You're standing in front of a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle with no box top. All the pieces are there—good ideas, proven techniques, valuable insights from leadership books—but you have no idea how they fit together. That's exactly where most leaders find themselves today.
The LDC framework was born from necessity, not theory. Back in the 1980s, Paul Stanley noticed something remarkable about the leadership of Jesus. Despite having only three years with his team and facing enormous challenges, Jesus created a movement that changed the world. How?
"Paul saw three simple patterns: Jesus led people toward a clear vision, developed their capacity to carry on without him, and cared for them as whole human beings."
What started as Paul's insight became something much bigger. Terry Cook, Paul’s colleague and friend, and the team at LDN Global spent decades refining and testing these ideas with real leaders facing real challenges. They weren't looking to create another academic theory—they needed something that worked in the trenches. What they discovered is that LDC works in every context that involves leading people. You don’t have to follow Jesus to use this framework to lead your people–helping both your organization and your people flourish.
The Problem We Solve
Walk into any bookstore and you’ll see shelves lined with leadership books—each one promising to reveal the secrets of great leadership. But here’s what we’ve discovered after working with leaders around the world: many walk away more confused than before. Even with so many excellent books available, they’re often left wondering which strategy or tool to use, and when.
Leaders were drowning in advice but starving for clarity. They had all the pieces of the puzzle scattered across their desk but no picture to guide them. Many felt like they were barely hanging on, too busy and overwhelmed to even reflect on their leadership journey.
We saw brilliant, well-meaning leaders who had strong character but weren't skilled at leading. Others who could drive results but burned people out in the process. Some who cared deeply for their teams but struggled to make tough decisions.
Our Mission
We exist to help leaders cut through the noise and focus on what actually matters. LDC isn't about adding more to your already packed schedule—it's about being more intentional with what you're already doing. We want to give you the box top picture so you can finally make sense of all those leadership puzzle pieces.
What Makes Us Different
We're not trying to reinvent leadership. We're trying to make sense of it. The best leaders throughout history—from Lincoln to King to Churchill—naturally practiced these principles. We just gave them a name and a framework.
Most leadership development focuses on what leaders should know. We focus on what leaders should do. There's a difference between cognitive knowledge and lived experience, and that difference shows up in results.
"Leadership development is a lifelong journey. We give you a roadmap for that journey, but you still have to walk the path."
We've learned that the goal isn't to become a perfect leader overnight. It's to become a more intentional leader who consistently grows in effectiveness. That's exactly what LDC helps you do.
Ready to Begin?
Your people are watching. They're hoping you'll become the kind of leader they want to follow. LDC can help you become that leader, but only if you're willing to do the work.