S4:E130🎙️LIVE with CSM Algrish C. Williams, Sr., U.S. Army (Ret.)

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 success. Leadership 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 Welcome to another episode of the Leadership and Success Podcast with Coach BZ.

Hello everyone, I'm Algris Williams, Command Sergeant Major, retired, United States Army. I am a veteran leader, author, speaker, and the founder of Williams Leadership Consulting along with Williams Education Foundation. For more than 26 years, I've served in the United States Army. And today my mission is simple: to help leaders lead with purpose, live with integrity, and serve beyond the uniform. I spent much of my 26-year career developing soldiers, veterans in transition, corporate leaders, and educators, helping them to navigate change, build trust, and align their values with their actions. I am the author of Lead with Purpose: Unleash the Power of Meaningful Leadership, along with Navigate the Transition: A Veteran's Guide to Excel in Corporate Networking. I'm passionate about helping leaders ensure their audio match their video, especially in moments that matter most. So I'm honored to join Coach BZ on the Leadership and Success Podcast, and I look forward to a meaningful conversation about leadership, transition, service, and what it truly means to make an impact last. So thank you for having me, and I look forward To connecting with you soon. Take care. And God bless.

All right, everyone, I am super, super excited today. We have a very, very special guest. Basically, part of this podcast is me talking to the type of people who have mentored me throughout my Navy career, but in tech as well. So we're going to be speaking to a very special man. But before we do, I'm reminded for our moment of gratitude. This is the part in the show where we take less than a minute. We just want to take a moment to be grateful. And that is so important because it's about 21 service members who commit suicide every single day in this country. And it's not possible to be suicidal and be grateful at the same time. So if you would maybe close your eyes, take a deep breath, and think about one thing that you are grateful for, right now. Put yourself in your happy place. And I think for me, like many days, I am really grateful that I am still alive, right? And as long as I am alive, there is hope for me. No matter what I'm facing right now, no matter the difficulties, I know that my tomorrow can be better than my yesterday. Yes, yesterday we have Professor Jeff, and one of his favorite saying is, my yesterday doesn't have to be my tomorrow. Basically, it is the same idea. Things can be extremely different tomorrow than they are today or yesterday because of the hope I have for today. So let us know what you are grateful for. Please type it in the comment and also let us know where you are joining us from. And if you have a question for C.S.M. Williams, please type it in the comment as well. So let me try to do my best to introduce our guest today. So I am really, really excited to have him here with us. Today's guest is CSM Al Gridge. William is a Command Sergeant Major, retired, U.S. Army. So that's E-9, that's the highest rank for enlisted members. And when I was at boot camp 21 years ago, if I didn't make it as an officer, I would have definitely wanted to retire at least as an E-7. So, he's had a distinguished career in the US Air Force, corporate leader, author, bestselling author, serial bestselling author. He has written so many books already and Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award honoree as well. He's the CEO and founder of Williams Leadership Consulting and the founder and executive director of the Williams Education Foundation, where it champions leadership development, education, and community impact. So ladies and gentlemen, without any further ado, please help me welcome to the Leadership and Success Podcast, the one and only Audrey Williams.

Hey, hey guys.

All right.

Hey, how you doing today?

Very, very good. Uh, thank you so much for being here. We are so honored and privileged to have you. Maybe to get started. Yes, Sam, can you let us know one thing you are grateful for today?

Well, you know, similar to what you shared earlier, I'm grateful for the present that I'm given today because, uh, you know, today is the present and I was given a breath to breathe. And as long as I have the present, the future is still open. And so what I do today is going to prepare me for tomorrow. So I'm excited and honored that I have the privilege to breathe today so that I may have a better tomorrow.

Wow. That is really, really powerful. And is there maybe something about you that most people may not know about?

I try to be very open and transparent. The biggest thing about me is my journey in life is one of faith, and faith drives a lot of what I do. And as such, I therefore say that I'm a servant leader because God designed me to serve others and enable others to be successful. What I think many people may not fully understand is, you know, when I initially was born in the island, I was really born into nothing, essentially. I didn't have much. And over the years, I've worked on a few things to share that knowledge, especially with my kids, is that just because you start with nothing doesn't mean that you have to live a certain way. And carry yourself as if you're less than. Because at the end of the day, when we leave this place, we're going to leave with nothing. And so it allowed me to be more appreciative of what I've earned, what I've been, and the value I can add to others through resources I've gained since the time that I had nothing, where now I am successful. But if you see me 40 years ago, even 30-some-odd years ago, you wouldn't have— you wouldn't have known that I'd be here today. So, ah, and humble for that. Being able to share this journey with others.

That is really, really powerful. Maybe briefly you can let us know how you came to become Command Sergeant Major in the most powerful army in the world. How did that work out? And then beyond the uniform, serial bestselling author, CEO, founder of nonprofit, I mean, on and on and on and on, just all of those accomplishments, how did that happen?

Well, it wasn't by happenstance, I'll tell you that. You know, coming up, you know, when I left Jamaica and moved to the United States, I came here when I was 12. I really didn't see this path for me. I wanted to be a chef. Believe it or not, I do love cooking. But I didn't have the finances to go to school. I applied to Johnson Wales University, one of the best I thought. But it came with a hefty price tag. And in order for me to achieve that, you know, old-fashioned parents from the Caribbean, we didn't have the privilege of just applying to college and filling out FAFSA. My father, you know, kind of laughed at me when I said, hey, you know, I have to complete this FAFSA application and I need your Social Security number and I need to know how much money you made. And, you know, I'm not going to say he cussed me out, but in old-fashioned Jamaican ways, you know, they don't need to know any of that. They don't need to know my business. And so the end result was, in order for me to get here today, I had to figure out another way. And, you know, I've learned, you know, no is not an option. No means next opportunity to find the yes. And so because I didn't get the yes I was looking for, then I created that yes by going down to the recruiting station because I was very familiar with the Army. I did a couple of years, 4 years in ROTC in high school, as well as 3 years in the Navy ROTC, 1 year in the Army. I knew that I did not want to be in no one's boat because because I don't swim. But I knew what I could do for the Army. And so I chose to join the Army to allow myself to get the education that I needed. What I didn't expect was that I would stay in the Army for over 20 years. So every 3 years, I was able to see getting out. But the journey was not easy. You know, I went through some, some tough times, worked with some leaders that challenged me, that hurt me. But at the same time, gave me strength to push through and realize that I wanted to stay in a little longer because I wanted to prove that I was better than the ones that didn't care about taking care of soldiers or taking care of other— the family or taking care of the job in general. So I stayed because I wanted to make an impact, make a difference. And as a result, each step of the way, the Lord has blessed me with an opportunity to rise to the challenge to have someone else. And each step I kept going out. Making E9, I didn't think was going to be possible. I thought I was going to make it the first start, E8, and I was going to be done. But, uh, lo and behold, I did it good enough to get there.

That is really, really amazing. You've got to say this again. What NO stands for? Next opportunity.

So NO for me is next opportunity to find that yes, you know. Wow.

That is powerful. Next opportunity defined as a yes. That is absolutely, absolutely powerful. Yeah, I think sometimes in life is really the way you look at it, isn't it? Two people, even sometimes born from the same parents, same mom, same dad, same circumstances, same everything, but they go through life difficulties. One of them just crumbles and pretty much gives up and dies, but the other one just strives under adversity. And sometimes, How is that possible? What is that thing that allows people to go through very, very hard time but still be able to make it and endure and just have that great and that positive mindset and allow them to overcome? It is so amazing to see. And I think something like what you say, next opportunity defines us, yes, because looks like for most people when they hear no, they just give up and they're okay, okay, no. But for other people like you and me, it's like, no, no, What you— when I have a challenge, I'm going to find a way above it, under it. I'm going to blow it out of sight, but find a way to get to a yes. But that's really a mindset. It is a different way of thinking. Where do you think that comes from?

Well, you know, I would say a lot of that came from, you know, my grandfather. I didn't grow up with my grandfather initially. I met my grandfather when I moved to the United States. You know, he started working for a manufacturing company and hurt himself. And then he decided that, you know, he wasn't able to do what he had to do. So he left and he started creating his own. He started his— he started a business. Then he got into real estate. He bought probably about 10 or 14 homes and he ran an entertainment business. But the hard work was something that he really kept pushing me on. You know, we loved the garden. Every summer I would spend with him. From we got up until the evening, we was out in the garden working. And so as a result of that, you know, he taught me that if you want it bad enough, you can get it. And again, that yes, that no to a yes. It's not saying that you can't fail at something. Failure is a necessity to be greater in success.

Yes.

But working hard was not an option. You have to be dedicated to something if you want to gain If you want to gain resilience, if you want to be better, be better for you, not for no one else, but be better for you. Wow.

Well, you gave another wisdom nugget. Failure is a necessity to be great at success. That's really a different way of looking at failure because most people, when they fail, they feel bad and then they give up. But if you see it as a stepping stone to something greater where you need to learn something. And I love that. I don't think you said it on the podcast yet, but in the Green Room, you said, You really do not compete with everybody else. You compete with the man in the mirror, with the person you were yesterday, and which is really so powerful. Wow. Can you tell us more about that?

Well, you know, so growing up, you know, at some point in time, I really had some self-esteem challenges. That's one of those failure opportunities, as we say nowadays, not necessarily failure, it's opportunity. I struggled with identity because I thought I had, I thought I was good. I left a situation where I didn't have, and I moved to the United States where I thought being in the United States, life was much better. I had the clothes that I didn't have, I've had the shoes that I didn't have. They were nice to me because I didn't have those things on. If I had rags that I was wearing, so I went from rags to nice threads, but I was getting teased in a way that made me felt like I was less than. And so You know, looking at all those things, you know, having educators and others showed me a path to be better. And what did better mean? It means look at how can you add value to the world, and not worry about what they and them are saying?

Yes.

And so when I realized that they and them don't have anything to do with me, I actually sat there and I don't think I've shared this with anybody, but I sat in front of a mirror for about 4 hours. And I'm a terrible artist because a teacher told me that I had beautiful eyes. That alone sparked me to draw myself to see what she was talking about, because everything else I heard was that I was this, I was that, and none of it was beautiful. None of that was handsome. And it was really— everything was about tearing me down. So when I drew that and I saw something in my own eyes. I recognized that in order for me to move forward, I need to focus on my race. Wow. What they were saying, focus on where I wanted to go. And as a result, I started getting active in the community. I started joining association. I started creating my own association and other things. And as you can tell, almost 30+ years later, I'm still a busybody. Not only am I right I'm doing a lot and I'm still very much involved. Yes, my family. If I do it, my family is with me. My faith is with me. So, you know, glory to God in all of this, first and foremost.

Actually, I'm going to kind of do this out of order, but you have to tell us about this right here. Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award 2025. President Joe Biden and Vice Kamala Harris. What happened?

So it's interesting, as you shared that picture there, the lady at the top, Dr. Tabitha Russell. She recognized something that I was, you know, when I give back to the world or to the community, it's not about taking or receiving anything back. I've been volunteering since I was a young man growing up from middle school to now. And so she had a speaking engagement at one point that came out and I was invited to be part of it. And then we got to talking and she she asked me about some of the things I was doing. I just came from a mission trip to South Africa where— wow— I work with a nonprofit organization and my church to go over to South Africa, Cape Town, and Johannesburg to help that organization, to help the organizations there, to help, uh, bring— build up, uh, churches in the community and bring stability around the youth and so forth. And she said, well, what else do you do? How long have you been doing it? And so I shared what I was doing. And as based on the things that I've been doing over the last several years, essentially, she recognized that, you know, I, you know, I've earned, I guess, the right to be recognized for such. And as a result, wow, this came about. And I'm truly appreciative of her taking the time to talk to me about it and, and to help get me to a state of recognition. Again, not doing the work for it, but I certainly appreciate her taking the time out to do that.

No, that is, that is so, so important. We're going to be talking about volunteering a little bit later during the show. Like, you know, I know, man, you've done this all of your life. You were presenting a check for $200,000 to the Army Emergency Relief, which, which, which is really amazing. Like, I know when I first joined the Navy 21 years ago, well, I wouldn't say a bad petty officer, but, but someone told me what Navy stood for was never again volunteer yourself. I'm like, no, no, no, that's not what the Navy stands for. You do have to volunteer. You do need to do something and add value to the community. So I did the complete opposite myself. But it's very important, especially these days, to really add to the community because sometimes you may even think, okay, I don't have much to offer, but maybe you can mentor someone, maybe you can teach someone how to read. You can do something to really be really good, I guess, from success to significance, right? It's going to be significant to the life of somebody else. And you definitely embody that. So you retiring as a Command Sergeant Major, that's a very, very big deal. E-9, you are at the very, very top of the rank. So when people look at you like that, I'm sure they are thinking, okay, Command Sergeant Major, they think no rank authority. But who is Aldrich William when the rank comes off? And how did that identity evolve over your career?

So I will tell you, it actually started before I joined the military. You know, as I shared with you, I had the self-esteem issues and I had these identity crisis. The moment that I drew myself and recognized who I was. I started recognizing my why. But I didn't necessarily understood it until probably halfway through, almost closer to the end of my military career.

Wow.

That purpose was— once I understood that my purpose was to help others to be successful and to enable others and to be that leader for others, that part was understood by the title. But to actually be humble enough to say that I don't know something and rely on my team or to, to support others, even when I didn't have all— I wasn't equipped. I felt like I wasn't necessarily equipped. I had to go inwards and look at why am I here. And so who Albus is outside the uniform is a man of God, a husband, a father, a community activist, if you, if you ask it really. And and an advocate for people first. Right. And so those qualities, along with humility, is who defined who I am today. The rank is borrowed. The Army allowed me to hold on to that rank for a couple of years while I served and supported them. Do I— did I need the rank to get my work done? Absolutely not, because I approached everything as Algoish before the uniform. So At the end of the day, if a leader have to say that I am Command Sergeant Major, I am general, you are not really necessarily the leader in that situation. Because you have to showcase what's on you versus show people through your action who you are and why you're here for them and service them. Our job as leaders is to be a servant first. What to give.

That's really powerful. You said something about Frankisborough. The first person I heard say that was General Beagles, but legacy stand. It's really amazing in the military and in life when you meet people you've never met before, but their life philosophy and what they stand for completely align with your own. Maybe you can share A little bit. The next question I have for you, especially as a command sergeant major, you know, at that level, leadership becomes less and less about, you know, doing everything yourself, but it's really about shaping the culture, right? So how did you build trust and influence without relying on positional authority?

By being me, being humble, uh, recognizing that, um, I didn't get here by myself. I got here by the sweat of those that supported me, whether that's me being a drill instructor, me being the recruiter, me being that noncommissioned in charge of a team. It wasn't about me, it was about the team. And so recognizing who I was and who I am is first for the people. And so building that trust was to really showcase my value by acting upon the actions and the word, not just saying it, but actually doing it. So if you're in the trenches, I'm in the trenches. If you're getting dirty, I'm getting dirty. 9 times out of 10, I've been there before you. I've done it before you. But now that you're here and you're going through it, I'm going to be right there next to you. How can I help you? What can I do to help your career to be successful while I'm sitting there with you learning your struggles, learning your challenges, and showcasing that I can do the same thing that I'm asked to do, but I won't ask you to do anything that I would not do myself. How can we move forward together and help get to the end state? What is the mission? What is the, what is the desire? Why do I need support, and how can we get it done?

That, that is really powerful. So you wrote a bestseller on Lead with Purpose. You do talk about, um, purpose a lot. Maybe one question I have for you, for the people listening, especially our junior enlisted folks, and maybe I also care about the people in high tech, they may be an analyst or an engineer, what would you advise to them in order for them to find their purpose in life?

Well, you know, so when you think about it, is what gives you joy when you wake up in the morning? When you wake up, if your first thing is, you know, I want to make a million dollars, I want to live in this luxury style living. And it's not about glorifying, and it's not about giving back, then you know where your priorities lie. And so identifying where your priorities lie, what gives you the joy and the zeal to want to go out and be the best version of yourself, identifying that is an inward thing. It's a mindset shift that allows you to see your value that you can add to other people first, that will help you get to the next level. So once you identify that why in you, it is that much easier to perform. It's not necessarily the job that you're doing, because if you are a garbage man, it's okay, but be the best at it. Don't complain about that, that you got to sweep up something because The person just walked by, you dropped it, they saw it. It's okay. Do it with humility, do it with passion, and give 100% of who you are in everything that you do. And at the end of the day, you will see and reap those rewards. But be passionate about what you're doing, because you understand who you are. And if you don't know who you are, there's several things we can do to get there, right? You know, you, you're a Maxwell guy, we can do the DISC. You know, we could go through and do all these various assessments to get an understanding of what gives me joy, what gives me desire, and use those things. Matter of fact, even if you failed at something, use the fuel from the things that you thought you hated to create passion in something else.

That's really powerful and insightful. Another book you've written is Navigating Transition. Let's talk about transition a little bit. Quite a lot of people really have trouble transitioning out of the military into civilian life. I know, I think it was in 2017, the Navy literally technically kicked me out of the service because of medical issue. Then I had to— it took me almost 6 months to fight and go through the medical appeal so I would come back. But I must tell you, back then I wasn't ready to quit the Navy yet because I felt like almost— it's almost like being Superman and all of a sudden now you are just Clark Kent and you don't have a mission anymore, you don't have a purpose. It's like, why am I even alive? I guess you reminded me, one of my mentors, one of yours too, right? General Colin Powell, he used to say, don't let your position be so close. Don't let your ego be so close to your position. So when you lose one, you kind of lose yourself, something like that. But anyway, I definitely had lost all sense of who Bob Fabien Zinga was. So I guess the question for you, kind of to help out the people who are listening right now who might be going through a transition, especially from the military into the industry, what would you advise them to do throughout their transition?

You know, that is a powerful thing, and I like your story there. And, you know, I'm sitting over here smiling because It's so funny to think about many of us as we start to leave the uniform. So much of who we are is wrapped up in that uniform. I've been a sailor for 20 years. I've been a soldier for 20 years. I've been airborne. I've been there. But who are you? You know, if you don't know who you are and you wrap your identity around what you did, you're going to struggle a little bit. And sometimes that struggle is okay. But I would tell those that are starting to think about transition, start thinking about it a little earlier. Yes. You know, at the end of the day, if you join the military for 3 years, 4 years, or you're a lifetime individual, at each step of the way, what happened if you're not gonna— if the military said they don't need you in 2, 3 years? As you're moving forward, educating yourself, start understanding who you are. What is your brand? What do they say about you when you're not in the room? And how do you walk into a room and be your best self and be confident about that which you are? Those are all part of that transition. Because if I'm leaving the military, and I'm dragging it in the duffel bag with me, I am not really leaving the military. I am just moving out, but I'm still in it. And I'm taking that time to say, Who is Al Grish and what am I going to do now? Yeah, that is a question I asked myself. I really, although I didn't have the identity crash per se, I knew that I was ready to leave because I left on my own accord at the time because I was focused on my family and I needed to be there for my family. But identifying that which I want to do, and if I don't know, talk to those individuals that are around me, my family, those leaders supported me. You find the various assessment, whether it's a CliftonStrengths, it's a DiSC, it's a Bergsman assessment, to identify those skill areas that you are great at and focus your energy on the things that you are great at and start finding people in industries that are doing those things that you think you're great at, or you want to be great at, and start building your brand around that. Start learning to to be that subject matter expert. Because the thing about the military makes us so Swiss knife, Swiss knife-ish, because we can do almost anything because the military use us in that facet. So some of us, you are specialized because you're in technology. I was doing resources. So I could say I'm specialized in that arena. But the military pulled me out of the resource and had me doing so many different things. So you have to figure out what are you you're good at and use that to start being that, hmm, as you start transitioning, but look at what does it look like outside the uniform? How do I translate it? Yeah, awesome. LinkedIn is my friend. I've met many friends on LinkedIn. And I've learned about how they pivot from one career to the next. What they went through and how did they do it, and then took some of those lessons and apply it to my own life. I started researching months before I left. I did it in 6 months. Some of you, I went the medical route because it was the only way I could go at the time because the Army wasn't ready to let me go, essentially.

Well, I love that you mentioned LinkedIn. I think it's definitely the number one networking social media for people in the workforce. But you've really helped hundreds of veterans navigate transition and your book The one we're talking about now, Navigating a Transition, really focused heavily on networking. But why is networking so uncomfortable for so many veterans and how can they reframe it authentically?

Oh, that was a good one for me. A good friend of mine, D. True Briscoe, I hope he's not going to fuss at me for calling him out on this podcast, but really great man. He and I served together in Iraq. And as a matter of fact, one of those videos you showed earlier with us, pulling those tanks and stuff in Iraq. Yes, it was him that encouraged me to formulate that. And how we did that was to go around the different, uh, forward operating base and find and connect with other people. And I hated doing that. My, you know, in the military, what I thought my job was to focus on what I'm good at and do just my job. I didn't need other people. But he reinforced with me the value of a community almost like a mastermind group to come together to get more done. So networking is so essential, because if I'm good by myself, how much greater am I with many? One versus many does so much more. So get out in the community, leverage the strength of others so you can work smarter, not harder. And networking is a way to showcase your skills and your talent, find out what are the needs and the challenges and opportunities that people or corporations are having. And now you go back and look at the soft skills and the skills that you've learned over your 10, 20, 15-year, or however long military career. And you can come back and say, you know, Bob, you know, I'm glad I had a chance to connect with you at this Maxwell conference. You know, I heard that you were having some challenges with leadership training and so forth, you know, I, over the last 10 years, that's been one of the key strengths of mine. And here are some of the products I've developed, and here's how I helped, you know, 20,000, 30,000 people achieve greatness and became better leaders in their organization. Is there a way for me and you to connect to talk about how I can help you and the challenges you're having? And those conversations happen when you're in a networking forum more and more when you're connecting with other people and learning about where you can add your strength to what they're looking for. So networking is key.

You—

it's like, uh, well, without— your network is your wealth when you think about it, because you can apply to 20 jobs, 100 jobs. If no one knows you, knows your credibility and can vouch for you, uh, you may not make it to the interview. If you make it to the interview Yes. You're applying against somebody like me. And I know the people that's doing the employment, they've met me, they've worked with me at a volunteer event, they had a conversation, and they know my skill sets. Who are they going to call for the job? They're going to call the guy that applied, just cold? Are they going to look at the person that they have a relationship with? And even if I don't have all the skills, yes, they're looking for, for the job, I have some soft soft skills. They like how I operate. They see how I connect with other people. They can leverage that relationship building to create opportunities in the organization.

Yes, and right now I am playing that MV Push, which was pretty amazing. It's really incredible, the work that you did. Can you tell us just briefly what was happening here?

So, uh, at the time, uh, I was in Iraq. Was getting bombed on pretty heavily, uh, by the, uh, you know, the Iraqis at the time. And the General Ferda was the commanding general at the time, wanted us to create some opportunities that will allow our troops on the ground to, to have a stronger morale. What can we do to boost their morale so that they can continue to feel good about where they were and the work that they were doing? And so my boss and I, Dietrich, at the time, sat down and thought about it. We connected with a few of our teammates. And we said, hey, let's do something. There he goes right there. Let's, let's, let's come up with, you know, some team building competition that will get people out of their offices, get people out from the, you know, their silos, and bring them out in the community and see one another. And the energy from that should create some momentum for us to really continue to feel like it's okay to be away from home for a little while and build the bond of the team. And trust me, we built some bond that's been there in Iraq.

That's really, really amazing. It seems to me like you are even busier now than you were when you were on active duty. Let's talk about your education foundation for just a moment. So the Williams Education Foundation, you really invest in educator. So why is leadership in education such a critical and often overlooked mission?

Well, you know, it's, I think it's really overlooked because society doesn't value education the same way. And when, you know, I think when the education system was founded, it was founded to create workers. And oftentimes as we look at our government and what we do, where's the first place that they take funding from? They take funding away from education. And I'm a product of public— I'm a product of public education. And as I shared with you earlier, it's— I don't believe I would be sitting in front of you today having this conversation if I didn't have a few great educators that gave me some encouragement to push me to do more. Educators build leaders. Yeah, they, you know, they shape the future of our country because they're not— they don't do it because they're getting paid. They do it because it is their why, it is their passion, it is their purpose to add to and to develop the next generation of leaders. But they're not getting paid, they're underpaid, they're undervalued. And so for me, when I thought about it, I wanted to get into the education system. But at some point in time, I find that it would be a challenge for me to get into the education system where I was in my state. And also I thought about politics and, you know, at the end of the day, would I be able to move the needle fast enough if I went into politics? Would I have a voice that can change the narrative to push, lobby for resources to support educators? And I found that, you know, if I could start small and build up something here where I'm at and bring in enough resources to put resources back into educating this I'm not going to change the world overnight, but what it means is I'm going to give a little bit of morale to those educators that feel undervalued, whose paycheck— they're taking a good third of their paycheck to put back into their classroom and to feed some of those children who may not be fed at home, or to do a lot of things that we don't even see because they're spending almost a whole day with our kids that we're not spending developing them. This is my way to say thank you for being that leader that helped me to become a better leader. Thank you for building the future generation and empowering others to thrive in the world. And as, as, as a result of that, I want to hand you a check for whether it's $100 or $200 or $1,000. As often as I get it, I want to hand this to you to help you do what you're doing in the classroom. So that you could continue to help our children thrive in the world.

That is really, really, really powerful because like I'm showing you, you've written not just one, not just two, but four bestselling books, including this one where you are— no, that's not the one— where you are a co-author. Yeah, this one here, Visionary Leaders of Purpose. And you also have another book that you are writing on right now. You told me about why the audio must match the video. So in that book, what does that phrase mean to you, and where do leaders most often get it wrong?

The audio must match the video. It's like the parents telling you, don't do this, uh, uh, do as I say, not as I do, kind of concept. That came about, and I'm not the originator of that term by any means. I'm certain I've heard it a few times. Matter of fact, I've heard that saying about 100 times when I went to the Senior Enlisted Academy by a guy by the name of Maurice Thorpe. He was one of our commandants or deputy commandants there at the schoolhouse. But what does that mean? It means aligning your action with your words. If you are going to say it but not do it, are you really making an impact? People don't just follow, uh, they don't just follow you because you, you stand up and puff your chest. They follow you because they trust you. They follow you because they see themselves in you. And if you are not willing to, to align your words, your action— you're telling me to take time for myself, but you're in the office 24/7. You're emailing me at 2 o'clock in the morning, but you're telling me to you know, manage my time wisely, or yes, you know, balance my work-life balance, but you send me an email and you expect me to respond at 2 o'clock in the morning, that doesn't match. It doesn't line up. Yes. And so where many leaders get it wrong is they don't display what it is they're saying. Telling you one thing, but they're doing another.

That's really, really powerful video. Yes. No, no, I think I really learned that lesson from my Daughters, raising them because they never listen to what parents say, but they always do what parents do. And it's such an important lesson. Whenever that book is published, I definitely want you back on the podcast. So we have about 20 minutes left. Let's get into the second segment where I really focus more on leadership principle. To get started, maybe what is you believe the greatest lessons you have ever learned? Lesson in general, in leadership, life?

The greatest lesson I learned, I think, you know, you think that it was while I was serving in the uniform, is actually being a parent. You know, and that is my expectation of my children. I thought that, you know, my kids correct me, I raised them in such a way that they can hold me accountable to the things I say and do. And, you know, when your children stop you and say, well, Daddy, you said this, and, uh, but then you're not doing it. Uh, yes, to me that really shocked me, you know, when my kids are calling me out. And I, I'm so proud of them for calling me out when I'm not doing the things that I say I'm doing. You said you was gonna take a day off from work, but you come home.

Yes.

And you're on your phone. You, you was at the game. I saw you. I was watching you sitting in the stadium, but you was on your phone the whole time. Did you know, did you see when I slipped and fall? And the lesson I learned from that was that, you know, when you're present, be present. I'm great at work. I was present at work. I was there for my troops. Then I come home, and I'm still doing troop work. And I'm not doing father work. I'm not doing husband work. So the greatest lesson I've learned was really from my family to tell me that I wasn't— my audio wasn't matching my video. I wasn't doing the things that I said I would do, to be present for them and paying them attention. You know, put down the phone when you're sitting down eating. But I'm sitting there, oh, one second, they talking to me and I'm sitting there doing this. So that was to me one of the greatest lessons as a leader is align your words with your action.

That is so powerful. It's really the basics of leadership and trust. What would you say is the secret of your success? I mean, going from E-1 to E-9 in the military, the most powerful army in the world, everything you are doing as CEO of your own foundation and the work you're doing coaching and speaking, I mean, on and on. And you already have 4 books and there is a 5th book on the way. What is driving you? What is the secret of your success?

Never settle. Like I said before, I meant that to the core. No means the next opportunity to find a yes. Don't, you know, if you're just going to be comfortable, then you're not growing as a leader, you need to continue to grow. I'll be, I will be starting my doctoral program here next year as well. The goal for me is to be an example for my children, to be an example for those that see me. And, you know, at the end of the day, my job is to add value to others and to help others to climb the heights. But if you think because you get to a certain age, you can just sit down and stop learning, then you've already failed.

Yes.

And failure is a good lesson in life and how to become better. But at the same token, when you slow down, you stop growing. You might as well not be breathing. And so that is my purpose, is to continue to drive and continue to add value because God gave me breath to breathe. Air to breathe, breath to breathe. And so I'll continue to find ways to help improve myself so I can give more to others and give more.

That is really, really powerful because I really think the essence of life and leadership is to really add value to others. It really makes a big difference. I think it was Zig Ziglar who said, if you help enough people get what they want, then, you know, basically you will get everything you want in return. It's really a universal law. So what, as a leader, what are you learning right now?

So, you know, one of the things I'm actually— the book you saw there earlier that I shared, General Beagle's book.

Yes.

Talk about when the math ran out. A lot of the stuff that he shared in that book, you know, I've worked with him for a couple of years. I got to see it and hear it on a day-to-day basis. Yeah, it's always such a great reminder to flip the pages of a book to reaffirm, you know, one of the things that I picked out of it we talked about is the white space, and that white space, and I really meant that because that's where I think a lot of leaders in the world go wrong is you don't take time for yourself to really recharge improve your judgment and do better for those that you're supporting. And you're so busy sitting at the desk that you don't make time and you're not available to those that you're leading. You know, you might as well not be there because you're not present anyway. Yes. But I wanted, you know, before I move forward, there was one point that I neglected to share with you. And you asked that a bit earlier. And I missed this statement about individuals, one of the things that they can do to be successful coming out the uniform, and I know we're in another way out, but the preparation is the biggest key to doing that. Building your brand is so important, but the preparation piece of it, it is certainly one of the biggest key to take the time to study, to learn. The organization. And one of my good friends, uh, he's also co-authoring this book with me, Darryl Bogard, you know, talk about this piece is if you want to go out into the world to find an occupation and to do something, think of yourself as a, as an independent contractor or a business that supplying a business to your employer. What problems are you solving?

Yeah.

And how are you going to add value to that corporation? And if you could think about it that way, as you leave in the military or you're transitioning from another, from one career to another, as you pivot in this way and you're that independent contractor, what is your value proposition? What value can you add to this company so that they can improve their bottom line?

That, that is very, very powerful. Uh, again, it has to do with mindset. Even people who've been employed in the industries all of their life, if you just see yourself as an employee, I work from 8 to and that's all I do and I get paid, I'm probably not going to add a lot of value. But if you think of yourself as your own CEO, you are a contractor or a consultant to the company and like, what is the best use of my life now? How do I add to the bottom line? I mean, that's a big, big difference. Wow, that's really great. So we've talked a lot about your successes. I love this card that was given to me by one of my skippers. One side says success, the other side says failure, success, failures being two sides of the same coin. No, everybody just looks at your successes, everything you have accomplished. But what about failure? How has failure shaped your life?

You know, I can vividly recall the one moment that I felt that I failed one of my young troops. And that is because I was the leader, I felt that I needed to make the decision. I made a decision without incorporating them into it. And to me, that hit me very hard. Because I almost ruined his family by a decision that I made to move him out of an organization because him being in the organization wasn't going to improve his career. But I didn't take a minute to sit down with him and say, hey, what is your plan? What are the things you need to do? I was, I was the leader in the position. I knew what was best for the Army and I know what's best for his career. He needed to move. But I didn't know, I didn't know that there might have been some challenges with his marriage. I didn't realize that before he got to me, he was deployed 3 or 4 times consecutively, so he did not have time home with his family. And so here it is, I'm making the decision to move him to a rapid deployment unit and he would be gone away from his family again and thus, you know, potentially causing a divorce, which could lead to more than just the divorce earlier. Uh, 20, 21, or 22, uh, individual troops take their lives a day through suicide. Yeah, I could have been that one person that caused something like that. And to me, that was probably one of the biggest failures for me at the moment, is I didn't take the time to understand, to learn about my, my people that was in front of me. I just figured since I had the authority to do it, yes, I'm gonna do it. And so Thank you.

Thank you so much for sharing that because it's really a burden, I think, to lead, to be in a position where you can make so many decisions. I remember when I had the privilege of becoming a commanding officer, I probably sent maybe, what, a dozen people on long-term orders, some of them in combat zones. It's a very, very heavy decision, and I think there is really nothing like it. And of course, you pray that they come back in one piece and they are able to integrate within their family and everything. Military life is extremely rewarding, but I guess it's not for everyone.

It's—

it asks for a lot of sacrifices because sometimes you are deployed to places where your family just cannot go with you. And that's why I am so in awe, and I honor everyone from E-1 to Otan, everybody can contribute, everybody sacrifice, and it's not just you, right? It's also your spouse and your children who have to pay for your decision to serve our country. Thank you for sharing that. So let me ask you this, are there any people that you would recommend that my audience follow? Any mentors or thought leaders, people you've learned from that you think my podcast audience should know about as well.

Certainly. I shared General Beagle with you. Another one that is phenomenal that I continue to work with is Tia Young. You see her on the showcase of that book, Visionary Leader. She's sitting off to the side in the green over there, phenomenal leader. Certainly a good friend of mine. I think on the other side, I should have saw her. I thought I saw an image of her somewhere when you popped it up earlier, but I could be mistaken. Yeah, there she is right there. Phenomenal leader out there in the world. Frank Van Buren, I would tell you—

Oh, actually, by the way, she's a general as well, and she's scheduled to be on the show in 2026. Make sure to watch.

Yes, she is definitely awesome. I would also want to echo a couple of great leaders out there in the corporate world. One that was a mentor to me when I was leaving the military, Frank Van Buren, certainly out on LinkedIn page as well. He's now out there coaching our young folks, investment wealth management individual. He is somebody that I value his feedback. His leadership, and how he helped me look at the corporate world differently. And there's several people that I do— John Maxwell, I tell you, I gotta give him credit. I got about several of his books behind me. You know, Simon Sinek, another great, great thought leader out there that really helped me look at the way I see things and understanding that why.

That's powerful. No, really, all of them great, great mentors and leaders in their own right. So if you could choose 3 people to have dinner with, who would you choose and why? They could be alive now, dead, or even mythical figures.

So, you know, my wife laughs at me every time I say that. So President Bush, George Bush.

Yes.

To me, it's something about him that if I would love to sit down with him to pick his brain and understand how he operates. You know, I watch him and the Obamas as he came out of office and just to see the relationship between him and the Obamas that, you know, is just fascinating. But I love his honesty, the fact that, hey, I just didn't know. And he owned it, you know, Maya Angelou. And of course, you know, you showed him on here, Colin Powell. That photo you saw him with my daughter, he didn't want to talk to me. He wanted to talk to my daughter. He spent about 30 minutes with my daughter. So I would love, you know, especially being Jamaican myself, and he's a Jamaican, he's definitely one that would be on my list.

Wow.

Actually, I had a picture of President Bush too, because I saw one of your posts and you said you wanted to talk to him on LinkedIn, but I can't find it now, but everybody knows who President Bush is. This is the one when I became— actually, after 9/11, right? So I joined 2004. So he was my commander-in-chief when I was enlisted, when I got my commission as an ensign as well. And then when I was a junior grade, I've got my forever President Obama as commander-in-chief, which is just amazing. But yeah, wow, that is really great. So what are some of the books that you've read that we should read as well? So you've already mentioned this book by The General, When the Map Runs Out. Why should people read this book?

You know, it's a really short read and it gets you right to the point. It gets you right to the point because at the end of the day, we all have policies, procedures. When all those things don't work, what are you going to do next? You know, reason why— one of the reasons why I love what he talked about there. During COVID I had a chance to be under his command and we— no matter what policies and procedures you were used to doing, COVID crushed it all. We had to continue to train and move service members in training. And, you know, we— when the pressure was turned up, we delivered.

Wow.

You know, to me, that is pivotal. And unfortunately, I've gotten my own literature out there about leadership as well. And I'm a big fan of— definitely, as I shared— Simon Sinek and John Maxwell. And so many other leaders. Even Atiyah Young, she has her book out there about Dare to Lead, her book that she wrote as well. But I mean, I have a plethora of books out there that I— there go my buddy Frank Van Damme, From the Cockpit into Corporate Success. He killed it and still killing it in the world.

Wow, that is really wonderful. Because we do read a lot of you. Thanks so much. Of course, that's in addition to your own book. So is there maybe a song, a book, or a movie that would be your life's theme or anthem?

You know, that's a hard one. I tell you, I'm terrible with movies. You know, one of the songs that I think I I thrive on now, all the time, is mostly in the gospel world. Break the chains, right? Because no matter how—

break every chain.

No matter how hard life is, when you could break the chain and leave it all to him, you could move forward with such a phenomenal momentum.

That is very powerful. I believe that's the song by What's her name? Tasha Cobbs, right?

I believe so. Don't quote me on names, I'm terrible with names.

Yes, yes, Tasha Cobbs is the one who sings it. Wow, that is powerful. And part of the reason why I love talking about music, I've been playing the piano since I was 7 years old, and every important moment in my life, every milestone, there is always a soundtrack to it. For example, 9/11, I know exactly what I was listening to, and that takes me back to that to that period. During COVID what song that was inspiring me during those difficult times? Every single milestone in my life, there is a soundtrack to it. And I think music is also universal and it really brings us together. Like even now, I am really, really curious, actually shocked that my daughters, Black African American, and their cousin, Black European American, French citizen, they listen to K-pop music now. And I'm like, that's, that's, that's It's incredible. Now I never would have thought of American kids listening to foreign language music, but music is just international and it is—

Afrobeat is killing it now, right?

Yeah, yeah. I mean, because I remember when I was a kid in Africa, yeah, of course we listened to Michael Jackson and all of the American music. It's always American music taking over the world, but having music from Korea taking over America and Europe, it's like, wow, I would have never thought, but it's just how powerful music is. So let me ask you this, we are getting toward the end. If you had one and only one day to live, what would you have liked your final contribution to be?

You know, I think I would stick with serving our educators and giving them, putting them on a pedestal and allowing them to be seen for who they are and the leaders they build. You know, when I started the foundation, I meant this was going to be a lasting legacy be for me. So just being able to lift them up and celebrate them and thanking them for their contribution to society.

Wow, that is really, really, really powerful. And, uh, uh, I have one more question before we end. Uh, if you had a magic wand and you could solve any problem at all, what is one problem you'd like to solve first thing tomorrow morning?

World hunger. Shouldn't nobody be hungry in the world. I grew up where I had many nights that I didn't eat. And I think especially as a young child, you should never have to go to bed hungry.

Yeah.

So world hunger. Wow.

Powerful. Yeah, I think most people in America, they really don't know how to relate to that. Even yesterday, I was talking to Professor Jeff. He's a retired E-8 from the Air Force. He was sharing with us how he grew up poor and how the military really was one of the way was able to take care of his family. But, and he was also talking about, you know, how, you know, he was American poor. He made sure to say American poor because if you are poor in Africa or South America, it's really not the same, right? In Africa, we don't tell people who are poor who have $500 Nike shoes or $1,000 on large screen TV or a car to to drive even though it's not brand new. No, that's a completely different kind of way of being poor. So thank you. Thanks so much for sharing that because myself sometimes I guess I have what some people might have called survival remorse, I guess. Sometimes I want to know why was I the one to have made it, have come to America? Because about a year after I left the Congo, my native country, a civil war broke out. A lot of the friends I used to know they died during the war. I mean, it was just very horrible and terrible. But really being a way to give back where you make a difference and, you know, trying to really solve world hunger, that's definitely something, even if I'm not successful, I definitely would like to attempt based on my background and where I come from. So thank you so much for sharing that. So we are coming to the end of the show. Thanks so much. And What can we do to add value back to you?

You know, I would tell you, definitely love your audience to take a stab at following me. You know, if you have the ability to share the word about the Williams Education Foundation, my goal this year is to raise about $50,000 to support our educators. My site, as you see there, it is 95% done. It will be done by the end of this weekend. But if you go on my LinkedIn page, you will see the Williams Education Foundation right here as well. You could click on it, click on the link, or simply go to, uh, williamseducationfoundation.org and, and follow us and, and join us in helping our educators out there. Every dollar counts. 100% of your contribution goes right back to the classroom. I don't take any of that. But if you want to help the backside of Williams Education Foundation, you'll have an option to do that as well.

Fantastic. And then they can go to the green area and they can click on donate and it starts the Dr. Ball and all of that. That is fantastic. Wow, thank you, thank you so much. So, uh, is there a question, uh, I should have asked you that I haven't asked yet?

No, you know, I think you asked a lot of great questions. I really think I have one for you, especially Coming out the Navy, I had a chance to work with a lot of naval officers and naval enlisted. What was the best part of your journey in the Navy and why did you choose the Navy?

I think it really was a learning experience. Make a very long story short, I wanted to join any of the four branches of the military. Back then, Space Force didn't exist. But so I talked to the Army, I talked to the Marines, to the Air Force, and to the Navy. And quickly I found out that The Army and the Marines, they were way, way too physical. It wasn't for me. Those people are killers, you know, especially the Marines, vicious killers. They would kill somebody in like a thousand ways. We need them. God, no, praise God for them, but it's just not for me. But the Air Force and the Navy, yeah, they use their brain more. So I'm sure you watch the game Army-Navy. So we beat you guys by one point, only one point, but a win is a win, right? So go Navy, beat Army. Anyway, so the Navy, I was pretty clear it would be the Navy or the Air Force. And also my father-in-law is a retired tech sergeant in the Air Force, E-5, so he was definitely biased about the Air Force. After 9/11, I definitely felt like I needed to join the military. Actually, even prior to that, when I was a student, at the University of Alabama. I tried to join. We had two ROTC programs. One was Army, the other one was Air Force. And I was taking calculus as a freshman because they did the assessment. So I took the last class I was supposed to take as a biology chemistry major. And in the class, about half of the students were from the Army ROTC. It was a required class for them. And if they didn't do well, at least have a C, they would not graduate. And most of them 90% of them, it was way above them. This is something I did in high school. And these people were like, "No, we just don't get it." So I mentored them, I helped them, and at least all of them got at least a C, if not a B or above. But I was like, "Okay, if people like that, they really don't get math and they are not going to become the next military officers in the US, maybe I should apply too." But anyway, I wasn't a US citizen yet. I didn't have my green card. They said no. So after 9/11, I went back again and they said, no, things haven't changed. You're not a US citizen, you don't have a green card, so go back and goodbye. So I said, like the Terminator, right, I'll be back. As soon as I got my green card the following day, I went back, but this time I knew not to talk to the Army or the Marines. So I went to the Air Force and to the Navy, you know, like they say, the rest is history. But But really, in my opinion, because I got in as an E-1, seaman recruit, the lowest rank in the military, and today I'm going to be retiring as a Commander O-5. What I really believe is the military, regardless of the branch, because you guys pretty much teach the same thing. We really teach you how to be a leader at the lowest rank possible. That's why I believe the US Armed Forces is so much better and greater than any other forces. Because in some other army, like in China or in Russia, if you kill all of the officers, the strategy is gone. People are gonna be completely lost. They don't know who to get orders from. But in the US, you can get rid of all of the admirals, even all of the senior officers. The chiefs, like I say, they run the Navy. They are gonna know exactly what to do, how to do it, and they're gonna accomplish the mission because they are leaders. And that's what we really train in the armed forces. Yeah, it was really, if I didn't learn anything else in my Navy career, I learned how to lead. If nobody else, how to influence myself. And that has been quite powerful. So maybe the most important question I will ask you, CSM, is if you could go back and give a piece of advice to your 17-year-old self, standing at the edge of this incredible career, you've actually, how old were you when you came to the US? 15?

I was 12 when I left Jamaica.

12. 12. Why, you were— okay, let's go to 12 years old. What would you say to 12-year-old Alridge?

Wow, uh, you know, patience is a virtue, honestly. Just because you don't know why you're doing it today, yes, the answer will come. Push through everything, even when it get hard. Continue to go. Um, because there were some times in my life where I felt like I couldn't go, but that patience to, to just trust God and know that he has already solved the problem, that would have taken a lot of heartburn, because I had a lot of heartburn about a lot of things. Even though I'm successful today, like I said, you just don't— if I— we don't have enough time on your podcast to go through the struggles and the challenges that I actually faced, uh, in my life, not only coming up, but even in the military, that those challenges help create the Teflon and help me go even further. So, uh, you know, be patient with the process and just slow down.

Wow, that is really, really, really powerful. And the reason why I say 17 years old, by the way, that's how old I was when I came to the US. I had big, big dreams, and I had no idea how to accomplish any of those. But, uh, no, I kind of wish I knew then what I know now. But, you know, that's, I guess, the benefit of hindsight. Okay. Towards the end, can you give me a couple more minutes before we close?

Okay.

Thank you. Thank you so much. I am really excited to talk to you. So this is gonna be light round, right? Don't take too long to think. Rapid fire. What is one word that comes to mind that defines great leadership?

One word. Resilience.

Okay. Morning routine or practice that keeps you grounded?

Reading.

Very good. Okay. What is one book then, or quote, that changed your life?

Um, one book that changed my life was, um, Start With Why, Simon Sinek.

Fantastic. Who inspired you most today?

Say that again.

Who inspires you the most today?

Um, still today, my grandfather.

Yes, powerful. Okay, and what did you want to be when you were a kid?

I wanted to be a model, believe it or not.

Really? Wow. Okay, you failed miserably, by the way.

So there's a lot.

Wow.

I did do it. I did accomplish.

Really? When?

While I was in the military, I modeled in San Antonio for Calliope Talent Agency.

What? I've got to see the pictures, man. That is amazing.

Wow.

Okay. Okay. Okay. That is amazing. Okay. What were 3 adjectives that describe you as a child?

I didn't hear that one.

I'm sorry. 3 adjectives? Describing you as a child?

Ah, let's see. Talkative, curious, curious, curious, curious, and curious and semi-mischievous.

Okay, what about as an adult?

As an adult, helper.

Two more.

I'm having a brain fart here. Helper.

Definitely, you are a prolific author, for sure.

Yeah, definitely that. Man, you got me stumbling for words. I normally don't struggle for words. Let's skip that one. I can't even think about it. I can't think today.

Absolutely a leader and really a role model for all of us. I'm so overjoyed you took the time to be with us on the Leadership and Success podcast. And the last question I have for you is, what is one word that represents our shared experience in this podcast today?

Collaboration.

Yes. And for me, I'm just so grateful. Thank you. Thank you so much. Orgrish Williams, everyone. Thank you. I appreciate that.

God bless.

All right, everyone. This is one for the book. Thank you so much for watching the Leadership Success Podcast. I don't have an interview tomorrow. What I will do is I will have a 10-minute recap of a previous interview that we've had. So I'm going to show highlight of the hour-long interview and then 10-minute clips created by artificial Intelligence. So thank you so much for being with us today. And I will be back here sometime on Saturday, tomorrow morning. And I really do appreciate that. And by the way, we did have one message. Oh, that's my wife. She says, great interview. Thank you so much, sweetie. All right. Until tomorrow, have a wonderful, wonderful rest of your day.

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