S4:E69AI RECAP Live with Dr. Elisangela Rodrigues

¡Hola!

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. If you need to develop into a better leader, this podcast is for you. If you want to achieve a greater level of success, this podcast is for you. His mentor, Dr. John C. Maxwell, said it best: everything rises and falls on leadership. We hope to inspire you today and provide you with an insight that has the potential to positively impact the trajectory of your life. Welcome to the Leadership and Success Podcast.

with Coach BZ. Today, I am truly honored to introduce a remarkable leader, scholar, and mentor who has dedicated her life to equipping and empowering others, Dr. Elisângela Rodrigues. Dr. Rodrigues is a Brazilian-born, France-based visionary, a wife and mother of three, who embodies what it means to lead with both heart and impact. With a PhD in computer science from Telecom SudParis, she has bridged the worlds of research, industry, and education. But she didn't stop there. She transitioned her career into leadership development, becoming a certified professional coach and a coach, speaker, and trainer with Maxwell Leadership. Over the last 20 years, Dr. Rodrigues has mentored and trained leaders across 3 continents and in 3 languages—Portuguese, English, and French—from coaching executives and entrepreneurs to guiding diplomats, managers, and church leaders. Her mission is clear: to encourage, equip, and empower leaders who create lasting transformation based on human values. She is the founder of Emerveillez, Rise Up and Evolve Together, a movement dedicated to helping individuals, especially expatriates, leaders, and parents, navigate life's transitions with resilience, authenticity, and purpose. On social media, you may know her for her inspiring words, "I don't look for perfection. I look for authenticity. And in today's episode, we'll explore what authenticity in leadership really means and how it can change the way we live, lead, and connect with others. So get ready, because this conversation is going to inspire you to grow, to lead with courage, and to multiply leaders in your own sphere of influence. Let's welcome my friend and today's special guest, Dr. Elisângela Rodrigues.

One of the questions I would ask, what do you think is the secret of your success with all of the accomplishments you have had? Why do you think you are so successful?

God, there is no other main reasons, and I would not take it. Yes. Yeah, grant for anything. Honestly, I told about my daddy, and I say that my relationship with God is what it is because I had the fathers who was present and showed me love. So I believe in God, literally. Yes. And he says, Elisa, go, I go. Wow, that's the way I say again, when you have your father has your back, no one can stop you.

Wow, that is powerful. That is powerful. Yeah, and, uh, I am really glad my oldest daughter too, she's really, really grateful that I've always believed that she could do anything she wanted to do. In life that gave her a lot of courage and boldness. When some other people would tell her, "Hey, you are not enough, you are a woman, you can't do it," she's like, "No, my dad already told me I could, so it doesn't matter now." It makes a big, big difference. Wow, that is powerful. What do you think is the greatest leadership advice you have ever received?

I would say now something that's coming to my mind. That's Trace Morrow. That's from our leadership team as well. And once she said, she told her kids, there are two things you have to pay attention to before doing something. First is, I think, honoring God. And the second is dishonoring someone. And she says that if you follow all decisions in your life asking these questions— is this honoring or dishonoring God, or is this dishonoring someone in particular— when you are dealing with different cultures, you know, because sometimes you may think it doesn't dishonor anyone. And again, look, I'm dressed like I appreciate, but when I go to a Muslim environment I have to cover my head, I have to cover my body.

Leadership law resonates most with you personally, and why?

Which law? Which is your favorite? It's my favorite but not the easiest, okay? It's the sacrifice, the law of sacrifice. And why? Yes, um, because the law of sacrifice, yes. And the reason is That's my journey, you know, literally. It was easier to be a kid influenced with my dad on my back or next to me. Now as an adult, I'm going to higher places, as John says, and you can't go with all your luggage, you know. Just as when I came from Brazil to France, I just had two luggage to bring. And all my life it was in two luggage, you know, everything. Wow, that's exactly what happens when you go higher, you want positions, you wanna— you have to know what you're going to sacrifice. And you don't sacrifice things you don't like, you sacrifice things you want to, you love to. Sacrifice my family, I sacrifice time with my kids. Wow. Sacrifice sometimes, for example, I'm going to spend a month in Brazil which means I'm far from my kids, far from home, you know. So this law helps me daily to remember again the why I'm doing what I'm doing.

Wow. The law of sacrifice: a leader must give up to go up. And it says, what would you give up for the people who follow you? This leader gave his life. Why? Because he understood the power of the law of sacrifice. But I must tell you, my entire experience, the only place, the only industry I've seen where people are willing to give their life for the person to their right and to their left is in the military. I don't see anybody in the tech industry, you know, from Microsoft or Google or Facebook to say, hey, Bob Fabien Zinga, I would be okay with giving my life for you. But when I am in the Navy, especially in time of war in the combat zone, the sailor to my right and to my left. I count on them and they count on me too. And yeah, that law of sacrifice is different. All right everybody, this is Coach Bizzy coming to you from the San Francisco Bay Area. Today is on Tuesday, September 9th. It's about 5:46 AM here, so 8:46 AM Eastern Time. And I have a special guest for you. I usually do not bring anybody for the 10-minute recap. I should do it by by myself. But if you are joining us online, please let us know where you are joining from, what city, what state, and if you are outside of the US, what country. And also let us know what is one thing you are grateful for today. If you do have a leadership question, please type it in the comment for me or my guest today. And also please tag someone along who might benefit from this conversation. So before we Get all started, let's take just 1 minute for our moment of gratitude. So this is where we think about 1 thing we are grateful for today. So if you are open to it, close your eyes, put yourself in your happy place, take a deep breath, and think about 1 thing that you are grateful for today. What is it? Today I am grateful for the power of technology. It is really amazing how technology can really change life and break barriers and bring people together from all around the world. I discovered that power when I was 17 years old coming to the US. Back then in the '90s, the internet was blowing up and I saw the potential of what the internet could be. Although I was a pre-med student, I taught myself how to design website. And, uh, I've been using technology to really help out with, uh, my life. And later on, I became a technology expert, and today I am an information warfare officer in the U.S. Navy and cybersecurity executive in Silicon Valley. But technology really has the power to really change things for the better and bring people together, and that's exactly what I'm doing now using artificial intelligence on this podcast. So let us know what you are grateful for today and type it in the comment. Now, I do not normally do this, but today is a very, very special day. Actually, a couple of things I think are brand new on the podcast. I believe really milestone. Number one, we are going to be broadcasting in Portuguese for the first time in our history, in about an hour. So it's going to be all in Portuguese. I'm going to do this one in English, the next one will be in French, and then the third one will be in Portuguese. And second, I've never broadcast 3 different shows at the same time. Normally it's only one in English or one or two, one in English, French, or English and Spanish. But today we're going to do it 3 times. Again, English, French, and Portuguese. And then the other thing that is very powerful today, which we've never done, the person I talked to for season 4, episode 69, is actually here, Dr. Elisangela Rodrigues. Why don't we bring her back into the Leadership Success Podcast? How are you doing, Dr. Rodrigues, all the way from Paris? Comment ça va? Je ne t'entends pas. I cannot hear you. Hold on. Sam, your microphone. I cannot hear you. Okay, we will bring you back at the end if you are okay and staying in the green room if someone has question, but also to give your takeaway from the conversation we had last week. Okay, she is going to be back. She probably just needs to log off and log back in. Let's see. Okay. Can I hear you now? Dr. Rodriguez, can you speak? Can you say something? Oh, well, I said I was grateful for technology, but sometimes technology needs a little help. I'm gonna play the 10-minute recap. This is gonna be in English and things we talked about during our leadership conversation, authentic leadership over perfection. We talked about the power of early influence and mentorship, leadership across cultures. As you know, Dr. Elisângela Rodrigues was born in Brazil. She's now living in France and she speaks English as well. So she's an international coach. And leader, and she's worked across many different continents and countries. We're gonna talk about sacrifice as the price of leadership and emotional intelligence as the leadership edge, and also resilience, vulnerability, and asking for help. And sometimes as leaders, we really need to do that. We're gonna talk about faith, purpose, and anchoring leadership, and also social impact and next generation leadership. So let me play the 10-minute recap by my AI agent in English. And then we're going to see if we can bring Dr. Rodrigues back online in just a moment.

Welcome, everyone. Today we're diving into some thought-provoking leadership lessons that cross borders and break barriers, drawing on a remarkable conversation with Dr. Elisângela Rodrigues. Absolutely.

It's a journey from the heart of the Amazon in Manaus to the urban pulse of Paris, isn't it? Yeah, totally.

It's like, um, her life story itself serves as a lesson in resilience and authenticity. You know, her experience growing up with a father who truly empowered her, that laid the foundation for a fearless approach to leadership.

Right. Her dad's encouragement seems to have given her that drive to ask questions and, well, challenge the status quo, especially when facing cultural hurdles and even gender bias. Exactly.

And that never-ending push to be curious, to speak up, it's so critical. It's like how she said, when we have our daddy behind our back, nobody stops you. Nobody. I mean, that's a simple yet powerful message for every leader out there.

It is. And what I really find interesting is how she ties that early mentorship into modern leadership practices, especially in tech and military sectors. Where, yeah, mentorship isn't just a nice-to-have, it's essential.

Right. And speaking of modern leadership, she emphasizes that authenticity is far more valuable than perfection. It's like, um, in today's era of constant self-editing, her message really cuts through. It reminds us that real leadership is about being genuine rather than polished.

Yep. Yeah, that really resonates with me. The idea that instead of trying to be perfect, leaders should simply strive to be real. That's the antidote to all those curated images we see, especially online. Absolutely.

And then there's that part about influence. Maxwell's classic, leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. Dr. Rodríguez just lives that truth. It was like even as a child, She was already influencing people without holding the official title yet.

I mean, influence isn't about a title. It's about actions, right? And it's powerful to see that her journey proves that leadership is more about the impact you have rather than the position you hold. Totally.

And what struck me further is her conversation about stepping into leadership in male-dominated spaces. Remember when she said, I am that girl among the guys. That's a bold declaration. It challenges all the traditional notions of who can lead. Yes.

And it really demands that we all, as a community, make space for voices that historically have been silenced. I mean, it's not always comfortable, but it's so necessary for progress.

Right. Exactly. And equally interesting is her global perspective. Having mentored leaders across America, Europe, and Africa, she keeps emphasizing the universal need to listen first. It's like, before you lead, sometimes you need to, um, just listen and learn. That's spot on.

Listening is such a pragmatic skill, regardless of your field. It reinforces the idea that leadership isn't about talking over others. It's about really grasping the diverse voices and opinions that shape our world. Exactly.

And then there's the concept of sacrifice in leadership. She challenged us to think about what we're willing to give up, perhaps even our comfort, family time, or opportunities, to truly pursue a mission. Yeah. That really sets a high bar for commitment.

True, although I personally wonder if that model risks romanticizing sacrifice a bit too much. I mean, shouldn't leaders also ensure they're maintaining balance? What do you think?

You bring up a fair point. It's a delicate balance for sure. I mean, while sacrifice is inherent to growth, it shouldn't come at the cost of complete burnout. Dr. Rodriguez implies it's about thoughtful, intentional sacrifice. Sacrificing what you love for something even greater, not just everything indiscriminately.

Absolutely. A measured sacrifice. And speaking of balance, She also shifts the focus onto emotional intelligence, which, um, seems like the next frontier in leadership. Rather than just staging strategies, it's about connecting on a deeper level.

Right. Being smart with EQ is like, um, the secret ingredient. Managing emotions, showing empathy—these are the tools that make a leader truly effective, especially in a world that's constantly evolving.

And you see that across both tech and military sectors, where technical skills meet the human element. It's such a timely reminder that really IQ isn't the sole indicator of success.

Totally. And another cornerstone is her faith. I mean, when she talks about trusting in God to accomplish what's beyond our predictions, it really anchors her journey in something larger than the self.

Yeah, that spiritual element does add an extra layer to her leadership philosophy. It provides clarity, courage, and a deep sense of purpose. Absolutely.

And it ties into all her messages—authenticity, sacrifice, listening, and mentoring. At the heart of it, it's about empowering others. She reminds us that leadership is not self-serving but about creating the better version of others.

Yeah, yeah, that's a meaningful takeaway. It's not just leadership in the boardroom or battlefield. It's the everyday impact. That's why her initiative with I Lead Brazil, aiming to empower hundreds of thousands of children in the Amazon, is so visionary.

Exactly. It's like planting seeds for future leaders, investing in the next generation, teaching them social-emotional skills. It's all about nurturing potential long before they step into big leadership roles.

And that, I think, is one of the most compelling aspects of her story. She's not only a leader herself but a mentor and coach on a global scale who walks the talk.

Right. She's truly a global citizen in leadership. Whether it's in America, Europe, or Africa, her core messages remain the same: invest in yourself, trust your journey, be authentic, and always listen.

Mm, I love that consistency. And it acts as a reminder to us all to lead with our values, irrespective of where we come from or the challenges we might face.

Yes, and let's not forget her coaching prompts peppered throughout her dialogue. They really invite us to self-reflect. Questions like, "Who are you empowering today?" or "What sacrifice are you willing to make?" which are powerful nudges to action.

Absolutely. Those prompts serve as a constant call to action. They compel you to pause and evaluate your leadership practices, Ensuring you're always growing and giving back, often in ways you hadn't considered before.

And there's also the perspective on failure and resilience. Her view that asking for help is one of the most courageous acts. It kind of dismantles the myth that leaders must always have it all figured out. Yeah, I really appreciate that.

It humanizes leadership. It's a refreshing shift from the idea of infallibility. We all stumble, and those moments actually provide the best lessons if we're willing to learn and adapt.

Definitely! It's like viewing failure not as a dead end but as essential feedback, a necessary part of the journey. And when you combine that with a foundation of faith and community values, it's a recipe for, um, sustainable leadership.

Exactly! Sustainable leadership that reaches beyond personal success and positively transforms communities and organizations alike.

Right, and lastly, her call to invest in the future through programs like iLead Brasil really underscores the social impact of leadership without borders. It's a vision where every child has the opportunity to step into leadership roles that are grounded in authenticity and empathy.

Mm, that vision is inspiring. It challenges all of us to think, what legacy are we building? How are we nurturing the leaders of tomorrow? Totally.

And it reminds us that leadership is fluid. It's not confined by geography, gender, or even traditional notions of power. We're talking about a holistic approach that blends, um, personal values, strategic insight, and heartfelt connection.

Yes, and it's that blend that ultimately creates leaders who not only excel in their fields but also uplift those around them. Indeed.

So, as we wrap up this dialogue, the take-home message is clear: lead with authenticity, invest in yourself and others, be courageous in the face of challenges, and never, ever shy away from asking for help when needed.

Yeah, well said. It's an impactful reminder to operate with empathy and integrity in every leadership role we take on. Thanks for unpacking these ideas with me today. It's been truly enlightening. Absolutely. Thanks for joining in.

Keep challenging assumptions, keep empowering others, and let's all strive to become the better version of ourselves.

That is very, very, very powerful. Honor your environment. Wow. No, this is really, really great. And I guess Paul says that when you in Rome, act as a Roman. But being able to show that respect, that really makes a big, big difference. Wow. No, this is great. And I know I've traveled quite a bit after I became a US citizen. I know in some countries people really think that Americans are very arrogant. They come to your country, they act like it belongs to them, and they just do things their own way and don't show any respect for the local culture and mores. That is wrong, but when you go to somebody's house, you definitely need to show reverence and respect of the way their culture and the way they do things. I think that is one thing.

Okay. Just again, because as I work with people from different cultures, I know it's one thing that comes to our mind is, who am I? You know, if I have to behave like they order to honor this place. That's what I'm not saying is find your way that it respects who you are and also respects the other. So just to give an example, I remember one mastermind I had, 15 Laws of Leadership of Growth. We had this lot of Muslim people that were in it. They were from Senegal. And I realized that I should be more covert. So in the next lesson, I decided I would have a vest, you know, a jacket with me, and they just decided to, um, just touch my hair like this, you know. So in this way, I wasn't covering my hair, but I wasn't exposing, you know, because it becomes a distraction for them. So just find a way that you, you are who you are, but you can be sensible for what matters for them as well. That's the compromise. Thank you for this amazing work. I didn't know your podcast, but I started seeing it after you invited me and I thank you for what you've been doing.

Merci, merci beaucoup. So we are pretty much at the end of the podcast now. Is there a question I should have asked you that I haven't asked yet? No. Okay. All right. So now I'm going to ask you, I believe the most important question I ask every guest. If you could go back and give a piece of advice to yourself, 17-year-old self standing at the edge of this incredible career you've had, what would you say to the 17-year-old Elisangela Rodriguez?

Oh my gosh, I would say never, never doubt what God has told you because he's faithful to accomplish far beyond whatever you could ask. But honestly, it's not just repeating Bible verses. It has been my journey.

Wow, that is powerful. Never doubt. Yeah, it's very interesting. Sometimes when God gives you a dream, right, it shows you kind of what the final thing is going to look like, but it doesn't show you how to go from A to B to C to D. So all of that you kind of have to figure it out yourself to end up at your final destination. And sometimes you're going to be afraid and that's normal. And sometimes you're going to have to have faith and courage. Do it afraid.

Do it afraid. Do it afraid. Yes.

Yes. Wow. Feel the fear and do it anyway. That's powerful. Okay. Now at the very end, 3 adjectives about you as a child. Don't think too long. 3 adjectives when you were a child that describe you.

Extrovert girl, leader, joyful.

Wow, you are the first person who ever said that you were a child leader. That's just amazing, I can't believe it. Okay, as an adult, 3 adjectives as an adult.

I think I am coachable, I am pioneering, and I'm visionary.

All right, everyone, thank you so much for watching live. We're gonna try it one more time. I believe Dr. Elisa Angela Rodriguez is still there. Let's see if it works now. Can you hear me, Dr. Rodriguez? Can you hear me now? Okay, now I can hear you. Yeah, yeah, thank you, man. This technology again, Normally when I do this, I am by myself, but since you are there, I think it's about what, 3 PM in Paris, right?

It's about 6 AM here. That's it. It's 3 PM.

Two things I want to ask. First, nobody has asked question yet. I think most people in America are still sleeping, but the question I have for you, what really are the 3 takeaways you want people to get out of the full episode, season 4, episode 69? The leadership conversation I had with you? What really was your core message to the audience?

Wow. Thank you so much. Again, this is completely live and not prepared. Yes, I know. I honestly want to— many— first main thing is honor your amazing work. I've seen you not only adding value to someone's journey, but really, really coming in our level, and, and you were showing this, putting this in 3 different languages, all the work you've done, all the time you have spent. So I, if I want to say something for your audience, is really help me to honor you and say thank you and spread this message if you think resounds, resonates on them somehow.

Yes.

The second thing is really, I, I love the analysis I was listening to, and it's the way that they put this word on authenticity and empathy in their leadership. And it means show this to everyone in every culture, men, women, doesn't matter the color of our skin. And I think these two words really means a lot, authenticity and empathy. And the third one, is keep having this daily grateful moment that you put in your podcast. I really appreciate it. And I think we have to keep this in mind in the middle of everything. Keep your heart grateful.

Wow, that is, that is powerful, powerful. Okay, so we are gonna do one more thing. Remember the video you sent me about Olivia Foundation? I know it's very important to you. I was able to translate it in English. So I'm gonna play it next, but before I do, can you tell us why that foundation is important to you and why people should consider giving to the Maxwell Leadership Foundation, maxwellleadership.org/donate, and make sure to add I Lead Brazil. I'm asking you guys to give only $5, but give as much money as you can for this very important cause. Can you tell us more about that, please?

Yes, for sure. Thank you again for putting your value into this. ILead is a project from the Maxwell Leadership Foundation, and it brings social and emotional education for kids from 9 to 18 years old. We are bringing this to Brazil, Angola, Mozambique as well, but I'm ambassador of the part of Brazil that is the Amazonian region. That is where I came from. And why? Because we talk a lot about the nature, the forest in this region of Brazil, but we forget that there are people there. In the middle of this forest and rivers, there are people, and kids are so vulnerable. So help us to bring their education in such a way that they know their value and they are able to say no, in particular for all kind of sexual exploitation and abuse.

That they receive. Wow. That is very, very powerful. Again, I'm asking everyone to please consider giving just $5. I feel like at $5, everybody can do it. You can be rich, you can be poor, you're not going to miss it. It's just, you know, the cup of coffee at Starbucks. So I really do appreciate it. Again, go to www.maxwellleadership.org/donate. So what we're going to do, I'm going to play the 3-minute Oliveira Foundation video in English this time, not in Portuguese. And then we are going to end the show in English, and then we're going to come right back and do it in Français. So just hold on. Here we go.

We are the Oliveira Foundation, a non-governmental organization focused on developing interpersonal and leadership skills for children, adolescents, and adults. Our pillars are family, education, and work. We were born from the conviction that emotional or socio-emotional education is the greatest and most powerful driver of change because it works through an educational process aimed at developing and improving cognitive skills. Socio-emotional education has been used as a key tool to improve the learning of children young people, and adults, supporting their formation as individuals. We offer a social digital platform that democratizes socio-emotional knowledge. We have 3 programs for developing leadership skills in underserved communities, organizations, and schools in Brazil and Portuguese-speaking countries. iLead is a methodology that awakens a new mindset in children and adolescents between the ages of 9 and 18. Created by the Maxwell Leadership Foundation and brought to Brazil in partnership with the Oliveira Foundation, the Transformational Leadership Training Program is focused on the socio-emotional education of adults. Our methodology is built on 3 pillars: To Be, To Do, and To Have, which promote the awakening of a new mindset generating an environment focused on the holistic development of each individual. We believe that leadership that is aware of its potential is exactly what is needed for transformation of the individual, our country, and the world. The Change Your World program was born from a book by John Maxwell and Rob Hoskins and became a process, a platform, and a worldwide movement. It is a true guide for making better choices and focusing on sustainable solutions. So far, we have reached more than 30,000 children and adolescents, worked with more than 400 third sector institutions, and trained more than 3,500 adult leaders. To make this possible, we developed a synchronized journey that includes socio-emotional education methodologies interpersonal and leadership skills, a distance learning platform, instructional materials, and trained facilitators. We continue firm in our mission to spread these seeds. We believe the soil is fertile and that we are producing many fruits. We believe in multiplying this legacy for the next generations. Oliveira Foundation. With each new mindset, a new individual and global reality.

Thank you for listening to the Leadership and Success Podcast with your host, Coach BZ. If you like what you heard, please subscribe to our channels and come back for more wisdom nuggets on how you may develop into a better leader and achieve greater levels of success. Is the most critical skill. The world will always need leaders to lead others, deploy the next disruptive technology, or execute a business strategy. You may as well decide on counting yourself among the 21st century leaders. See you right here next time on the Leadership and Success Podcast with Coach BZ.