S31:E24AI RECAP🎙️ LIVE AWLL From Proverbs — Chapter 24

Hi, I'm John Maxwell. When the top companies in the world are looking for trainers, speakers, and coaches, there's one name that stands above the rest, and that's Maxwell Leadership. Our certified team members have gotten proven results for companies all over the globe, and our reputation I'm proud to say, is second to none. Some of our members have risen to the top of their profession, including the one you're going to meet today. I proudly introduce you to my friend, Bob Fabien Zinga. Welcome to the Leadership and Success Podcast with your host, Coach BZ, where we help you lead with purpose and succeed with impact. If you're ready to grow into the kind of leader others want to follow, this podcast is for you. If you're determined to elevate your success and leave a lasting legacy, this podcast is for you. As my mentor, Dr. John C. Maxwell, reminds us, everything rises and falls on leadership. Our goal is simple, to inspire you, challenge you, and equip you with insights that can transform the trajectory of your leadership journey. Welcome aboard to another episode of of the Leadership and Success Podcast with Coach B.

Hello everyone, welcome to another special edition of the Leadership and Success Podcast, and today we are going to be talking about the book of Proverbs chapter 24. It's not going to be a religious podcast, we are going to study Proverb 24, it's all going to be done with artificial intelligence today. If you want to listen to the hour-long podcast I did initially, January 24th, 2026, you can go to YouTube or LinkedIn and listen to the hour-long podcast. Today should be about 20 to 30 minutes. All right, to get started, let's play a 7-minute podcast summary by AI. Again, this is about Proverbs chapter 24, and you can also read the article I wrote about Proverbs 24, the 7 lessons from Proverbs 24. It's on my leadership excellence and, uh, it's called Leadership Excellence Accountability Devotion Newsletter. All right, let's play the first 7 minutes all done by AI.

Under immense physical pressure, objects do not spontaneously grow stronger. If they lack underlying structural integrity, they fracture and collapse. Yet modern management often operates on a contradictory assumption—that high-stakes crises somehow forge great leaders out of thin air. Ancient operational frameworks, specifically the texts of Proverbs 24, offer a stark counterthesis: a crisis does not construct leadership capacity; it strictly reveals the capacity that was already built. This chart plots the standard timeline of organizational stress to map exactly where our evaluation metrics fail. Corporate culture typically evaluates its leaders right here, at the peak of a high-visibility disaster. We measure how they react when the alarms go off. But assessing performance at the peak of an incident is a lagging indicator. By the time stress spikes, the systemic health of the team is already locked in. The true proving ground is the long, low-stress baseline preceding the event. This is the preparation window. Within this operational context, wisdom is not an abstract state of high intelligence or accumulated knowledge; it is a measurable sequence of disciplined executions carried out over time. By analyzing this ancient text, we can extract 4 structural pillars and 7 operational protocols designed to stress-test modern organizational systems before they break. Performance failure during an incident is never an unpredictable anomaly. It is the mathematical result of ignoring the operational baseline. Organizations do not actually fail during the crisis. The fatal fractures are introduced during the preparation phase. This diagram outlines the strict architectural sequence required for stability. Wisdom establishes the structure at the base. Understanding shapes the internal culture in the middle. Only then can knowledge drive execution at the top. The most common error modern leaders commit is attempting to aggressively expand operations before securing those foundational layers. Without a stable base, the added mass creates intolerable torque. Vision without rigorous execution discipline is structurally unsound and will collapse under load. You cannot scale what isn't stable. This diagram illustrates the human architecture of a team, addressing the dangerous myth that leadership must be lonely at the top. Relying on single point of failure leadership creates a brittle system. It completely lacks redundancy. Contrast that isolated failure with a protocol of distributed counsel, where multiple advisors act as an active, continuous error correction network. Seeking dissenting opinions and maintaining humility are not soft moral virtues. In high-stakes environments, they are absolute operational necessities for survival. When the pressure inevitably scales, your preparation and the density of your distributed network are the only variables that dictate performance. The greatest threats to an organization grow silently during peacetime, when immediate outcomes distract from the methods used to achieve them. This flowchart maps the systemic danger of envying rapid success. One route passes through required ethical checkpoints, while a faster path bypasses the checkpoint entirely to hit the target early. Bypassing those ethical checkpoints creates a compounding risk that silently embeds itself deep within the organization's behavioral code. Leaders must enforce a rigorous audit. They have to study the specific methods of success and actively refuse to reward outcomes achieved through compromise. Whatever behavior an organization consistently admires, it will eventually normalize into its standard operating procedure. The fifth protocol dictates that the internal structural integrity of a team depends entirely on the uniform application of rules. This diagram represents a team's functional capacity, held together by solid connections of operational trust. Notice the real-time degradation when high performers are exempted from standard rules. The introduction of a double standard causes immediate cascading friction. In high-stakes environments, showing partiality destroys a leader's credibility significantly faster than simple incompetence. To maintain system integrity, strict operational rules must be applied to the highest leadership nodes first. Objective fairness builds durable organizational trust far faster and more permanently than raw talent. Eventually, the preparation window closes, an acute crisis arrives, and external pressure forcefully collides with the established operational baseline of the organization. The true test of leadership at this moment is not navigating daily tasks; it is the capacity to recognize when the system itself is causing harm and requires immediate intervention. This model charts the two paths available when a critical anomaly is detected: The high-friction path demands action. The low-friction path offers the comfort of silence. Taking the low-friction path of silence is a catastrophic failure of courage. It causes the entire framework to rot and collapse inward. The governing law of accountability is strict: leaders are held responsible not only for the actions they explicitly direct but for the toxic behaviors they tolerate. This reveals the 7th protocol, the actual mechanics of operational resilience. This chart tracks performance in complex military or startup environments. Resilience is not an expectation of flawlessness. As the data shows, failure and sharp drops are mathematically inevitable. The defining trait of a highly prepared system is the immediate, automatic initiation of a recovery cycle following a drop. Organizations must build an intentional culture of recovery and learning rather than maintaining a fragile structure optimized only for assigning blame. Systemic failure is not fatal; the structural refusal to rise and adapt guarantees obsolescence. Zooming out, the entire journey across the preparation window synthesizes into four immovable structural pillars: preparation, integrity, courage, and resilience. When the inevitable crisis event strikes the timeline, these structures absorb the shock entirely, holding the baseline flat and stable under extreme load. This ancient philosophical framework maps directly to the operational reality of modern risk managers, naval commanders, and enterprise strategists. It dismantles a persistent fantasy: when the clock's in sound and the pressure mounts, you will not spontaneously transform into a hero. We must audit our own systems. Are you building a genuinely resilient framework, or are you merely constructing a reactive one? You do not rise to the occasion. You default to the exact level of your preparation and the structural integrity of your character.

All right, so this was the, uh, very first, uh, AI summary of Proverbs chapter 24. I'm going to play the next one. It's about 9 minutes long, but, uh, let me know in the comment, uh, where you are joining us from, okay? And what you are grateful for today, and also 3 to 5 takeaways from today's lesson. And for those watching overseas, today is Memorial Day in the US. And actually, every time I start the show, I really like to spend just a moment for what we call a moment of gratitude. That's where we take just a moment to be grateful every single time we meet. And today is really a sacred day, especially for those who are in the military or who have been in the military like I am. And this is the day where we remember our men and women in uniform who gave their life for our country. The Bible says, "No greater love than this, a man, a person who gives his life or her life." for his brothers or our brothers. There is really nothing greater to pay the ultimate sacrifice. I know for all of us who have served in the military, any branch of the military, we do make a lot of sacrifices, but many of us gave some, but there are some of us who have given all. And we just want to take a moment And remember them right now. So if maybe we can take just a quick moment of silence to remember those who have come before us and our brothers and sisters in arms who have given their life for our country to ensure our wisdom. Because America is the freest country in the world, home of the brave, land of the free, but freedom is not free. So let's just take a quick moment of silence. All right, so today I am grateful because so many people have given their life to ensure my freedom, people who have served in uniform. So let me know in the comments what you are grateful for today. And now I'm going to play the second AI video, which is a 10-minute summary again of the hour-long discussion we had on Proverbs chapter 24, initially published on January 24, 2026. Here we go.

Welcome to The Explainer. Look, if you're a focused learner trying to level up your leadership game without all the corporate fluff, you are absolutely in the right place. Today we're unpacking a really fascinating synthesis of ancient wisdom translated directly into high-stakes modern leadership. We're diving into some incredible insights from Bob Fabien B.Z. Zinga. He's a U.S. Navy commander, a cybersecurity executive, and a boardroom strategist. What Zinga does here is brilliant. He takes the ancient text of Proverbs 24, strips away the religious context, and reveals a purely operational, battle-tested framework for leaders in tech, cybersecurity, the military, you name it. So let's get right into it. Okay, let's start with this incredible hook from Commander Zinga. We have this pervasive modern myth, right? This idea that great leaders are somehow forged in the fires of a crisis. We tend to think that when the systems fail, when the server goes down, or when panic spikes, that is when a leader is built. But Zinga instantly shuts that down. You don't build your leadership capacity when the alarm bells are ringing. You literally just reveal what's already there. The crisis doesn't magically create the leader. It exposes the leader's baseline. Because of that, we really need to reframe our working definition of wisdom. We usually assume wisdom is just raw intelligence or racking up a ton of knowledge or having this long, glittering resume. But contrast that with Zinga's framework. True wisdom is incredibly active. It's disciplined execution over time. It's that quiet, consistent work you do long before adversity ever shows up. It's about taking the right actions repeatedly, even when it's totally boring, so that when the pressure finally hits, the muscle memory is already locked in. So, Zinga synthesizes this ancient framework into 4 distinct pillars for us to follow: 1. Preparation. 2. Integrity. 3. Courage. And 4. Resilience. Let's walk through them. Kicking things off with Pillar 1: Preparation. Success is built before it is tested. The core idea here is that organizations don't actually fail in a crisis; they fail in their preparation. The failure was baked in before the event even happened, simply because the groundwork wasn't there. Look at how these ancient concepts map perfectly onto modern execution. Ancient wisdom translates to modern structure, the literal systems you're building. Understanding becomes culture, how your team behaves when absolutely nobody is looking. And knowledge is execution, getting the day-to-day mission done. If you want to invest in your team, you have to build trust before way before the conflict starts and develop your people way before you promote them. So sequencing matters immensely. You literally cannot build out of order. Look at the very first step: strengthen foundations before growth. In the modern business world, especially in the Silicon Valley startups where Zinga has a ton of experience, there is this massive trap of trying to scale something that isn't actually stable. We build for optics instead of substance. We prioritize sheer speed over sustainability. But listen, vision without execution discipline is just a fantasy. You have to align your resources before you chase your ambition, and you absolutely must respect the sequencing process. I wanna pause here for a second and ask you to be really honest with yourself. Am I building a resilient organization or a reactive one? Are your teams just constantly putting out fires all day, or are they following a solid plan that actually accounts for friction? Resilience is planned. Reactivity is just making it up as you go. Moving on to Pillar 2: Integrity. Shortcuts undermine long-term credibility. There's a hidden danger here, and it's envy. Simply put, what you admire, you eventually normalize. It is so incredibly easy to watch a competitor achieve rapid success through sloppy means and feel a twinge of jealousy. But the second you start normalizing shortcuts, you fall into traps that completely destroy your team's trusting you. Things like favoritism, double standards, selective accountability, or rewarding flattery over the cold, hard truth. Zinga points out that fairness builds trust way faster than raw talent ever could. You can be the smartest leader in the room, but if your team sees you applying the rules to some people and not others, or worse, not applying them to yourself, your credibility evaporates instantly. No question. Which brings us to another stark mirror check kind of question. Would I trust myself as my own leader? Think about it. If you were working for you, would you feel safe? Would you feel like the playing field was totally level? True leaders apply the highest possible standards to themselves first before they ever demand them from anyone else. Next up is Pillar 3: Courage. Silence is often the greatest failure. We usually think leadership is tested when things are physically exhausting, but it's really tested when something is fundamentally wrong. And you have to decide in a split second whether to step up. Look at how courage plays out in team dynamics. On the left, we have the whole lone wolf leader myth. We've all heard people say, "Oh, it's lonely at the top." Well, Zinga argues that lone wolf leadership is brittle, it's isolating, and it's entirely ego-driven. It snaps the second it's under real pressure. True strength, which you see on the right, requires the courage to be humble. A strong leader actively seeks counsel. They build a personal board of advisors. They actually want dissenting opinions because they know that in a multitude of counselors, there's safety. They know how to separate their ego from their decisiveness. And this quote right here is the absolute cornerstone of the courage pillar: Leaders are accountable not only for what they do, but for what they tolerate. Just think about any major historical example of a corporate or military failure. More often than not, the core problem wasn't just the initial mistake. It was the deafening silence of the leaders who absolutely knew better but chose not to intervene. Staying silent just to stay comfortable is a profound, profound failure of courage. So I really have to challenge you. Where have you stayed silent to stay comfortable? What uncomfortable truth in your office or on your project or within your chain of command are you actively avoiding right now just because bringing it up would cause friction? Real courage means speaking up. Even when there's personal risk involved. And finally, we arrive at Pillar 4: Resilience. Leaders rise—again and again. This is your ultimate leadership advantage, whether you're managing enterprise risk and cybersecurity, navigating a crazy Silicon Valley startup, or commanding a naval fleet. It's captured perfectly in this famous line from Proverbs 24: "The righteous fall 7 times and rise again." Now, notice what it doesn't say. It doesn't say the great leader never falls. Effective leadership has absolutely nothing to do with perfection or flawlessness. It is entirely about your stubborn refusal to stay down when you fail. It's about grit. Let's break down how this actually works in the real world. Failure is inevitable. Every single successful leader Zinga has ever worked with shares one thing in common: they failed, and they kept going. But here's the catch: while failure is inevitable, learning from it is strictly optional, and growth is highly intentional. The great ones build a culture of recovery for their teams, not a culture of blame. They normalize learning from setbacks, and they openly share their own failures with the group. Ask yourself, am I growing from my setbacks or just repeating them? Do you instinctively hide your failures, or do you use them as teaching moments for your entire organization? Because if you aren't intentionally growing from the hit you just took, you are almost certainly gonna take that exact same hit again down the road. To summarize the very core of this explainer, when the crisis hits, you are not going to magically rise to the occasion. You will fall to the level of your preparation and your character. There's this brilliant comment from a Dr. Nicholas Crowe on Zinga's original article that hits the nail on the head. He notes that you cannot install composure in a crisis. You can only reveal what was already there. The leader who rises after a huge failure isn't pulling from some magical inner reserve. They're just drawing on the disciplined patterns they built in perfectly ordinary moments when nothing was on the line. It's character made automatic through repetition. Let's tie all 4 of these pillars together into a final reflection checklist. Think of this as your personal audit for today. Are you relying on raw talent instead of doing the tedious work of preparation? Are you tolerating behaviors in your team that you know deep down you should be correcting? Are you choosing your own comfort over the courage required to lead? And are you hiding your failures instead of extracting the vital lessons from them? The real gritty work of leadership happens in your habits, long before anyone is ever evaluating you. Commander Zinga leaves us with this incredible challenge: the world doesn't just need more leaders, it needs better ones. We need leaders who prepare faithfully, act courageously, and rise consistently. So take a hard look at your daily routines, your team dynamics, and your own integrity. Are you truly ready before the test comes? Take these 4 pillars, start implementing them today, and build the kind of foundation that will hold strong when the storm finally hits. Thanks so much for joining me on this explainer and keep learning.

All right, again, let me know in the comment 3 to 5 takeaways from today's lesson. I'm going to play one more video. It's about 9 minutes long, and that's going to be The last one for today's lesson. One thing I'm really learning from Proverbs 24 is, I think it was Oprah is the first person I heard say that. She said something like, "Success is when preparation meets opportunity." So when the opportunity comes and you are not prepared, you are going to miss the opportunity. But if you prepare yourself now, when the opportunity comes, then your preparation will meet that opportunity and you will be successful. So always, always prepare and become a person of integrity, a person of courage, and build resilience. And I think you are going to be successful. So let's now watch again. This is all done by artificial intelligence, about 9 minutes long. That's going to be the end of the lesson for Proverbs chapter 24 today.

Welcome to our conversation on timeless leadership wisdom. Where ancient insights meet modern challenges. We're diving into, um, the lessons from Proverbs 24, which remind us that leadership is revealed in the quiet moments, long before any crisis hits.

I'm excited to jump in. So we're talking about how preparation, courage, and resilience really shape great leadership, right?

Exactly. It's about, um, the disciplined execution before any pressure comes. You know, building your character in the background. Yep. Proverbs 24 really underscores that leaders are made in the everyday work, not just when the spotlight's on them. Mm-hmm.

That's a powerful concept. One part that really caught my attention was how what you admire influences how you lead. Can you expand on that a little bit?

Sure. It's like if you admire quick success achieved through shortcuts, you may inadvertently normalize those methods. Proverbs reminds us in a sort of gentle way not to envy those who succeed unethically because eventually what you admire shapes your own actions.

Right. And that leads into the idea that preparation really beats reaction, doesn't it? Absolutely.

Think about it like building a fortress long before any siege. You invest in training, structure, and trust beforehand. When the when the crisis hits, you're already in position to handle it because you've built a resilient, prepared organization. Mm-hmm.

I love that analogy. It's almost like you're not testing leadership in the heat of the moment. You're revealing what's been built through consistent effort. Exactly.

It's, um, about creating an environment where success under pressure is simply the natural consequence of all the groundwork you've laid down earlier.

What about the role of humility in leadership? Particularly the idea that strength comes from seeking counsel rather than going it alone. Great point.

Proverbs 24 teaches us that "In the multitude of counselors, there is safety." So, while it's common advice to stand strong, true strength is, um, shown when you welcome input from others, even when it challenges your thinking. Right.

Mm-hmm. I do wonder, though, what if too much external input leads to indecision or dilutes your vision? Is there a risk there? That's a fair critique.

It's, um, a balancing act. Leaders must strike a balance between being receptive and staying true to their core values. While counsel is critical, at the end of the day, your responsibility is to synthesize that input into a decisive action plan.

Yeah, definitely. Now, moving to another key point, courage. Proverbs 24 really challenges us to act when silence is easier.

How do you interpret that in a modern context? Well, it's about, um, choosing to speak up and act in the face of wrongdoing, even when it's uncomfortable. True courage is revealed when you break the silence and make a stand, even if the pressure is immense.

That's essential because in so many organizations, standing up can often mean challenging the status quo.

Right, and that ties directly to fairness too. Partiality destroys credibility fast. Leaders who apply consistent standards, who are fair in rewarding and holding people accountable, build trust quickly.

I agree. Favoritism undermines the very foundation of trust. It's, um, so much more effective to be fair than, you know, just a high performer without principles.

Exactly. In many ways, fairness builds trust faster than raw talent ever could. When you hold everyone, including yourself, accountable, you create a culture where integrity is the norm.

Yep. And then there's that notion of not building out of order. How do you see that applying in leadership?

It's like, you know, preparing your work first before you build your house, as Proverbs 24:27 puts it. Leaders, whether in military, tech, or corporate roles, Need to focus on solid foundations before scaling up. Rushing often leads to instability.

So it's really about laying the groundwork, structuring, training, and investing in relationships before the pressure mounts.

Exactly. And that seamless preparation often determines how you respond when unexpected challenges occur. A bit like how a well-rehearsed emergency drill makes all the difference in an actual crisis.

Right. Speaking of challenges, resilience is another major theme here. Proverbs emphasizes that falling isn't fatal if you keep getting back up.

Yes, the righteous fall 7 times and rise again. It's a powerful reminder that failure isn't the end. It's an opportunity to learn and, um, grow stronger. This resilience is not about never falling. It's about the commitment to rise each and every time. Mm-hmm.

That's profoundly relevant, especially in high-stress environments like the military or high-tech sectors. How do we cultivate that resilience daily? It starts with mindset.

View failure as a lesson, not a verdict. Leaders build a culture where setbacks are shared openly and used constructively to improve. It's about normalizing recovery and fostering continuous learning.

Right. And when you put together all these lessons—preparation, integrity, courage, resilience—it forms a foundation that redefines leadership.

Absolutely. If we distill it, Proverbs 24 gives us four pillars: preparation, integrity, courage, and resilience. These are the building blocks that set truly great leaders apart from those who simply shine in moments of visibility.

It's interesting to think about how these pillars apply universally. Even in fast-paced tech leadership, where decisions sometimes need to be face-paced, the same principles are what sustain high performance, right?

Definitely. In tech, where innovation is rapid and the landscape shifts constantly, preparation and disciplined execution become even more critical. It's like having a well-tuned engine beneath the hood, before taking off at high speed. Yep, exactly.

And that disciplined engine is built through, um, consistent training, applying fair processes, and always being ready to act when it counts.

Exactly so. It's not about, um, chasing outcomes fleetingly. It's about cultivating an inner enduring standard where shortcuts are shunned and resilience reigns.

Mm-hmm. I will say though, maintaining that consistency can be challenging. Especially when quick wins are so tempting. How do we, as leaders, keep that long-term view? That's a valid challenge.

It comes down to commitment and self-reflection. Regularly audit your influences and the methods you admire, making sure they're aligned with your deeper values. Integrity built over time always trumps the lure of shortcuts.

Right. And it's a reminder that, in the end, leadership is about the person you become in those quiet moments when no one is watching.

Exactly. It's about demonstrating consistent character during the mundane days, the ups and downs, so that when pressure finally mounts, you don't just rise, you embody the essence of prepared, fair, and courageous leadership.

This discussion really emphasizes that true leadership isn't made in a crisis. It's revealed through years of quiet, disciplined work. Precisely.

It's like your foundation is what determines whether you're simply reacting when trouble arrives or actually commanding the situation with integrity and poise.

And it's a call for all of us, whether we're leading in military, tech, or any other domain, to invest in that preparation long before the testing times come.

Right. Leaders have a duty to build resilience and fairness into their organizational DNA. And that means nurturing a culture where, um, Failure is seen as a stepping stone, not a stumbling block.

Yep, absolutely. Really makes you think, doesn't it? The idea that leadership is more about what you do before the crisis arrives than how you react to it. Exactly.

So, before the promotion, before the spotlight, it's your preparation, your discipline and character, that truly defines you as a leader. It's these timeless lessons from Proverbs 24 that challenge us to lead better, not by accident, but by design.

Well said. Thanks for this powerful discussion. It's inspiring and definitely gives us much to reflect on in our own leadership journeys.

Absolutely. Keep building, keep reflecting, and remember that authentic leadership is what you become long before it's ever put to the test. Thanks for diving deep with me today. Thank you.

Until our next conversation, keep leading with integrity and—

All right, so that's all the lesson I have for today, Proverbs chapter 24. So let me know what you guys think. Provide your feedback in the comment even as you watch the replay on YouTube or LinkedIn. Keep typing in your feedback, 3 to 5 takeaways that you've learned from this lesson. So as we end, as you guys know, we celebrate Black History Year here. So I have Two things I would like to highlight. Today is, of course, like I say at the beginning, Memorial Day. We are on May 25th. Well, exactly 6 years ago, May 25th, 2020, if you remember, something pretty significant happened in this country. We are remembering George Floyd. On this day 6 years ago, the world witnessed a tragedy that became a defining moment in modern history. That's really the second time in my life where I realized that America still had a problem with racism, specifically anti-Black racism. I thought that we were behind that by now, but that's just not true. White supremacy is still a cancer in our country, and I really pray and hope that it will be completely removed from our society because we need a society that is more diverse with equity for all and inclusion for all. Regardless of their nationality or ethnicity. So I do want to remember George Floyd. So I'm gonna play a quick video to remember what happened 6 years ago, but then also to celebrate what I call the Black History Year, we are also going to remember the very first African American woman who served in Congress, and that's Shirley Chisholm, first African American woman to be elected to Congress. And the first one also to seek presidential nomination from a major political party. And one thing that she said I think was quite remarkable. She said, "The next time a woman of whatever color or a dark-skinned person of whatever sex aspires to be president, the way should be a little smoother because I helped pave it." And that is so true. Without Shirley Chisholm, there is no Hillary Clinton. She didn't win, but she was definitely the first woman to be considered to be president from the Democratic Party. That was back in 2016. 2016. And then, of course, Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman of color who almost became President of the United States in 2024. And of course, our very first and only so far African American President, Barack Obama. So without Shirley Chisholm, there is no Obama. So I would like to celebrate her life today. So I'm going to play two short videos, first about George Floyd 6 years ago, and also Shirley Shazam! And that's going to be the end of the podcast today. Thanks again for watching. Bye for now.

Tomorrow marks 6 years since George Floyd was murdered by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. The case shook the world and sparked calls for police reform and racial justice across the globe. Fox 9's Leon Purvis Chris has more from George Floyd Square. May 25th, 2020, a day many of us remember like it was yesterday.

38th and Chicago is the location where George Floyd took his last breath, and I spoke with both his aunt and uncle on this 6th year of remembrance. Walking through this area, what goes through your mind? Ah, you know, thoughts of all all these people's lives that have been taken because of one reason or another. George Floyd's uncle, Selwyn Jones, walked George Floyd Square with us. For him, this place is deeply emotional. Monday will mark 6 years since his murder. This year, for the first time, the anniversary falls on the same day of the week as May 25th, 2020, a Monday. I was sitting in front of a television watching this this Black man getting assaulted by the police and me not knowing who it was. And my sister, you know, called me and she said, did you see what they did to Perry?

Now Monday is going to take me back to where I was that day, who I was talking to that day, what was going on around me that day.

Both Selwyn Jones and Angela Harrelson say they still remember every detail of that day. I asked them what has changed since former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin put his knee on their nephew's neck. Not enough change, but as long as we keep fighting, as long as this event keeps happening and showing unity—

When we get to the point with all of this where we don't have to say the words Black Lives Matter, then that's when we know we have arrived.

This will also be the last anniversary I stand before you today as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the presidency of the United States of America.

Shirley Chisholm did that in 1972, and she was a catalyst for change. But she was also way out there ahead of her time. I am not the candidate of Black America, although I am Black and proud. For Chisholm, there was no set trail in politics.

I am not the candidate of the women's movement of this country, although I am a woman and I'm equally proud of that.

To be Black, to be a woman, to be both meant that she had to just make her own path. There had never been anybody but white males in the White House, and Shirley Chisholm made it possible to see and to imagine. I stand, as so many of us do, on her shoulders, because she understood that you just march to that podium and you claim that podium as yours, and you don't ask anybody permission. This was her slogan, "Unbought and unbossed," throughout her entire— Thank you for tuning in to the Leadership and Success Podcast with your host, Coach Beezy. If today's episode added value to your leadership journey, be sure to subscribe, share, and join us again for more wisdom. Nuggets on how to lead better and achieve greater success. Remember, leadership is the most critical skill of our time. The world will always need leaders to inspire others, drive innovation, and execute meaningful strategy. So why not count yourself among the bold leaders shaping the 21st century? Until next time, stay inspired, stay committed, and keep leading with excellence.