S31:E28🎙️ LIVE AWLL From Proverbs — Chapter 28 (Multi Tracks Audio)

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.

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Hello everyone, welcome to another very special edition of the Leadership and Success Podcast. Today we are talking about ancient wisdom and mentoring from the book of Proverbs. Today is January 28th, so we're going to be studying Proverbs chapter 28 today. And again, this is not a religious study, but this is about Looking for ancient wisdom and leadership lessons from a book written more than 2,000 years ago, but whose principles are still relevant today. All right, for a moment of gratitude, this morning I had the great pleasure and privilege of speaking with the one and only Allison Walsh. She has a J.D., she's a transformational brand builder, a growth strategist, and the best-selling author of She Believed She could. What a very insightful conversation we had this morning. So I want everybody to go and listen to that, Season 5, Episode 27. So I am really grateful for all of the illustrious guests I've had this season. It's only been 28 days and I've already had almost one guest every single day of this new season already. Pretty incredible. And I'm so, so grateful for it. I'm hoping to have my Leadership Insight article about our discussion this morning by the end of the week. All right, uh, thanks again for watching us. So let us know where you are joining us from. I want to know what city and state, and also, uh, if you're outside of the US, which country, and also what you are grateful for. So I'm going to be uncovering 7 lessons from Proverbs chapter 28 today, and I would like to get your feedback, your insight on any verses I don't highlight. Or if you have 3 to 5 takeaways from the 7 lessons I'm going to be sharing in just a moment. Well, before we start with Proverbs chapter 28, let's do a quick review of Proverbs chapter 27. So yesterday we talked about leadership lesson number 1 from Proverbs chapter 27, verse 1: humility prepares leaders for tomorrow. Overconfidence blinds leaders to risk, but wise leaders, they plan diligently, but they remain humble before uncertainty. Lead with humility. All right, leadership lesson number 2. Yesterday we talked about honest feedback strengthens influence, based on verses 5 and 6. Growth requires truth, and leaders who avoid Difficult Conversations: They Stunt Both Trust and Performance. And again, you can listen or watch all of those lessons. Everything is published everywhere you get your podcast, all of the major podcast platforms from lesson, from chapter 1 all the way to chapter 27. And today's lesson, chapter 28, will be published by the end of today. So you can access those lessons if you want to go into more detail for the 7 lessons for each of the So far, 27 chapters of the Book of Proverbs. So we're gonna go for 3 more days. Today's the 28th, 29th, 30th, and then the 31st will be the last lesson we do for the special edition of the Leadership and Success podcast. And thank you so much for reading along with me and trying to again get the ancient wisdom and the leadership lesson from the Book of Proverbs. Okay, yesterday, leadership lesson number 3, based on verse 2, we talked about self-awareness guards leadership credibility. Self-promotion will erode credibility, but mature leaders, they let result and character speak for themselves. All right, leadership lesson number 4, we talked about emotional intelligence prevents destructive anger. That's based on verses 3 and 4. Unchecked emotion causes collateral damage, but leaders must master their inner climate before leading others. All right, leadership lesson number 5, that was based on verse 17: accountability sharpens leadership capacity. So isolation will dull leaders, but growth happens in trusted, challenging relationships. All right, leadership lesson number 6, yesterday we talked about faithful stewardship Sustains long-term success, based on verses 23 and 24. Neglect is slow leadership failure, but sustainable influence requires daily attention to people, to systems, and to mission. All right, and the last lesson we did yesterday, Leadership Lesson Number 7, was Consistency Builds Legacy. That's based on verse 18. Faithfulness precedes fruitfulness. So leaders reap what they patiently cultivate. You reap what you sow. So that was what we learned yesterday. So today we're going to start with Proverbs chapter 28. So what's the big idea about this chapter? Well, this chapter confronts leaders with the hard truth: Authority without integrity collapses, but courage rooted in righteousness endures. All right, so this chapter contrasts fearful leadership driven by guilt and compromise with bold leadership anchored in truth, in justice, and humility. So it reminds leaders that moral clarity— not your position, but moral clarity— creates confidence, and that how we handle power, wealth, and accountability will determine whether we build trust or accelerate decay. All right, so the theme for, uh, chapter 28 is moral courage is the foundation of sustainable leadership. Moral courage. Okay, our first lesson, leadership lesson number 1: righteousness produces courage. That's based on verse 1. So let's, uh, listen to verse 1, Proverbs 28, verse 1.

The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.

The righteous, bold as a lion.

Wow!

Fear is often a symptom of unresolved guilt. But leaders who lack integrity, they constantly look over their shoulder, while leaders who walk uprightly lead with calm confidence. And that's really what we need to see more and more, leaders who are calm. They don't shout, they are calm under pressure. They are calm, cool, collected, kind of like President Obama was, a really, really cool guy. Looks like the economy is going to hell in a handbasket, like they say. But he was like, no, this is what we are going to do. Because if you have a leader and you get exasperated and you get frustrated and you get anxious, guess what? Your entire team is going to be anxious and exasperated too. And hello to Dimitriya Zinga coming from Castro Valley. Hi. So let us know what you are grateful for today, Dimitriya, watching us on YouTube. I appreciate that. So again, as a leader, you have to be calm under pressure. Righteousness will produce courage, and you have to show that courage by the way you act, because your team members are going to get a clue from you as a leader. So boldness is not arrogance, it is the byproduct of alignment between values and action. So where does fear influence your leadership decision? And are you avoiding conversation because of unresolved compromise? Think about that. So the anchor reflection here is: clear conscience fuels courageous leadership. All right, leadership lesson number 2: moral decay erodes organizational stability. That's based on verse 2. Let's listen to that.

Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes, But by a man of understanding and knowledge, right will be prolonged.

By a man of understanding and knowledge, right will be prolonged. High turnover and chaos, fractured authority, often signal ethical breakdown, not operational failure. So how do we apply this? Stability comes from leaders who understand justice, restraint, and accountability. You have to be fair. And really, strength is really strong when you show restraint. It takes a lot more power when you are powerful not to use your power when you don't need to, to show restraint, calm under pressure. Only use force when you absolutely, absolutely have to. That shows a lot of maturity.

Wow.

And you have to be accountable. As a leader, I've said that before, but I believe you need to have a group of people who you give permission to be completely honest with you. Speak truth to power. Speak freely without any fear of reprisal. You don't need to have a group of yes people, people who are just going to echo whatever you say. You need people who are gonna be able to challenge you 'cause we all have blind spots. You need somebody who's gonna be watching your back, watching your six, like we say in the military. You need somebody who care enough about you, who's going to tell you when you are doing something wrong, not just what you want to hear. And if you're gonna be a great leader, you need to be open to feedback. Accountability is so important. All right, so are your systems reacting to symptoms, or are your systems addressing the root causes? Because if you spend a lot of time just taking care of a symptom and you didn't take care of the root causes, you're gonna have the same problem over and over and over again. But if you take care of the root cause, guess what? You've solved it all. So think about building systems. All right, so do people trust leadership decision, or they merely comply. Because really true leadership is not just when people do what you say, but it's when people want to do what you say, when you influence them, when you inspire them to follow you, just because they like you, because they trust you, and because they know that what you want to do is good for you, for the organization, and for them. You care about them, right? Like we learned in the Navy from E-1 to O-5, I learned throughout my entire 21 my career in the Navy. Mission first. We do have to accomplish the mission of the organization, but people always, right? Take care of the people and the people will take care of the mission. Always, always prioritizing your people above all other resources or options within your organization. So the anchor reflection here is ethical leadership creates enduring order. All right, leadership lesson number 3. Integrity will outperform influence. Let's go to verse 6.

"Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich." So I'd rather be a person of integrity than be a person of wealth.

Integrity will outperform Influence. So influence without integrity is temporary, but character will always outlast charisma. So choose principled consistency over expedient success. What shortcuts are tempting you right now? And would your leadership still stand without your title or your position? Because integrity is leadership's most reliable asset. Above all else, keep your integrity. Guard your heart, who you are as a person, as a leader. Do what is right, even if it costs you in the short term. Always think about long term, who you are, your legacy, what you are going to leave behind long after you are gone. Wow, that's powerful. Okay, leadership lesson number 4: avoiding accountability will invite collapse. Let's read verse 13.

He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

If you confess and you forsake, you will have mercy, but if you cover, you will not prosper. Unconfessed failure compounds. Now, I've known a lot of leaders many times when they make a mistake— my father used to be one of those— they would never say that they are sorry. They would not acknowledge that they made a mistake. They will try to, you know, pass down the blame, blame somebody else. But as a true leader, when you mess up— and we all do, to err is human— it takes humility to say, okay, I messed up, I am sorry, I'm not gonna do this again, I've learned from my mistake or my failure. Because as a leader, what you do is When your team makes a mistake, you take all of the blame, but when they do the right thing, then you share all of the glory with everyone. That's leadership. And people will follow you when you are consistent, persistent, and you really have their back, when you care for them, right? Because unconfessed failure will compound, but transparency will restore credibility. So lead with transparency. Normalize ownership, correction, and learning, not blame shifting. Okay, you should be the first to say, "I am sorry." And that's really the way to lead, leading with humility. So where are you tempted to hide instead of heal? Hmm. Do your people feel safe admitting mistakes? So maybe it's not true, but what about people who work for you? Do you create that psychological safety where your employees, your team members are willing to say, I am sorry, because they know that you care for them, and you're gonna be focusing on the problem and not blaming them, trying to solve whatever the issue might be. What another leadership maxim I've learned throughout my Navy career is one team, one fight. So let's not bicker and fight against one another, you know, one team member against another member, or one function against another function within the same enterprise. Let's work together to solve bigger problem. All right. And if there are issues, let's solve them. Let's get to the root of it and not just spend too much time blaming and pointing finger. People need to know that if they make mistake and then they acknowledge their mistake, they take responsibility for it, they are going to be forgiven. And then they're going to be helped to learn from whatever happened so they don't make that same mistake over and over again. They can grow from it. So it's an opportunity for growth, not to blame and condemn. Okay, so confession will restore trust, concealment will destroy it. Just like they usually say, usually whatever mistake you've made is not really as bad as you think it is, and almost always people will forgive you. But what people will not forgive is if you start lying about it, you start hiding it. So it's always best practice to just come clean. This is what happened and I take responsibility for it and it will never happen again. I have gone from it, I have learned from it. That's why on my podcast I always ask, right? Most of the time people just talk about success, but I like to know about failure as well. Most of the people who come here, I interview, extremely successful. Many of them have even changed direction for industries, but even through all of their successes, everybody has to learn through failure. So I want to know, how has failure shaped your life? What did you learn by failing? And I believe you get to success by going through failure over and over again until you learn your lesson and you get better and eventually you will succeed. But of course, our media, our culture doesn't like to talk about failure, but it's important as a leader to also talk about your failures and to be vulnerable. So people can actually relate to you. Because if you walk on water, you are superhuman, and you do things that nobody else can do, nobody will ever be able to relate to you. But leadership is human, and as we see in the Book of Proverbs, we have to lead with humility. Alright, leadership lesson number 5: Reverence for God anchors leadership wisdom. So let's read verse 14.

Happy is the man who is always reverent, but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

And reverence will bring happiness. Reverence for God anchors leadership wisdom. So humility keeps leaders teachable. You have to be coachable. No matter how much you know, no matter how many people report to you, no matter how big is your organization, you always have to have that mind I am going to be teachable. I am going to be coachable. Because you can learn from anybody, even people who report to you, your colleagues, people you report to, even people from other organizations, even people who perceive you as an enemy. They can still speak to you and you can still learn from their wisdom, even if they don't really care much about you. You need to have that open mind. I am always learning. I don't know everything. Like this morning's interview, right? I spoke again to Alison Walsh and she said she doesn't know everything and nobody knows everything and you are going to make mistakes, but you need to have the courage and the faith to get started. And then when you do make mistake, take ownership of it, take responsibility, learn from it and keep on moving forward. That's so powerful. Right? So keep yourself Teachable, coachable with humility, because pride will blind leader to warning signs. So cultivate spiritual awareness, self-reflection, and moral restraint, right? So what feedback have you resisted recently? And are you leading with humility or defensiveness? The anchor reflection here is reverence will preserve wisdom. Okay, leadership lesson number 6, Exploitation is leadership failure. Let's read verse 16. Exploitation is leadership failure.

A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor, but he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.

Don't be covetous, do not envy, and you will prolong your day. Because power without empathy becomes oppression. Greed will accelerate downfall. Don't be greedy. Don't compare yourself with others. As a leader, you need to compare yourself with who you were yesterday. Compare yourself with the man, the woman in the mirror. Again, Alison Walsh, we talked this morning and she was saying, you really need to get better every day by just 1%. 1% better every day. Just get better every single day by that little tiny 1%. And in time, you are going to get so much better. By the end of the year, you won't recognize who you are by getting better 1% because it compounds. And one of the books I showed this morning, this one, The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy, jumpstart your income, your life, and your success. I highly, highly recommend this book because very, very small changes that you do every single day, you have to be consistent, are going to have huge, huge results. One mistake some people do is, okay, for example, if you're trying to lose weight or get fit or whatever, for one day they're gonna like try to work out for like 2 or 5 or 6 hours one time, and then they think that's gonna do it and they're gonna lose the weight, they're gonna be fit. No, no, you have to do it every day, or at least, you know, 3 to 5 times every day. You have to be consistent, do it over and over and over again, a little bit every day, and in time you are gonna see the result of it. It doesn't happen overnight. You do a little bit every day. That's much better than doing a whole lot and then do absolutely nothing for a long time. I remember when I used to run, I don't run anymore, but when I joined the Navy, I was running almost every day. Prior to that, I was a couch potato. First time I ran a mile and a half, I thought I had a heart attack, but it's just because I wasn't very active. So I started working out, but then I would work out, you know, for like a week, 2 weeks, a month, a year. And once you get conditioned, it's so easy, right? But then after a while, if you stop running for like a week or 2, and then it turns into a month, and then you try to run again, you pretty much have to start at level zero because your body is no longer used to it and you have to condition your body all over again. So again, make small improvement every single day, be consistent. And I promise you within a year, you are going to see great, great, great return on your investment because greed will accelerate downfall. Okay, so reject unjust gain even when it's normalized or profitable. So who pays the cost for your success? And are your incentives aligned with people or just profit? All right. Okay, Dimitria says this is such great teaching. Thank you. Well, I think she's biased. She has my last name. So thank you for sharing that, sweetie. I appreciate that. But yeah, are your incentives aligned with people or profit alone? So the anchor reflection here is true leaders protect, not exploit. So Demetria, what are you grateful for today? And also let me know if you have any insight on some of the verses I will not be highlighting today, or some thoughts about so far the 6 lessons I have already provided. Alright, we are almost toward the end. The last lesson today, Leadership Lesson #7: Correction is an Act of Love. So that's based on verse 23: Correction is an act of love.

He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue.

Rebuking Correction is an act of love. If you love someone, you're gonna tell them the truth. But I think it's also important to say so from a position of love, a position of caring, because I— you can say the same thing, but based on your tone, people will receive it completely different. You could be talking to them from a position of love— I love you, I care about you, and I have to tell you something you may not want to hear— then, oh, I condemn you, I don't, I don't like you. It's so— you're, you're Your tone, your intentionality, and where you come from really makes a big, big difference. But flattery will build comfort, but it is not going to help. That's not the way leaders work. But truth will build trust. That's what you want, trust. All right, offer timely, honest feedback even when it is uncomfortable. Again, something else I've learned in the Navy. When you have to correct someone, and sometimes you do have to do that, don't do it in public, right? Do it in private, one-on-one. But when you have to praise someone, do it in public. Public praising and correction in private. Okay, you want to preserve the dignity, the respect of human beings. You do have to be frank with people. You do need to have hard conversations. Stop being nice, right? Be kind. Because you are kind, because you care about them, tell them the truth. Don't just tell them things that they want to hear. Don't be flattering people. Everybody remember the story, right? The emperor has no clothes. He was completely naked, but he thought he was wearing the finest linen in the land because that's what people told him and people pretended. You don't want to be that person. You do have to speak the truth because that's why you really have to have a high-performing team and you need to have people from different backgrounds, different experiences, right? Not just race, color, and gender and all of that, but also people who think differently, because if everybody on your team has the same background as you, you think the same way, all of you will have the same exact blind spots. So what you want is when you have a new idea and you request feedback from the team, people can look at it from a different angle and be able to add value to the organization and really prevent you from falling into a pitfall. So that is so powerful. So offer timely, honest feedback even when it is uncomfortable, even under pressure and stress. So do you prioritize harmony over honesty? Do you just want to get along to get along, or do you want to be honest and speak the truth, especially if there might be a danger to whatever project you are working on in your organization? And who needs your loving correction today? Again, you do have to correct, but do it with love. And if you're going to do correction, I highly recommend you do it in private, one-on-one, not in a public setting. So the anchor reflection here is loving truth will strengthen leadership relationship. That's how you build relationships. That's how you build trust. Okay, that's all I have for today. So as a closing statement, Proverbs chapter 28 reminds us that leadership is not sustained by optics, authority, or control, but by courage rooted in integrity. So be a leader of integrity, be a person of your word. What you do and what you say need to align. Now, another way of saying that, right, via audio needs to match, right, via video. What you say and what you do need to be aligned, otherwise people are not going to listen to you, they're not going to trust you. So leaders who fear wrongdoing more than failure, and who choose confession over concealment, and who value justice over gain, they create organizations that endure pressure and earn trust. And trust is really the most important thing in leadership, in my opinion. One of my mentors, General Biggs, says, "Rank is rented, rank is rented, but trust is earned." Wow. And in leadership, it takes sometimes a very long time to earn trust. It doesn't happen overnight. But once you lose that trust, it's so difficult to get it back. So no matter what happens, keep your character, keep your integrity. All right, that's all I have for you today. And tomorrow I will be back and we're going to study Proverbs chapter 29, and then we're going to have a couple more studies for the book of Proverbs. Again, looking at ancient wisdom and leadership lessons from 2,000 years ago and how they are still relevant today in 2026, in the age of artificial intelligence. Alright, until tomorrow, this is Coach Bizzy. Thank you so much for watching and see you tomorrow. And please let us know in the comments what are your 3 to 5 takeaways and any verses I didn't highlight today from chapter 28. Please let us know your thoughts. Okay, till tomorrow. Goodbye.

Thank you for tuning in to the Leadership and Success Podcast with your host, Coach Bisi. 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 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.