S31:E27🎙️ LIVE AWLL From Proverbs — Chapter 27

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 the Leadership and Success Podcast with Coach B.

Hello everyone, welcome to another edition of the Leadership and Success Podcast. This is a special edition. We're going to be talking about Proverbs chapter 27. Uh, today's January 27th, so a couple more days we're gonna read all of the chapters in Proverbs. We're going to end on January 31st, but it's about ancient wisdom and leadership lesson from the book of Proverbs, a book written so long ago, but its wisdom and its leadership principles still apply today in the 21st century, in the age of AI, right here in 2026. So if you want to review what we've already talked about from chapter 1 through chapter 26, it should be available everywhere, podcasts are available on all of the major podcast platforms, and you can listen to those. So we're gonna do Chapter 27 today. But before we do, as is our custom, let's do our moment of gratitude. This is where we take just a moment to be grateful for something every time that we meet. It doesn't take very long, but if you would, maybe with me, close your eyes, take a deep breath. Slow down your nervous system, put yourself in your happy place, and think about what you are grateful for right now. I think today I am really grateful for peace. There's a lot of changes happening in the world, rumors of war. There might be another war with Iran, maybe conflict with Venezuela, I mean Gaza. I mean, it's a big mess all around the world, but I am grateful for eternal peace, right? Peace of mind. That is so powerful. I remember when I was a kid, I used to hear Sermon and Read the Bible, and they talk about like the end of the world. And I would be wondering, how in the world could the life on earth end? I mean, at that age, I was, I don't know, 7, 8 years old. I really couldn't imagine that. But I must tell you, after being in the US Navy for 21 years, I can think of a thousand ways we could definitely end life on Earth. And it can be kind of scary, you know, what human beings can do with the push of a button. It could all end. And planet Earth is really the only place where life is possible for us. So we need to take care of it. And but anyway, I want to encourage you, I am just grateful for my peace of mind, no matter what is happening out there. I am grateful that I am at peace and I know that things will work out just fine. Okay, let me know what you are grateful for today. Please type it in the comment. Let me know where you are joining us from, what city, what state, and if outside of the US, which country. And also, I'm going to be giving you 7 lessons today on Proverbs 27. If there are any verses I did not highlight and you have some wisdom on, please type it in the comment as well. And also, I am always open to receive feedback on what I will actually share with you. Okay, let's quickly review what we did yesterday, Proverbs 26. So yesterday we talked about leadership lesson number 1: Honor misplaced is leadership corrupted. That was based on verses 1 and 2. Promoting or empowering unqualified individuals will destabilize teams and erode trust. So honor must be aligned with character and competence, not favoritism or convenience. So that was our first lesson. Lesson number 2: Foolish voices require boundaries, not platform, based on verses 3, 4, and 5. Leaders, they must discern when to respond and when silence is the wiser answer. You don't have to respond to everything that's happening as a leader. Engaging foolish argument can legitimize dysfunction. All right, sometimes people are just too foolish, they don't deserve an answer at all. Okay, leadership lesson number 3: delegation without discernment creates risk, based on verses 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Entrusting critical tasks to unreliable people damages outcome and credibility, but leadership is stewardship of responsibility. One interview I had, it was with, uh, Lee is a global CIO here in Silicon Valley, and one of his main themes was leadership is responsibility. We talked about the responsibility of leadership, Lee Jones. If you get a chance, go find that out, season 5, I think it was episode 12 or 13, great discussion we had about the responsibility of leadership. Okay, leadership lesson number 4: Repetition without learning signals stagnation, based on verse 11. So repeated mistakes reveal unaddressed character issues, not skill gaps. Okay, leaders who refuse correction stall progress. All right, then we talked about leadership lesson number 5: Self-deception is a leader's blind spot. Based on verse 12, overconfidence closes the door to learning, but leaders who think they already know stop growing and start failing quietly. Leadership lesson number 6: Laziness disguised as caution kills momentum. Excuses often masquerade as risk management, but leaders must distinguish legitimate caution from fear-driven inertia. And finally, leadership lesson number 7: Gossip and conflict thrive without discipline, based on verses 17 through 28. Uncontrolled speech fuels division. Gossip, flattery, and passive-aggressive behavior corrode culture from within. Alright, so today we're going to start with Proverbs 27. So the big idea here is this chapter teaches us that leadership maturity is revealed through humility. We see that a lot in Proverbs, don't we? Honest relationship, self-awareness, and disciplined stewardship. So this chapter warns leaders against arrogance, isolation, and neglect, reminding us that influence is sustained not by self-promotion, but by character, accountability, and daily attention to what has been entrusted to us. One thing is, you know, I've always been taught, you guys may have heard it, it's lonely at the top. I think that may be true for a lot of people. But I don't think that has to be true for you. As you are going up the chain of command, the corporate ladder, I think you need to bring some people with you, bring some mentees with you, bring some people that you can trust with you so that you will not be so lonely up there. The way I think about leading an organization, yeah, I might have a title, I might be the person in charge, but the reality is I'd like to have a team of people who are leading with me, my senior leadership team. I don't make all of the decisions myself. And then I delegate authority to them to decide for their own function, how they are going to do it without me having to kind of micromanage them, giving them freedom to make decisions, people I trust. And then those people definitely have the freedom to speak to me and tell me what they really think without fear of reprisal, right? Speak to me frankly, because I think as a leader, you absolutely need to be able to receive feedback, whether you like it or not. At least listen. You don't always have to do what your people say, but you have to listen to them, consider it, and then you make up your own decision. But they need to have the privilege and the permission to speak to you frankly. I think that's gonna save you a lot of trouble. Okay, so great leaders grow through feedback. They prepare for uncertainty and tend their people and responsibilities with consistency. You have to be consistent. So the theme here on chapter 27 is sharpened by truth, sustained by stewardship. Okay, truth again and stewardship. All right, leadership lesson number 1, humility prepares leaders for tomorrow. That's based on verse 1. Let's listen to that.

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

Do not boast. Don't be puffed up. Don't be arrogant. Okay, overconfidence will blindly lead us to risk. Overconfidence. Wise leaders plan diligently, but they remain humble before uncertainty. I think that's probably one of the greatest lessons I've ever learned as the commanding officer for the Global Network Operations Security Center, Suffolk, Virginia. I finally got my dream job. I was selected as a commanding officer in the US Navy, and I was in charge of a mission and its people, about 72 people reporting to me. That was the biggest opportunity I've ever had throughout my entire career. But one thing I learned, even though I was the most senior officer in my command, I had to lead with humility. And it kind of took me back to when I was enlisted, when I was a seaman recruit, when I was a seaman, when everybody would pretty much discard me just because of my low rank, even though at the time, right, I I had a lot of technology and management leadership experience. I was a manager, maybe at the time I was already a director for information technology at the University of Alabama. I had about 12 people reporting to me and I think the budget I managed back then was probably close to about $1 million. But anyway, the thing was, in the student life I had a lot of skills, a lot of authority and I led a mission and part of an organization. But once I wore my uniform as a seaman or a seaman recruit, all people saw was my rank, and they would completely disregard anything I had to say because I wasn't a senior enlisted or an officer. And I felt like that was a very big mistake and one that I wasn't— I was not willing to repeat as a commanding officer. Now that I had the chance to actually lead a mission, so I would always open my ears to receive feedback from anybody within my organization, from the from the least junior to the most senior executive officer, I had to listen to what they had to say. And I would always ask for feedback because I knew that wisdom doesn't respect rank. All right. And I've already shared before, I had one problem as a senior officer, my leadership team, we tried to resolve it, we couldn't come up with a solution. And then I invited all of my department heads too, couldn't come up with a solution. It took us almost 60 days, nothing. And then I opened it up to the entire unit and one of my junior enlisted sailors within 5 minutes gave us the answer and we executed that and it worked perfectly. But anyway, as the commanding officer, my goal was to create an environment so that my former self, Seaman Zinga, would be able to thrive and do his very best work within that environment. I was really the servant of the most junior enlisted person in my unit. That's who was on my mind for everything I did for my command. But anyway, that's really the lesson I learned. If I've learned anything throughout my Navy career, it's you have to lead with humility. You cannot be arrogant, you cannot have a big head, you cannot be boastful because like, you know, One of my newest mentor, General Biggs, taught me, right? Rank is rented, but trust is earned. You're not gonna be a commanding officer for the rest of your life. You're not gonna be commanding general for the rest of your life. You're not gonna be a commander for the rest of your life. It's only for a season. And then after you leave, somebody else is going to take on that position. So your rank is rented, it's only for a season. So do the best of it while you have the opportunity, take care of your people. Because people matter above all else and lead with humility. All right. So how do we apply this? So you have to prepare. So preparation is key, but you have to lead with adaptability as well. You have to be flexible and not arrogant, right? In the Navy, we say Semper Gumby, right? Always flexible. Things change and you have to adjust your plan, but lead with humility, not overconfidence. So where might confidence be turning into complacency? And how do you prepare without presuming control? So think about that. All right, um, so true confidence rests in preparation and humility, not prediction. All right, leadership lesson number 2: honest feedback strengthens influence. So you have to create the space where your people can provide honest feedback. They shouldn't be afraid to tell you what they think. They should tell you exactly what they think, and you need to consider that. So let's read, uh, Proverbs 27, verses 5 and 6.

Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Wow. The Wounds of a Friend. Growth requires truth. Leaders who avoid difficult conversations stunt both trust and performance. And part of the reason why you're a leader is because you need to have those difficult conversations. You need to have them as soon as something happens that requires it. Don't just say, oh, we're going to do it tomorrow or next week or next year. No, you have to address it immediately. That's your job. You have to create a culture where candor is an act of care, not conflict. Okay? So who has permission to challenge you honestly? And I think it should be everyone who works for you. Everyone. Have an open-door policy. Like I even remember sometimes, especially in the military, because we really have rank and structure and the chain of command is really heavy. So I even actually, I stole it from one of the best keepers I had. I created a system where anybody in the unit could actually write to me as the commanding officer in a way that was anonymous. It was impossible for me to know who sent the comment. And well, unless they told me their name or something, then I would know. But if they don't, there was just no way for me to trace it back to the sender. So people had a way, electronically to provide feedback to me directly without telling their name, their rank, who they are, but just tell me, "Hey sir, I think you need to consider this. There is this one thing I don't like about our unit," or, "I believe there is something wrong or something we can do better." That's very, very powerful, giving people the opportunity to speak to you frankly, either in person or if they don't wanna do that, some way where they can remain anonymous but tell you exactly what they think. So do your people trust you to tell the truth with grace? Very important. Of course, in the military, you know, we have a chain of command, we have to be respectful, but you do want the people to tell you exactly what they think, things are working and things are not working and need improvement. That's how we get better. So leadership, love speaks truth, even when it stings, and you need to give people permission to do that. So leadership lesson number 3, self-awareness guides leadership credibility. Verse 2, self-awareness and leadership credibility. Let's go to verse 2.

Here we go.

Let another man praise you and not your own mouth, a stranger and not your own lips.

Your work should speak for itself. Self-awareness will grant leadership credibility. Self-promotion erodes credibility, but mature leaders let results and character speak. Let your work speak for itself. Focus on contribution over recognition. Focus on adding value. How do you respond when recognition is delayed? And are you more focused on impact or image? All right, so influence goes quietly when character leads loudly. The best people I've seen in the military are the people who don't seek recognition, they just focus on adding value. They just do their job, and eventually they get recognized because people see that. So that's a very important lesson to learn. Leadership lesson number 4: Emotional intelligence will prevent destructive anger. Verses 3 and 4.

A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, but a fool's wrath is heavier than both of them. Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, but who is able to stand before jealousy?

Control your emotions. Unchecked emotion causes collateral damage. Leaders must master their inner climate before leading other people. So you have to pause, regulate, and then respond. Don't just emotionally react to whatever is happening. Pause, regulate, respond. You need to be cool and collected in the midst of chaos. As a leader, everybody's looking at you. And if you are anxious and you feel like, oh man, everything is falling apart in big trouble, then everybody in your organization is going to feel the same way. So you have to be calm knowing that, yes, we've got this, we've trained for this, we're going to get through it. All right. You have to have that sense of confidence. So again, pause, regulate your emotion, and then respond logically to whatever challenges you are facing, especially when you are under pressure and stress. So what triggers your frustration and the stress? You've got to know yourself. And then how do you reset emotionally before making decision? Sometimes you just have to take a couple of very deep breaths like we did during the moment of gratitude this morning to just regulate your nervous system and then start thinking, okay, what do I need to do now in order to solve this problem. So leaders are remembered more for restraint than reaction, because restraint is really power. It is a sign of strength. All right, leadership lesson number 5: accountability sharpens leadership capacity. Let's go to verse 17. All right, verse 17.

As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

Iron sharpens iron. What a powerful vision. Because isolation will dull leaders, but growth happens in trusted, challenging relationship. You absolutely need to give permission to some people to challenge you. Iron sharpens iron. We learn from one another. You don't have all of the answers, but together as a team, we can come up with better answers and better ways of doing things. We are a lot more effective. There is that synergy, and you have to be open to that, right? So you have to build a circle of accountability, not echo chamber. You don't just want yes people to be around you. You want people who are going to challenge you, who are going to hold you accountable. It's so powerful. That's why I believe every coach needs to have a coach too, because it keeps you accountable. So who sharpens your— you intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually? And where are you resisting accountability? So sharp leaders surround themselves with, uh, sharpeners, right? People who are going to keep them sharp, who are going to keep them accountable. All right, uh, leadership lesson number 6: faithful stewardship sustains long-term success, based on verses 23 and 24. Faithful stewardship will sustain long-term success. Let's go to 23.

Be diligent to know the state of your flocks and tend to your herds, for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations.

Know the state of your flock, know your business, be a faithful steward.

Wow.

Neglect is slow leadership failure, but sustainable influence requires daily attention to people, to system, and to mission. Know the state of your flock. Know your business. Because regularly assess morale, readiness, and alignment, that's how you practice this. So what flocks are you responsible for right now? Could be people, Could be resources, could be a portion of the mission of your organization. What is the state of your flock? And where have you assumed stability without inspection? Trust but verify. So what you don't inspect will eventually fail. And I believe what you inspect, you will expect, right? All right, last lesson today, leadership lesson number 7, consistency builds legacy. That's based on verse 18. Consistency builds legacy. Let's listen to that. As a leader, you have to be consistent.

You shall have enough goat's milk for your food, for the food of your household, and the nourishment of your maidservants.

You have to be consistent because consistency builds legacy. Wow. If you keep the fig tree, you shall eat the fruit thereof. Right, so faithfulness precedes fruitfulness. Leaders reap what they patiently cultivate. You reap what you sow. So commit to steady investment even when results are delayed, but you have to be consistent, and eventually you will get the harvest. So where do you need to recommit to consistency, being consistent? Doing it over and over and over again until you see results? And are you planting for short-term wins or long-term legacy? Right? So legacy goes where discipline is sustained. So for Proverbs chapter 27, it really reminds us that leadership is not proven by opposition or praise, but by humility, accountability, emotional discipline, and faithful stewardship. Right? Leaders who welcome truth, They tend their responsibility daily, be consistent, and remain teachable, right? That will endure seasons of uncertainty with credibility intact, right? You have to be coachable. You have to be able to listen to people, even those who report to you. I would even dare to say even those who do not like you, you have to listen to what they say and look for the gold in the midst of the dirt. Find for what is an inspiration, an idea that is going to help you get better and better accomplish your mission and take care of your people. So this chapter, chapter 27, really challenges us to lead with open hands, sharpened character, and long-term vision. Well, that's what I have for you today, and we're going to do Proverbs chapter 28 tomorrow. And also tomorrow, Wednesday, I will have the great pleasure of speaking with the one and only Allison Walsh. I'm only Looking forward to it. She's a transformational brand builder, growth strategist, bestselling author of several books, including She Believed She Could, which also has a devotion. And we're going to be talking about women's leadership today. It's going to be a masterclass, and I want you to be there. We're going to be live. I believe it's going to be at 7 AM. So exactly this time tomorrow, and come with your questions, and this is going to be a lot of fun. Okay, until tomorrow, have a very good day, and I see you again on the Leadership Success podcast tomorrow. Thank you for being with us today.

Bye. Thank you for tuning in to the Leadership Success podcast with your host, Coach BZ. 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.