S31:E3🎙️ LIVE AWLL From Proverbs — Chapter 3

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Alright everyone, welcome to another episode of the Leadership and Success Podcast. Thank you for being with us today. This is going to be a very special episode because we are going through the book of Proverbs and we are going to go through Proverbs chapter 3 today. But before we do, as is our custom here, on the Leadership and Success Podcast, let's just take a moment for our moment of gratitude. We want to be grateful every single day for at least one thing. So maybe you want to close your eyes and put yourself in your happy place. Take a deep breath and think about one thing that you are grateful for. What are you grateful for today, January 3rd? I think I am grateful that I am still alive. It's 2026 and, uh, we've made it. Somebody yesterday did not wake up or is not going to wake up this morning, but I am still here. I am grateful that all of my needs are taken care of. I have a place to stay, shoes on my feet, clothes to wear. I am blessed. I am grateful. So what are you grateful for today? Please type it in the comment and also let us know where you are coming from, what city and what state. And if you are outside of the US, since we've now gone global, please let us know what country as well. And, uh, This is going to be, like I said, this special session of the Leadership and Success Podcast. If you notice, this is Season 31, not Season 5. Okay. And we are going to be studying Proverbs chapter 3 today. And I would like for you to add in the comments what your insights are for any of the verses from the third chapter. I'm going to give you what I take out of it. Again, this is not a religious podcast. We're going to be talking about ancient wisdom, leadership lesson, right? Success principle from the Book of Proverbs, written what, almost 3,000 years ago, but how that wisdom is still applicable today. All right, so before we get with chapter 3, let me first give you a quick summary from what we did yesterday, Proverbs chapter 2. And again, if you go to my LinkedIn page and you subscribe to my newsletter, Leadership Excellence Accountability Devotion, I write an article daily. You are going to see the summary highlight for Proverbs chapter 1, which we did 2 days ago. I haven't written chapter 2 yet. I am finishing it up today. It should be published by the end of today, and then I will also do what we're gonna do today, have a summary for chapter 3. But at least you can go back and on LinkedIn or YouTube, watch the replay or whatever your favorite podcast platform is, it should be published everywhere podcasts are available. So just look on Leadership and Success Podcast with Coach Bizzy and go to season 31 and you will see chapter 1 and chapter 2. And today we will publish chapter 3. All right, so let's have a quick summary from Proverbs 2. So we talked about leadership wisdom is not accidental, right? It is pursued, it is protected and practiced. It doesn't just happen, you have to seek wisdom. What Proverbs 2 teaches is that discernment is a leader's quiet superpower. One that guards character, sharpens judgment, and keeps you on the right path when pressure mounts. I think you really see the true character of a man, of a woman, when they are under pressure. When everything is going well, you're making a lot of money, you have a lot of clients, and life is just rosy, uh, your character doesn't really shine. But when you are under pressure, that's when we see who you truly are as a person, because it just comes to the top. That's who you are. You cannot fake it. All right. So the theme for the chapter is wisdom. Pursuit becomes protection practice. So we talked about, um, the first lesson, stored wisdom, why great leaders learn on purpose. In order to learn, you have to learn intentionally. That was verses 1 and 2. My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding. So you have to apply your heart to understanding, you have to seek wisdom. All right, the insight was leadership growth begins with Intentional receptivity. Wisdom must be welcomed, retained, internalized, not merely heard. So that was the first lesson. And then lesson number 2, Urgency for Insight. Seeking wisdom before speed. That was verses 3 and 4. Indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure. Right, so discernment responds to desperation, not distraction. And leaders who urgently seek understanding avoid reckless confidence. So that was lesson number 2. Lesson number 3 was the humble leader's advantage: wisdom is received, not claimed. You have to be an humble leader. It almost sounds like a paradox. I was just telling someone the other day, you know, I've been in the Navy for 21 years now. I have worked for a lot of general officers Admiral and General, and especially, uh, for the 3 and 4 Sergeant, but really all of the, uh, General Officers I have ever worked for, it, it seems to me as if when they are Colonel or Captain 06, before they are made General, it's like they go to a humility school or something. Because I have seen some senior officer, you know, Commander like myself, Captain, Lieutenant Colonel, and Colonel, who are a little bit, uh, proud, arrogant. Have a very, very big ego. They have accomplished a lot, so I can see why they think they might be so proud and puffed up. But I have really never seen a general or an admiral that is. So it seems as if the Navy or the military sends them to a humility school where they get rid of all of that extra ego so they can be humble leader at the 1-star, 2-star, 3-star, and 4-star. That's what it seems like. But anyway, in order to be an effective leader, I believe you do have to be Humble. Keep your ego in check. Anyway, so verse 3 says, for the Lord gives wisdom, from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. So the leadership insight was wisdom is received, not self-generated, and humility is the gateway to insight. All right, lesson number 4, that's about, uh, integrity being an armor, how upright leadership protects the mission. And verses 7 and 8 He holds success in store for the upright, guarding the cause of the just and protecting the way of His faithful ones. So the insight: Integrity creates long-term protection. Ethical leadership is strategic leadership. Alright, lesson number 5: Choosing the right path—justice, fairness, and ethical clarity. That comes from verse number 9: Then you will understand what is right and just and fair every good path. The insight: Discernment clarifies not just what is possible but what is just. All right, lesson number 6 came from verses 10 and 11. For wisdom will enter your heart, discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. And the lesson: Internal guardrails. Discretion as the leader's first line of defense. And yesterday I said, ah, my mother was the most discreet person I knew. I really learned discretion from her. But the leadership insight: mature leaders develop internal guardrails, not just external rules. And then finally, the last lesson, lesson number 7. I'm gonna try to keep this in 7 lessons for each chapter, at least the most important 7 lessons from each chapter. Like I said, I've been reading the Book of Proverbs since I was about 12, 13 years old, every single year. And I like to do it the first month of every calendar year. January has 31 days, Proverbs has 31 chapters. So this special season is Season 31, and each day I read one chapter. So we did Chapter 1 on the first, Chapter 2 on the second, and now we are gonna be studying Chapter 3 on the third. And then we're gonna end this special podcast session on the last day of January, January 31st, 2026, when we read the last chapter of Proverbs, chapter 31. Okay, so back to the last lesson, lesson 7, the leadership walk, right? Consistency is what creates legacy. And that's from verse 20. Thus you will walk in the ways of the good and keep to the paths of The right choice. The insight, leadership is revealed through consistent daily choices, not isolated moments. And finally, just the final reflection was discernment really is the difference between influence that lasts and authority that fades. Again, I'm reminding of what General Biggs taught us on the podcast. Listen to it. I think it was episode 135, last season, season 4, Rank. He said, is rented. Whatever authority you have, whatever position you might have, it's rented. You're not going to be there forever. At some point, you're gonna have to retire or be moved out or resign or leave the position for somebody else. But your legacy, that's permanent. So for leaders in military, cybersecurity, technology, and executive role, wisdom is not optional. It is your moral compass, strategic shield, and leadership legacy. That's why you have to seek after wisdom. Okay, now let's start the brand new chapter, chapter 3. So chapter 3 is really about wisdom. Really the entire book of Proverbs is about wisdom. So I am reading it to really seek and look out for leadership lesson. I think the big idea in Proverbs chapter 3 is it really teaches us that true success flows from trust before strategy, character before competence, and wisdom before wealth. Now in the Navy, it looks like it's in the Army, all of the other branches of the service too, we talked about the 3 C's of leadership, right? Character, I believe comes first, and competence, and then connection, the 3 C's of leadership. But character comes first and foremost. Okay. This chapter, chapter 3 reframes leadership, not as control or self-reliance, but as alignment with enduring principles that guide decision, relationship, risk, and stewardship. Again, these principles are enduring. I believe they are universal regardless of what you do, which industry you are in, regardless of time and space. These principles, I believe they endure. They were good 3,000 years ago and they're still good today in 2025 in the age of artificial intelligence. These principles still work. All right, they are universal. So leaders who internalize this wisdom, they really lead with humility, they earn trust, they navigate uncertainty with confidence, and they build legacies that outlast their title. And I believe their lives long after they are gone, they still have an impact. All right, so the theme for chapter 3 is really trust-centered leadership. Leading with humility, integrity, and disciplined wisdom. So the first lesson, we're gonna read from verses 1 and 2. And again, my favorite Bible is the John Maxwell Leadership Bible. So that's some part of our curriculum here, along with the 21 Laws of Irrefutable Leadership. That was true for season 4, and it's again true for season 5. Again, this is not a religious podcast. We are going through the Bible, specifically the Book of Proverbs, to really seek ancient wisdom, leadership lesson, and success principle that are still applicable to us today in 2025. All right, so Lesson 1: Lead from the Inside Out. Proverbs 3:1-2, I'm going to read. My son, do not forget my teaching, 'But let your heart keep my commandment, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.' The insight. So leadership begins with internalized values, not external authority. And one thing Papa John's has really taught us is you have to have great values, right? You have to know what your core values are and you have to live by them. Be in alignment with who you are, what you believe. And then you have to value people. And because you value people, number 3, you want to add value to people. But that's really where leadership begins with your internalize your core values. Okay. Consistency between belief and behavior will produce credibility. You will be credible when you say what, when you do what you say, And you talk about what you actually do. That gives you credibility. I've been there, I have done that. You are consistent and people can predict what you are going to do because you are a person of integrity. You have value. It's a value-based leadership, value-based behavior. So long-term effectiveness is really rooted in discipline, adherence to proven principle. So that's why I love to study the book of Proverbs to find out what those are. So the application for this lesson, Probably need to codify your leadership values and revisit them regularly. One thing I do every year, I have my personal philosophy, it is published on LinkedIn and anybody can read that. And every year I kind of go back and I think about it and I make a few changes. Now this is who I am, what I believe, what my core values are and what kind of my vision is for the the future. And I kind of actually— why don't I just share that with you? Let me go to my screen. Yeah, I think it is important to have core values and for you to know exactly what you stand for, because it kind of helps you make decisions in life, right? It makes it easy if something is aligned with your values. Oh yeah, you're gonna say yes to it. But if it isn't, then, you know, it's a very easy no because, no, that's not who I am. No, doesn't mean that, you know, other people are wrong or anything. It's just, it's not for me, and it's, and it's very clear. So again, uh, the leadership, uh, devotion— lead on leadership, excellence, accountability, devotion. Right now I only have on chapter 1 published, but I will have chapter 2 and chapter 3 published by the end of today. So If you go back to, uh, my page, for those who follow me, I would just show you my leadership philosophy. And usually in January is where I review it. So if you go to, uh, not the newsletter but just an article— maybe I should make a lead article out of it. I, I think I will, uh, do that. But for, for, for right now, it's just part of the article I had written before. So I'm gonna go to show all article, and, uh, let me see, uh, Maya diversity is not what I want, a lot of tech stuff. Yeah, I think I, I will change that this weekend. My personal philosophy. Let's, uh, look at this briefly. I believe it was Jim Rohn was the one who encouraged me to do this. He is no longer with us, but again, no, I believe wisdom principles are really universal and they last beyond years. So even long after Jim Rohn is dead, whatever he taught us, you know, in his— back then it was cassette tape, now it's on CDs, YouTube, and digital media. You can still apply that today. Let me see if I can make it bigger so I can read it on my screen here. Okay, I think I can, I can read that. Uh, yeah, Jim Rohn said, uh, your personal philosophy is the greatest determining factor in how your life works out. So you have to have your own personal philosophy. Okay, so this is mine. I say, to the best of my ability, I will pursue integrity and excellence in every area of my life. I think the first time I wrote this, I was about 17 years old. And now, many years later, I still live by this. I will learn from all of my mistakes and critics. I intend to be better tomorrow than I am today. Tomorrow, I will be a better person. Husband, father, leader, colleague, employee, member of my community, and student. And of course, when I first started this, I didn't have husband because at 17 years old I wasn't married. But after I got married, I updated it and I put in husband there. So I will strive to be closer to my goals with each passing day. I will daily improve my skills and commit my life to continual learning. So that's my philosophy. I will always welcome change and learn to be flexible. I will not blame the government or other people for my current and temporary status in life. I will assume full responsibility for all of my actions. I welcome challenges in my life because they are the hidden opportunity that will force me to go to the next level. I have received favor. And I truly have, especially back then, I was a student at the University of Alabama and there was a civil war in the Congo, my country of origin. So my parents were able to support me the first year I was a student, The second year with the war, they didn't send me a penny. So I had to figure out how to make a living, how I'm gonna pay for school, for, you know, the endowment, and what I'm gonna eat. So that was a time in my life, I really wasn't sure where my next meal was going to come from. So that's, that's what I was thinking. I was about 18 years old then. Anyway, so I said, I will mentor anyone ready and willing to learn from my experience and help impart the wisdom that can only be received by learning from one's mistake or through mentorship. And that's part of the reason why I do this daily podcast, Leadership Success. And I will continue to seek out uncommon mentors who will inspire and encourage me to reach my full potential, be all I was meant to be. And that's why I also invite some of the incredible guests here on this podcast because I consider them my mentor and hopefully they're going to be mentoring you guys from the audience as well. And some of them have been mentors from a distance, like General Petraeus, General McChrystal, General Britto, General Biggs. I mean, on and on and on. The people I have really been blessed to really host on this podcast. Okay. And then I say, I have received favor and help from so many, and I will never repay in my life's journey. However, I will return the favor by helping someone else in need. I will mentor anyone ready and willing to learn from my experience and help impart the wisdom that can only be received by learning from one's mistake or through mentorship. I will continue to seek out uncommon mentor who will inspire and encourage me to reach my full potential, be all I was meant to be. Which I already read. Exactly. And then I go in and say, I am committed and determined to be an asset, not a liability, because I am dependable, I am reliable, and I'm accountable for result. I am consistently increasing my value to the market. I say what I do. That's where integrity comes again. I say what I do and I do what I say, always, no exception. I am a man of execution. I get things done, period. I create a path and direction focused on business result. I am a problem solver. I relentlessly set and deliver on my highest priority. So that's what I am. That's who I want to be. This is my best self and that's what I strive to be every day. And you've seen the The last time I published this, I think it has a date, 2021. So for the last 4 years, I didn't have to change it, and that is fine. At least review it every year, and if you need to change it, go ahead and do so. So I usually do this in January when I study the book of Proverbs. Okay, and then I think I end it here, and I say, I empower people around me, delegate authority wisely, drive individual accountability, grow my people, develop leaders, and ultimately lead to better decision. My mantra is speed to business result. My core values: service, leadership, excellence, honor, and growth. I think I added this paragraph 4 years ago. My happy place is at the intersection of leadership, technology, and business. My superpower is my unshakable determination to succeed. I consistently increase my level of certainty, clarity, confidence, and courage to manage, execute, and expand results in both my personal and professional life. My passion is leadership and cybersecurity. And my purpose is to help end suffering in cyberspace and inspire people to reach their highest potential. I help make living, working, and raising a family in cyberspace safer and more secure by minimizing exposure to confidential and privileged data and the impact of the next security breach. I inspire people around me through writing, speaking, training, and other meaningful engagement— I guess podcasting now— to help grow leaders who will impact their respective community and make our world a better place. I was born to lead. I will get along and be as professional with everyone who crosses my path to personal and professional development. I will not procrastinate. I will start my journey today. So this is my own personal leadership philosophy. So I highly encourage you to have your own as well. And yeah, so this is Just an example, just a sample. And I think everybody really should have one. And again, my core values are service, leadership, excellence, honor, and growth. That's really what I want to be known for. That's how I want to live my life. Every decision I make, I look at it through my core values. Service, I want to volunteer, I want to help, I want to add value. Leadership, I want to lead. What is the right thing to do as a leader? Excellence. Whatever I do, I'm not perfect, but I want to give my very, very best effort. Honor. I want to honor people no matter who they are. I want to treat them with honor, with dignity, with respect. I want to live as a person of honor. I want to be accountable, and I want to do the right thing, the honorable thing. And then growth. My aim is to always grow, get better and better. I have more and more wisdom. And in the Navy, of course, as I said, it's honor, courage, and commitment. It was really drilled into me. Okay. That's all I wanted to show you about that. So back to lesson number 1 still, lead from the inside out. So I said the first insight from verses 1 and 2, leadership begins with internalized value, not external authority, and consistency between belief and behavior will produce credibility, and long-term effectiveness is rooted in discipline, adherence to proven principles. All right, the application I talked about, codify your leadership values, revisit them regularly. I think at least once a year, do it annually. Measure success not only by outcome, but by how outcomes are achieved. It's not just what you do, but how you do it, right? And then build habits that reinforce ethical decision-making under pressure. It's kind of like a muscle, right? Kind of like when you work out, now when you start, you won't see much of an impact, but if you keep doing it over and over again, then your body is going to grow stronger and you're gonna see the result of your habits. So what leadership principle guides your decision when no one is watching? I think leadership is not about what you do in public on the stage when the limelight, the spotlight is on you, but what do you do when nobody else, or you think nobody else is watching. Because I guarantee you, eventually what's done in the dark will be brought to light. Eventually that will be the case. Or another way my professor taught me to think about this is, uh, what would your grandmother think about you if you did this? What would she think? Usually people respect their grandma. Uh, would she be happy? Would she be proud? Is this the right thing to do? So where have you drifted from your core values under stress or urgency? See, because I think what the stress, what the pressure does, it just reveals who you are, your core values. Like I told mine, we are service, right? Excellence, honor, leadership, growth. So when I am under a lot of pressure, that's really what should come out of me because that's who I am at my core. The values I have decided are my core values. So the anchor reflection is sustainable leadership is not accidental. It is the compound effect of daily obedience to timeless principles. This word is coming again. Again, I highly recommend you guys read the book The Compound Effect. It's on the bookshelf for the Leadership and Success podcast. My mentor Darren Hardy wrote this book. It's not too big. No, it's not too difficult to, to read, but this book could literally change your life. So let me show you, uh, one more thing. Let me go to my, uh, we have a digital bookshelf of the Leadership and Success podcast. So here I, uh, put whenever I interview someone and they have a recommendation for ebook, I, I add those here. For, for example, let me make this just a little bit bigger. So for example, here we have our curriculum, the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and the Maxwell Bible. And then here are the books that we are currently reading right now. So these were recommended this week or the people I'm going to be interviewing this week or next week, the books that they have written. So I think it shows what, 64 books in the recommended section. And then I have a book for everybody I interviews and offer, if they have written a book, their book will be listed here. So right now I have about 73 books. And then this one, Leadership and Success Podcast Most Recommended, these are the books that have been recommended over and over and over again. Right now it's about 26 books. And then I have, um, uh, all of the books that have been recommended since season 4, so that's last year. So we have right now 258 books. Like, tomorrow— actually, today I'm going to be interviewing, uh, uh, Colonel Cook. And whenever he gives me a couple of book recommendations, I will be adding those there. So that's going to be later today. First, I'm going to add it to the podcast recommendation, and then I will also add it to the current list. So you don't have to go for 256. You're going to see the books that are being recommended within the last 4 or 5 or 6 weeks. And he hasn't written a book yet, so he's not going to be under the podcast offer as of yet. So that's how I do it. But anyway, I am, I am. And then I have my own Commander's Bookshelf. It's about 200. Right now I have 201. I'm going to remove one. I think 200 books is more than enough. These are books I recommend, books I've been reading since I was 17 years old. And I think they really helped me grow. From E-1 to O-5 in the military, from the most junior enlisted to becoming a senior officer, but also from an entry-level technician to becoming an executive, an IT cyber executive. I think these books will literally change your life. But anyway, lots of book recommendations and some books libraries here are by people I have interviewed. There is one I really want to pay attention to. I have AI alert for him because I think he's the one man in the world who reads more than I do for sure. It's Lieutenant General Milford Beagle, General Biggs. I mean, he really reads a lot. Right now I have 73 books and I believe yesterday he may have mentioned one more book. So I'm going to go ahead and add it there. So it's going to be 74 after today. Anyway, I think it's important to read. There is a lot of value to that. If you have book recommendation, please let me know. If you have any insight from the verses I just mentioned for lesson 1, let me know, or any other verses in chapter 3. Okay, lesson 2: Trust is a strategic advantage. So that's from Proverbs chapter 3, Verses 3 and 4. Let me see how much time I have. Okay, we do have some time. I'm gonna need to end very soon. Okay, all right. So verses 3 and 4: "Let steadfast love and faithfulness not forsake you, so you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and men." Trust is a strategic advantage. Trust and integrity accelerate influence. If you are trustworthy, if you are a person of integrity, people will naturally follow you. People follow leaders who are consistent, fair, and compassionate. Reputation is built slowly but leveraged daily. Application: practice transparent communication even when the message is difficult. I would say especially when it's difficult. Keep commitment small enough to honor and big enough to matter. So one other thing I've been trying to do, my kids are the one who taught me this because if you make them a promise, I mean, my daughter, they're going to hold you to it to the end. So what I usually tell them is, no, I am not promising I'm going to do X, Y, and Z, but that's my intent. That's what I want to do. That is exactly what I think I am going to be able to do. So that's my intent. I want to do this. I'm not making a promise, but no, That is what, for example, my first daughter, she really wanted to learn to drive when she was 16. And okay, we are going to get you a car. Again, not a promise, right? I'm not saying I'm going to get you a car no matter what. If things work out, we have enough money savings and stuff, that is the plan, right? So it is the plan, it is the intention, but not a promise. So my kids have really taught me to do that this way. When I do make a commitment, I do absolutely everything I need to do to make it happen. If I have to move heaven and earth, if I have to only sleep 2 hours a day, I will do what I need to do in order to keep a commitment. If it's a commitment, I absolutely have to keep it. There is no way around it. But if it's just not a wish, then no, I might do it, I might not. So I just like to be clear with my communication. And again, since I became a father, I really try not to make any commitment Whatsoever. I'd rather surprise you, right? Do something for you that you didn't expect than me to make you a promise and then break my word, right? That's just not cool. So address breaches of trust quickly and directly, right? That's the application. So how do people experience your leadership under pressure? That's really when I think it matters, when you are under pressure and stress. Where do you need to rebuild trust? Upward, downward, or laterally. All right, so the anchor reflection: trust is not soft leadership, it is operational currency. I think trust really is the foundation of leadership. If people don't trust you, they don't want to do business with you, and if people do trust you, they will follow you. Leadership lesson number 3, I get that from verses 5 and 6: surrender precedes Clarity. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. So overconfidence blinds leaders, and humility will sharpen your judgment. Wisdom often requires releasing control before receiving direction, and alignment precedes acceleration. You want to go fast, you need to be aligned, aligned with your core values. All right, leadership application, uh, pause before major Decision to seek counsel and reflection. Balance data with discernment and create space for dissenting voices in decision making. Don't just react, you have to respond, and you have to create space for that. Listen to mentors, listen to people who may not think the way you do, and just receive feedback. Doesn't mean you, you're gonna do what they say, but at least you listen to it and it allows you to really check your blind spot, make sure You are not so focused on some things that you are ignoring all of the red flags. Just pause for a second, think, and then make your decision. That's why I really love to be— I mean, I know naturally nobody wants to be criticized, but I actually love when people criticize me because they help me become a better person. Because if your criticism is valid, I guess that's usually the first question I ask. Are you even qualified to criticize me? Sometimes people are just not qualified, and then you can just, after you listen to what they say, you can just ignore it. But sometimes they are very well qualified and they're telling you something that's true, something that's going to help you. But maybe they don't like you and that's why they're saying it, but what they're saying is actually true and it's going to make you better if you listen to it and you change, right? Maybe you need to speak better, you need to speak slower. Maybe like my wife, for example, my best friend, she has really changed me a lot. We've been married since what, 2001? It's gonna be 25 years in 2026. She's really taught me how to be more humble, right? And also to be more aware of my surrounding and the people around me. I used to be so focused on my goals that sometimes I would even step on people's toes without even realizing it. Now I'm okay. Just slow down, think, how do other people feel and consider that into the way I interact with people. That's great criticism right there. It made me a much better, not just husband, but human being too. And then my wife is somebody I love, so I knew exactly where that criticism came from, from a place of love and caring. But what I'm saying is even if someone doesn't like you at all, they hate you and they want to destroy you, But when they criticize you, there might be some gold in what they are saying. So it might be a lot of dirt, but in the dirt there might be some gold. So you have to dig for the gold. And if it's true and yes, I need to change and I need to do better, then do better. And then get rid of all of the dirt that you do not need, but get the gold out of it. I guess what I'm saying is you really have to be open for criticism, for feedback. That's going to make you a much, much better leader in the long run. So create space for that. All right, don't take anything personal. Again, take the gold and then get rid of the trash or the dirt. I think if you're going to be a leader, you really have to be very aware, aware of yourself, aware of your surroundings, aware of other people, and keep improving. Your life every single day. So where might your experience be limiting your openness to new insight? What decision are you forcing instead of discerning? Just think about that. All right. The anchor reflection. The straightest path forward often begins with letting go, surrender. There are things you can control and there are other things that you absolutely cannot. So just let go. There's nothing you can do about it, there's nothing you can do about it. But you can control your thought, what you are thinking, right? The book Think and Grow Rich— I read this book every single year since I was 17 years old— by Napoleon Hill. And again, in the Book of Proverbs, we're gonna get there on chapter 21, where it says, as a man thinketh, so is he. Think and Grow Rich— you can control what you think, and your thinking will affect your emotion. Your emotion will affect your Action, and your action will determine your destiny. Alright, lesson number 4: Humility protects leaders from collapse. Verses 7 and 8: Be not wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. So ego is a hidden risk multiplier. I think everybody has ego, and that is fine, but some people just have way too much ego. For ego get out of control. You have to keep it in check. You still have it, but keep it in check, right? Because it's a risk multiplier. Humility will keep leader teachable and adaptable. Like yesterday, right, I interviewed Thierry Maxwell. She's just like, if you are not coachable, if you are not teachable, she will never hire you and she will never work for you. She helps a lot of businesses scale and don't go, and she has core values, and she wants to make sure everybody she hires, everybody works for her obey those core values. She says within 30, 60, 90 days, she assesses the people she hires. If they don't live by those values, she will just liberate them back into the market. They don't belong to her team. So that's the type of leadership I am talking about, value-based. You can choose the people you work with, you can choose the people you do business with based on your own value. Doesn't mean that you are better than everybody else, it's just who you are. How you move. But you do have to be humble and you have to be teachable, no matter how many degrees you have and how much knowledge you have. Always be seeking to learn from anybody, not just people above you or your peers, but even from your direct report or your children. That's why I always say sometimes people, when they go for interviews and stuff, they really want to impress the hiring manager and their peers, but they completely disrespect the secretary, lady at the front desk or the janitor. But the thing is you have to treat everybody the same. That's again, one leadership lesson my mother taught me, treat everybody the same with respect, with dignity, no matter who they are and what they do, because everybody has a job to do. And together we work to accomplish whatever the mission of the organization is, but everybody is critical. All right. So ethical drift begins with unchecked self-confidence. The application, maybe you should consider inviting regular feedback from trusted advisor. I have my own personal board of directors. Some of them I meet in person, by phone, and others through their work. But I do need to regularly invite feedback. Normalize learning from failure. Every time you fail or you think you fail, no, you have to fail forward. I think I have a book here by Dr. Maxwell. Yeah, what they are failing— failing forward. There is always a lesson to learn for every failure. And separate role authority from personal worth. Okay, they are not the same. Everybody is worthy. And like, again, General Biggs taught us, rank is borrowed. It's only for a short season. That's not who you are. Okay, so where has success made you less teachable? And who has permission to challenge you honestly? Think about that. Anchor Reflection: Humility is not weakness, it is leadership insurance. Alright, lesson number 5, 3 more lessons. From verses 9 and 10: "Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruit of all your produce." So this is about stewardship, Shep's Legacy. Lesson 5, stewardship. Shep's Legacy, for those taking note. How leaders allocate resources reveal their priorities. If something is a priority to you, we talked with Dr. Dina Brown yesterday. She says, and I heard it from Papa John, whatever gets scheduled gets done. I think Peter Drucker might have been the original person who said it, but Anyway, Dr. Brown said yesterday, whatever gets scheduled gets done. If something is important to you, it's going to be a priority. If you say, oh yeah, this is important, but I will just get to it whenever, that's not a priority. You're never gonna get it done, right? You have to say, no, I've got to do this. This is important. Put it on your schedule. So if it's not on my phone, if it's not on my calendar, it doesn't exist. I'm not gonna do it. But if it is on my calendar, it has a time, it has a date, then I am going to do it. It is important to me, it is a priority, right? And what's important doesn't have to be expedient, right? There are certain things, because I think sometimes we get confused. General Luven became president, Eisenhower has a matrix which I really love. It kind of scales things. Okay, what's important and then what is urgent, right? And sometimes we get those things confused. I am talking to you now, somebody might be calling me, oh, this is urgent, someone is calling right now, let me pick it up. Well, do I really need to pick it up? Maybe, maybe not. We have invented voicemail, right? They can leave a message and I will get back to them. But for some people, whatever is happening at the moment, it's like urgent, urgent, I have to do it. No, no, maybe you don't have to. What are your core values? What are your priorities? And only work on your priorities. So I think you have to start with what's both important and urgent. Something is happening right now and it's important, you have to do that first. And then next, I think you need to work on what's important but not urgent. For example, being healthy, exercising regularly 3 or 5 times a week, not urgent. You don't have to do it, but it's important for your health. So you have to get it scheduled and you have to get it done. And then you can start with what is urgent but not important, or you can delegate that one. Yeah, it needs to be taken care of now. Someone needs to make the call, but it doesn't have to be me. It can be somebody working from for me or somebody else in the office can do it. This needs to get done, but just not by me and just not right now. And then what is not important, but it is urgent, those things you should just let them go. Just don't do it. Remove the clutter, right? And focus. Not important, not urgent, just don't get it done. Completely eliminate that. But it is urgent, but it's not important, delegate, have somebody else do it. Now, if it is important and it is urgent, you do that one first. And when it is important but not urgent, then you schedule it. Okay, that's what I learned from General Eisenhower, from his Eisenhower Matrix. That's gonna really help you be a better leader, maximize your time and your energy so you can accomplish more on the things that are important to you, aligned with your values and your own goals. All right. We're talking about stewardship. So some insight there is how leaders allocate resources reveal their priorities, right? So you prioritize what is important to you. Generosity signals abundance thinking, not scarcity. And mostly those I know are very, very generous, generous with their time, generous with their resources. Stewardship builds organizational trust and sustainability. Some application, okay. Align budget with mission, not ego. If you say this is important to the company, this is a priority, then the resources within the organization should show that as well. For example, I've been in cybersecurity for over 20 years now. Many organizations say, yeah, cybersecurity is important. We value privacy and all of this nonsense. And then when it comes to budgeting, there is almost no money for the cybersecurity department. So that means the leadership doesn't value cybersecurity at all. They say that they do, but the reality is all of the money goes to sales and marketing and cybersecurity has a very, very minimal budget. So if that's where your resources are going, that means in this example, sales and marketing is a priority for the organization, but cybersecurity, even though we tell our clients that it is a priority, in reality it is not. Because that's where the resources are being spent. So, all right, so model generosity with time, credit, and opportunity. All right, invest in people development, not just performance metrics. Now, what do your resource decisions communicate to your team? What do your resource decisions communicate about your priority? Where do you spend your time? Where do you spend your money? Are you investing for short-term wins or long-term impact? Think about that. So the anchor reflection: Legacy is shaped less by accumulation and more by contribution. Alright, now let's go to lesson number 6. Two more lessons. Verses 11 and 12: Do not despise the Lord's discipline, for the Lord reproves him whom He loves. So this is about growth, which often comes through correction. I already told you earlier, I really love, maybe not to be criticized, I don't think anybody really likes to be criticized, but I really love feedback, positive or negative, especially when it comes from a place of love. But even if it doesn't come from a place of love, that is okay, I still want to hear it because there might be gold in the dirt and I want to seek for the gold and improve. My life. Because basically what happened is some of those people who may not like you and who criticize you to hurt you, you can actually use the criticism, extract the gold, and actually use it to level up, right, to even get better. So it is, it is, it is really fun when, when that happened, being open to criticism and using it in order to improve your life daily. All right, correction is a sign of investment, not rejection. That's the point of view. It's a different mindset. Resilient leaders learn faster because they reflect deeper. As a leader, you have to think, you have to think, you know, below the surface, not just be, you know, um, what's the word, superficial. But you have to dig in deep, think about things, and then come up with a response. Because I'm sure the answer will come to you. You just have to calm yourself, calm your nervous system, and think. Don't react, but think and respond. Avoid discomfort, delay growth. Okay, that's the insight. Now, application: reframe feedback as a leadership gift. Okay, every feedback, including negative feedback, be open to that. Coach others with clarity and compassion. Clarity is so key. Uh, Brian Tracy, another one of my major mentors, he really taught me about Clarity. You have to be clear with your communication. I think most people sometimes they get confused. They don't do a very good job, not because they are not smart, but it's because they don't know exactly what's expected of them. Their boss isn't clear about what the outcome should be. So when you give a task, you have to be crystal clear. This is what needs to be done and this is the standard. This is what I expect. Now, I'm not going to tell you exactly how to get there unless you're like an entry level or something. No, you are a senior professional, this is what needs to be done. This is the standard, just go ahead and do it. So it's very, very clear what needs to be done. Okay, if I want to get promoted, what do I need to do? As an employee, I want to have that clarity. What do I need to accomplish in order to get my next promotion? What education do I need to earn? What certification? What goals do I need to accomplish within the company? And once I do those things, and my boss told me that's what you need, then I expect my boss to keep his word. To be a person of integrity and give me the promotion I have earned, right? Like I said, uh, yesterday, I definitely said before, some of the best commanding officers I've ever had in the Navy, they have very, very high standards, but they are very clear about the requirement, and they are consistent and trustworthy. If you meet the standard, they're going to give you the highest recommendation for your next promotion, and if you don't, they will not. So it's very, very clear from the very beginning. Actually, every time when I start a new job, I get a new role, I go to my Reporting senior, I'm like, okay, sir, ma'am, uh, what do I need to do in order to get your EP, which is the early promote? That's the highest rank your commanding officer would give you. Now, more than anything else in the Navy, once you get the highest rank for your annual evaluation, that's really what decides if you're gonna get promoted or not. You always want to be at the average, or even better, above the average rating from your reporting senior. Even better, get the highest mark. So it's like, okay, sir, ma'am, what do I need to do in order to get the highest mark in your unit? Then she's going to say, he's going to say, okay, if you accomplish all of these things, then you are going to be in the run for the EP. And I do those things and boom, that's the EP is what I expect. So when it's time to have that annual conversation for your evaluation, there is no surprises. I knew exactly what was required. Either I I meet and exceed it or I don't. And if I didn't, then I shouldn't expect to have a great mark. But if I did, then I definitely expect to get the EP. So just a different way of thinking. So reframe feedback as a leadership gift, coach others with clarity and compassion. And I think compassion is important too, right? You have to speak from a place, a position of love. I care about you. I may have something difficult to tell you, It might be like bitter herbs and you may not like it, but this is the truth and I need to tell you, and I'm telling you because I care about you. Making sure that people know that you care and you can have those difficult conversations and you must have those difficult conversations as a leader. You can't just ignore it or put it under the rug. That's not leadership. Leadership is being honest, being a person of integrity and telling people when they meet the requirement and when they don't. And unfortunately, as a leader, sometimes You may have to let some people go, and that is just life. So you have to build a culture where learning outweighs blame. Okay. All right, man, it's almost been an hour. We need to finish this. So how do you typically respond to correction? What lesson is current resistance trying to teach you? So even during the replay, if you are open to it, it'd be Great if you would answer those questions using the comment on LinkedIn or YouTube. All right, the anchor reflection: the leader who grows most is the one who listens best. I'm always reminded from one of the best lessons my mom gave me. He said, no, God gave you two ears and one mouth, so use them in those proportions. No, you have to listen twice as much as you speak. You do not have to speak all the time. I'm sure you guys know of some people, they really love to hear themselves speak. No, sometimes you just have to be quiet and listen. Especially as the leader, sometimes it's better if you talk less, let everybody else speak so you can get feedback from your team, even the most junior people in your organization. And then when you speak, it's like the law, it has a lot of weight. Because as a leader, if you just talk and talk and talk and talk and talk all the time, Eventually your talks is not going to be much. Oh, the boss always speaks and speaks, and people just tune out of what you're saying. No, use your words carefully and speak with conviction and authority so when you speak it really matters, right? Just my opinion. Okay, lesson number 7. So this is the last lesson for Proverbs chapter 3. Wisdom is the ultimate force multiplier. So what's that? Verses 13 through 18. So 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18. It says, "Blessed is the one who finds wisdom. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her." Wisdom is a tree of life to those who lay hold of wisdom. So the leadership insight: wisdom outperforms talent over time. It integrates knowledge, ethics, and judgment. Wise leaders create stability amid uncertainty. And the world is so uncertain right now, we need more and more wise leadership so we can create that stability in the midst of chaos. So leadership application: invest intentionally in lifelong learning, seek wisdom, not just speed, and design systems that reward thoughtful decision-making. So build that culture that's going to reward the people who actually have the core values of your organization. All right, where are you choosing urgency over wisdom? What discipline sharpens your judgment consistently? Anchor reflection: wisdom does not merely solve problems, it sustains leaders. All right, so Private Pre really reminds us that leaders in uniform, boardroom, startup, or public service that we have— no, the strongest leadership is really anchored and not reactive, no matter where you lead, what industry, and principled, not performative, and humble, and not hurried. So leadership should be anchored, leadership should be principled, and leadership should be humble. When trust guides strategy and wisdom governs ambition, leadership becomes both effective and enduring. So that's all I have for Chapter 3. It's been almost an hour. I don't see any comments in the comment box. So again, I am looking forward to seeing what you think about what I said or whatever insight you got yourself from any of the verses for Chapter 3. And I'm going to be back here tomorrow for Chapter 4. And actually today, in a couple of hours, I will be interviewing the one and only Colonel Chevy Cook, and I hope you can watch us live. He's a mentor-in-chief, soldier, scholar, strategist. We're gonna be talking about beyond control because leadership really is influence, not control. Okay, and then next week I will have the pleasure to interview Lee Jones is an award-winning CIO, Chief Information Officer, global system builder, textured, and calm under pressure. We're gonna be talking about going from legacy to resilience. And then I will have a great honor to speak with Admiral Melissa Burt, United States Coast Guard JAG. She recently retired, Judge Advocate General, so the highest-ranked lawyer for the Coast Guard. She's principled, strategic, and empowering. We're gonna be talking about leadership at the intersection of law, Trust and National Security. This is really, really timely with everything that's going on in the country right now. And then I will have the great pleasure, privilege, and honor to speak with Charlie Wetzel. He is the writing companion of my primary mentor, Dr. John C. Maxwell. He is the man behind the man, master craftsman with words, faithful steward, and multiplier of impact. We're gonna be talking about leadership without the spotlight. He's helped other people like Kevin Meyer write bestselling books. He's written his own books, The Marvel Studios Story, for example, A Christmas Wish, but also a short clip, The Candy Shop, a short film. So great, tremendous writer. And I believe he also has a writing class for those who are interested in becoming a New York Times bestselling author. I highly recommend you take the class. And I also have someone else confirmed. That's Tempra Rae Stevenson, food justice visionary, cultural engineer, and scholar practitioner. We're gonna be talking about leadership with nourishment. She's also the bestselling author of the Wanda series for kids. And tomorrow, I will advertise that later today, I'm gonna be talking to Commander William Spears, ship driver and author. And this is going to be a wonderful discussion to have. Okay, I hope you can join us for, some of these podcasts coming up for season 5 of the Leadership Success podcast. And again, we are going to have another very special edition of the Leadership Success podcast tomorrow, season 31, episode 4, Proverbs chapter 4. So ancient wisdom mentoring from the book of Proverbs. It's really about ancient wisdom and leadership lesson from Proverbs. Okay, I hope to see you later today for the interview I have scheduled. And tomorrow for Proverbs chapter 4 and the interview with Commander William Spears, US Navy. Bye for now.

Thank you for tuning in to the Leadership and 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.