S5:E96🎙️🔥 LIVE with COL Octavia Scott, USA

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 Success Podcast with your host, Coach BZ, where we help you lead with purpose and succeed with impact. If you're ready to grow into the kind of leader others want to follow, this podcast is for you. If you're determined to elevate your success and leave a lasting legacy, this podcast is for you. As my mentor, Dr. John C. Maxwell, reminds us, everything rises and falls on leadership. Our goal is simple: to inspire you, challenge you, and equip you with insights that can transform the trajectory of your leadership journey. Welcome aboard to another episode of the Leadership and Success Podcast with Coach BZ.

Hey, the goal of my life is to get my heart and mind to ride the same wave at the same time and to have neither fall off, to realize that their connection has has the power to calm storms, but that their separation creates them. I want my feelings and thoughts to be best friends that will never fight each other, but that will go to war for each other, creating a heart that listens to reason and a mind that knows when it's not the right season for love. That's my son on the beat.

All right, welcome to another edition of the Leadership and Success Podcast. This is the second time today, and, uh, it's such a great pleasure to be hosting our guest today. Before I do, for a moment of gratitude, as I know we always open the program by being grateful. Just like this morning, I am really, really grateful to be standing on the shoulder of giants, people who have come before us and who have paved the way, trailblazers, so that people like me could follow in their footsteps. So today I am going to be speaking to a very special person. Really, it's a distinct honor and pleasure to host Colonel Octavia Scott. US Army. She's a distinguished military intelligence leader, former commander of the 524th MIA Battalion, and director within the Office of Chief of Military Intelligence. With over 20 years of service, Colonel Scott has led in some of the most complex operational environments across Korea, Iraq, Jordan, and Afghanistan, bringing strategic clarity, discipline, and people-first leadership to every mission. But her story doesn't stop at command. She's also a professional bodybuilder and certified fitness coach, author of a powerful book, A Table for One, and founder of Pamper Purpose and Service, empowering others to lead with purpose and self-mastery. Colonel Scott represents the very essence of strength, resilience, and intentional leadership on and off the battlefield. Part of what we're going to be learning today is how to lead under pressure when the stakes are high and the margin for error is zero. So ladies and gentlemen, please help me welcome to the Leadership and Success Podcast, the one and only Colonel Octavia Scott. All right. Good afternoon, Colonel. How are you doing today?

I'm doing phenomenal. I'm doing phenomenal. Thank you so much for having me.

Absolutely. What are you grateful for today, Colonel?

Oh my God. I'm grateful for just being here. I'm grateful for being at the Army War College, and it's a unique experience that not a lot of people get. And I'm just grateful for the opportunity to speak my truth to people that are willing to listen.

Well, we just got started already. You do have a question from the audience from YouTube. She's asking, hi Colonel, I wonder if you have any guidance on how to navigate transitional period or how to adapt to times of Setback. Oh wow, so we've never started the show quite like this before. Usually I, I try, you know, to break the ice first, but here, here we go. This is a real question from a real listener live right now.

Well, I know all about transitions and I know all about setbacks, so you're asking the right person. I think My guidance for how to navigate transitional periods is to make sure you're doing it for the right reason, that you are transitioning because you believe it is realigning with your purpose and not because from a place of fear and not because of a place of, you know, defeat. I think if you're motivated for the right reason for that transition, it makes it that much easier. Me personally, I was at a point where I was going to retire maybe 4 years ago, but that desire was from a place of feeling defeated. And so because of that, my transition didn't go smooth. It actually didn't happen at all. I'm still in the Army. But if I think about, you know, how to navigate that, it's just important to make sure that it's still aligned to your purpose and that you're not trying to do something um, to meet somebody else's, uh, goals for you, I guess. And in terms of setback, I think the problem with setbacks for some people is that they view it as failure. And to me, setbacks and failures, they, they're, they don't really— they're not as powerful as we think they are. And so again, I am very, very fluent in setbacks and what people will call, uh, failure. But I'm also very resilient. And the reason why is because I don't allow myself to sit in that setback and/or that failure for a long time. I'm constantly looking for how can I reframe this experience to a way that it serves me. And that I'm not operating in a place of failure, defeat, et cetera. And so just to restate, I think you navigate transitions by making sure you're leaving your current situation for the right reason, and that there is some form of your purpose tied to that next chapter, and that you manage setbacks by reframing it in a way that empowers you and not defeats you.

Well, Colonel, if I may ask, because we're gonna get to this, but throughout your life story, you've gone through a lot of challenges, but you've always been very resilient. Where does that grit come from? Yeah, especially knowing, you know, I am a father of two African-American daughters, and I know this world wasn't meant for women, first of all, and then for Black women, it's even worse. I guess they call it intersectionality. But when you live in a world, especially in the military, which is very mujmel dominated, and you rising all the way up to Colonel, which is, again, for those who don't know, it's one promotion away from becoming a General, which is a huge, huge accomplishment. Where does that resilience come from, ma'am?

Yeah, so one, I am a Jeremiah 29:11 believer. I believe that all my steps were ordered all before I, you know, was even thought about. Um, if you have that perspective, that grounding, And then you have a mother like mine, Elizabeth Scott Brown, like that confidence. To me, resilience is grounded in faith and confidence. If you don't have faith and you don't have confidence, you're not going to be very resilient. And, you know, not, not to overshare, but to share, I struggle with mental health really, really bad as a teenager and I'm going to say something that I don't normally say, but you know, just because you asked, I'm going to tell you. I, I attempted suicide twice. Wow. Attempted suicide twice. I've had my stomach pumped twice. I've been, um, committed to a psychiatric— I can't even say it— facility twice in my life. And all of this was before I joined the military. And these are things I've had to disclose, um, for the past 20-plus years because I have a, uh, you know, security clearance.

Yeah.

And they, they have to make sure that there's nothing someone could hold against you that, uh, convince you to reveal secrets. So I say that because I know what my brain is capable of doing if I let it, if I let myself go to that place I'll go there. And so I am least likely to marinate in disappointment and to marinate in failure. I'm trying to find my way out of that as quickly as possible.

Well, again, thank you so much for sharing this. As you know, we already have an epidemic in the military, all branches of the military. It's about 21, 22 veterans and service members who commit suicide every single day. I personally believe that more people in the military have mental illness and they haven't been diagnosed yet. Me being one of those people myself, after 20+ years of service, my last deployment, I was on my way to Djibouti. When I came back, I got the diagnosis I actually have PTSD, which, you know, in the military is kind of common. Almost every— everybody has it. But I guess what I'm saying is some people have those issues, but they don't ask for help. One thing, and there was a time too in the military, I remember 15, 20 years ago, where if you said you were seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist, you would lose your clearance, and therefore you will be out of your billet and out of a job. So that's no longer the, the case, and there is so much help there, even with the VA and so forth. So that's a very— something that is very important to me personally, but I believe to the entire military community. I feel like we need to talk more about that. So again, thank Thank you so much for sharing that about your life, because if it just helps one person who's listening to this show right now, I think it is all worth it. So if you are still willing to go there, I would like to ask a follow-up, ma'am. Going through it, and first of all, you mentioned Jeremiah 29:11: "I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you an expected end." So That's really the foundation for hope no matter what people are going through because I feel like people, when they decide, "Okay, there is nothing else I can do. There is no way out." That's when they feel maybe, "I need to kill myself." And I am really hoping that people listening right now, they know that there is always, always a way out. Sometimes you just need to talk to somebody and you just need to raise the hand and say, "Hey, I need help." There's got to be, something I am not seeing. Based on your experience, ma'am, I guess my question would be, what would you advise to people, especially men? Again, my own experience, I've seen women tend to be a lot more resilient, or at least if they need help, they raise the hand quickly. Men, they tend to be arrogant, I guess. Maybe it's the ego, or it's just a bunch of nonsense that men go through at times. They think they are strong when in reality they are being weak by not asking for help, right? If you get a physical injury, everybody will go to the hospital. But if it's an emotional injury, then they do not want anybody to know and they suffer in silence. And I think that is really a big problem. So based on your experience, ma'am, what would you tell to maybe the junior officer or enlisted folks who are listening right now who are going through some mental challenges but they are not telling anybody? And they are not seeking help. What, what would your advice be, ma'am?

So, um, here's my thought. Um, I'm here for a reason, and if you are grounded in the fact that you were created for a reason, you're here for a reason, there's— that is enough reason for you to stay here to figure out what that reason and what that purpose is. Um, For me, my, my challenge, and, and why I personally talk about it, is that even though I was going to those places for treatment, I was still told that there are people with real problems, there are people that, you know, have bigger things to deal with than you do. So my feelings were not validated in those earlier years, and for a long time Again, I just wouldn't talk about it because I was afraid of, um, getting that type of response. And he— since I've been in the military, listen, I've called Military OneSource so many times, I believe they screen me. Yes, I am in the Military Family Life Coach, the MFLC office I've lived there since I've been at the Army War College. Um, and so I— and I haven't had those same experiences that I had as a teenager when I was initially seeking help. I— it's been nothing but supportive, whether it is not connecting with my initial counselor and giving me the opportunity to, you know, pick another one, whether it is, hey, we— I went in for this particular topic, but now we've uncovered something else. Let's address that. So I say that to say that from my perspective, my experience in the military, I have no complaints with the service that I've received. I'm very vocal about it because there is that stigma that if you have it, you won't be able to keep your clearance or you won't be able to get promoted. I'm good. So I will say to that person, you have to validate your feelings first, right? Well, before you go speak to someone, you have to be willing to validate how you feel and be willing to advocate for yourself. And don't let anybody take that from you. And you also have to be willing, uh, um, and, and I, I don't use words strong and weak, right? Because it's all about perspective. Uh, what I feel deeply someone else might not care about at all, and that's okay. But if you're coming from a place of validating your feelings and being willing to advocate for yourself, there's nothing wrong with that. So I say that to say you're here for a reason. Yes, there are resources that are 100%— I have tested and validated— that are here for you. Um, and there is no stigma.

Well, that is really, really powerful because I think the other issues we kind of have is there is a lot of help, but many soldiers and sailors and airmen, they just are not aware. For example, Military OneSource that you've mentioned, they do all kinds of things for you. Like they used to send me CDs back in the days. I guess they probably do MP3 and download now, but they would teach you about mental health, about what you to do to to keep yourself healthy, how to eat right. I mean, it goes even how to manage your money, do your finances. I mean, it goes on and on and on. There is really so much resources out there in 2026. It really doesn't make sense for a member of the US military to really suffer when there is so much help available to them. That's crazy.

Can I just say, you know, one thing I love about the triage, like, you have Military OneSource, you have the military family life, uh, coach. Those folks, they don't, they don't take notes, right? Unless there's something that's of danger, there is no record of it. And then of course you have the chaplain. I've utilized every last one of them, um, for different reasons. And so I, I think my, my ask, my personal ask, is that at least try one of them, right? And if it doesn't work that first time, be willing to try again, um, because the world needs you And whether you feel that way or not, we need you and take care of yourself. Wow.

Thanks again for sharing, Colonel. We usually don't start the podcast deep into the water, but this is a different time. I believe somebody who's listening out there on YouTube or LinkedIn definitely needs to hear this. And here is, let me see, Contessa Tracey Walls. I know her, Tess. She was on the podcast last year. She says, "Thank you for being so vulnerable. You continue to be one of my idols, ma'am." That is so true. And I told her I do see a future colonel in her. She's a— oh, for now, right? Major. She just made major last year. So proud of her. And what I've always said, no, there is room at the top for you if you believe. It doesn't matter the color of your skin, doesn't matter your gender. There is room for you at the very, very top. And she's a great, great example of what it means to be a soldier.

So 100%, I concur.

Wow. So you are definitely impacting a lot of, uh, lives, Colonel. And people, some are not here live, but they're going to be listening to it, whatever, um, podcast they use. So let's go back to the beginning. What inspired you to raise your hand and take the oath and pursue a career in military intelligence?

Oh wow. I don't actually talk about this enough, but so let me tell you how it started. I'm not an ROTC, uh, green to go young lady, so I was what they call college op through Officer Candidate School. So I had a college degree, then I came in.

You are in great company because, uh, the great Admiral Sinclair Harris went through OCS too, so that's just fine.

Awesome. And, uh, I had an uncle who was in the Navy. He was an uncle through dating. And, um, I went to college because I wanted to be either a writer or a lawyer. Those are my two desires. Um, and I was a juvenile— um, I was a probation officer after I graduated college. And he's like, Octavia, I want you to do two things. One, I want you to go in the Army, and two, I want you to be an officer. He was very, very clear about the Army and being an officer.

Yes.

And, you know, I, I did some research and I looked at all the branches, and I came across military intelligence. And again, as someone who enjoys reading, who enjoys writing, I was like, so you telling me I can have a career and I can, you know, primarily read and write and, you know, use those lawyer-type research skills. So I was like, cool, this is a no-brainer. Um, and so I, I took my, you know, just adamant person to the recruiting station, like, listen, I'm going to be an officer and I only want to be MI. And it worked out.

That is Fantastic, because I know sometimes it's needs of the Army, right? You may want something, but that's not the needs of the Army at the time. But again, I guess your faith and your courage, I mean, it all worked out. But really looking back at your journey, ma'am, from OCS to commanding a battalion, what defining moment early in your career kind of shaped the leader you are today?

I believe honestly starting off in FORSCOM. So yes, I'm an intel officer and But when I came into the Army, you know, we were very much getting ready, you know, for war. So I came in, and so I wasn't— I didn't have the opportunity to just do intel or to just, you know, be in a SCIF or being away from the fight. I was in the fight, and I didn't really do intel for maybe 3 or 4 years because I was focused on, you know, getting my leadership skills intact. So I believe starting my career in FORSCOM as a PL, platoon leader, as an executive officer, working with the leaders of 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, set the course for me to be able to understand the why of what I'm in the Army to do. So I'll say that's what really set the course for me early on.

And are there any specific leaders or mentors that influence you the most, especially your leadership philosophy and the leader you are today?

So I will talk about particular people and also just generally. So being someone from Officer Candidate School, I was raised in the Army by NCOs, right? Not commissioned officers, warrant officers. And later on in my career, you know, by VA civilians and some contractors. So I think having the mindset of, no, yes, I'm the officer in charge, or yes, you know, I have the rank, but that I need support, um, it helped me to get over those initial hurdles of being, uh, new to the Army and new to the officer corps. Um, Particular people— I, I know people like to talk about mentorship, but I have 3 different buckets that I put people in that have really helped me over my career. Advocates, sponsors, and mentors. And, you know, an advocate is someone who will speak highly of you when you're not in the room. So they will say, I heard you have a vacancy somewhere where there is that lieutenant out there, or there's that captain, that major. You don't know her, but let me tell you, you need her on your team. Yes, I benefited a lot from, you know, advocacy and sponsorship. And, you know, sponsorship takes advocacy a step further. And that's the one that's willing to put their name on a piece of paper for you. And it's more than words, but say, hey, I endorse this young lady. I'm willing to do a letter of recommendation. I'm willing to really put my name on the line behind her. And you know that mentorship is just that top tier. You know, that's that person that cares about you professionally, personally, like all the things. I did not have a mentor until I was well past, you know, I was a field grade, I was a major before I had a mentor. But early on, that advocacy and that sponsorship really helped me.

Wow. And when you had your mentor as a field grade officer, what is one of the lessons they taught you that still holds true today?

Yeah, so my mentor, my very first mentor who remains my mentor to this day, and she knows this, is Colonel Retired Wacquell Gallman. I love her. And so the way she came into my life is I was actually doing an additional duty as a SHARP victim advocate, and I was given a brief, and I looked out in the audience. And I just saw this Black woman with an eagle on her chest, and I was like, what in the world? Like, who is this unicorn? I'm not even kidding. Like, I'm a major, and I've never seen it up close and personal. And I finished that brief, and she had no time to leave that auditorium before I was in her face. And I was like, you don't know me, but we like this now. And so she modeled mentorship for me because it was— again, it was way more than professional. It was personal. It was, who are you? You know, what does your family mean? She would invite me over to Thanksgiving dinner. Like, it was all of that stuff. And so she modeled what it means to be connected to people. Wow.

That is really, really powerful. And I do think that representation does matter a lot, right? When you go to a room, like even in cybersecurity, for a long time, it was mostly white men in the room. Now I see more and more women, which is great. But if you've never seen anybody that looks like you in a position of power or leadership, it's very, very difficult for you to imagine that could be open for you too. And then once you get there, I think it's your responsibility to make sure you are not the last one, right? You may be the first, but don't be the last one. And, uh, that's really, really powerful to see. Now, going through your career, ma'am, so you've really led under pressure. You've led in high-tech environment across Korea. Iraq, Jordan, Afghanistan. What does leadership look like when the margin for error is zero?

So my— and I'm going to connect this to my, my leadership philosophy. When I first came into the Army, I had two pillars of my leadership philosophy. It was perfection, really, and it was fear. I kid you not. So I, I was 100% afraid of not being perfect. And so I was very risk-averse. You know, over the years, that has transitioned from to connection and grace. And so I am least concerned about being perfect as I am about making a connection. And I don't operate from a place of, you know, if something goes wrong, the whole world is going to end. I'm like, when it goes wrong, How can— what is the recovery plan? What is the grace that you can afford people to do that? And I think, you know, again, and it kind of comes back to being— not having a military background, coming into the Army, being in combat, being a leader in combat, and not knowing, not wanting to mess up in a way that literally someone can be hurt. Our, you know, equipment damaged. So I think for me, what has helped me in my later years has not— is knowing that there actually, there's actually a rather significant margin for error, right? That thing about being perfect is not a thing anymore. Um, so I didn't know that as a junior officer.

Wow.

Man, what, what a lesson that is. For those listening, that's probably one of the most important lessons any junior officer needs to learn. Because when I was an IT-3 at the time, I was an instant select, but I hadn't taken the oath as an officer yet. I met this man, Commander Scott Waddell. He came to the University of Alabama. He gave a talk and he wrote this book, The Right Thing. It's when he was the captain of a submarine, and, uh, he accidentally killed a bunch of Japanese fishermen. It was a very, very big deal. It was in the news at the time. And then he was just, uh, recounting his story. And one thing, as a junior officer, I didn't think about perfection, but I was like, man, I'd rather make sure I don't make the type of mistake that is going to cost somebody else. Yeah, that's always been in the back of my mind, no matter what I was doing. But I really love what you say, ma'am, about connection and grace. How long did it take you to go from perfection and fear to connection and grace as a leadership philosophy?

It took me a long time. It took me a really, really long time. And a lot of it was just grounded in self-imposed pressure. When you grow up in an environment where 100%. You're, you're the only person in rooms, and whether people are making you feel that pressure or not, you put it on yourself. And so it took me being in Battalion Command and starting to, you know, really be focused on building those connections. And I was like, listen, this person made a mistake, but I know they're a great person. I know there's good in this. I need to find a way to help them one, recover and still be in the Army and still be able to succeed. And when you have the power to literally, you know, impact someone's career, you, you don't want to have that responsibility lightly. And I think for me, as a— I've always been one that led by example. So I've never asked anyone to do something that you didn't see me do first. Whether I did it right or not, at least I did it first. And so I think evolving that philosophy from being present to being connected while I'm present, I think that was— because that wasn't always the case. I was there, but I wasn't connecting. And I think once I started to do that, I became a better leader, in my opinion.

Well, but also being one of the few, or the only Black female lady in charge in those high-stakes environment, what did that feel like at the time? What was going through your mind?

I think the biggest thing for me, and it is agnostic of my gender and my race, all of that was self-imposed, I think, for a lot of reasons, I think. But it was understanding what risk I owned and what risk I didn't own. And being comfortable with telling someone that own the risk, like, here is my assessment of the friction point. Here are my recommendations for how we can solve and mitigate the friction. Here is my recovery plan for, you know, the stuff that we're not doing now. Here's my plan to do it later on. I had to get reps and sets in having those difficult discussions, and then it made it easier for me to set conditions for people to have those discussions with me. And so I think that was a lot that I had to learn. And the first time I did it and the world didn't end, the first time I had to go and tell somebody, listen, you asked me to do this, but I can only do this. And they were like, okay. I was like, oh my God.

Wow. That is quite insightful. And what did you learn from that experience, ma'am?

I think just the re— the— I could feel the release of the pressure.

Yes.

Right. And it helped me to really know that that's a me thing, right? It wasn't an Army thing. It wasn't a leadership thing. It was an Octavia thing. And that was, again, me giving me another reason to say I need to work through the things that are making me feel this way. Okay, so that's another call to Military Watchdogs because we got to uncover some stuff, man.

That's really a lot of self-awareness. Did that kind of change your perception of the way you showed up for your people and the way you led going forward?

Yeah. So one of the things that I did and I started in command, which is something— battalion command— I wish it was something I did earlier. It's like, well, before I had an initial counseling with someone about, you know, my rating philosophy or my expectations professionally, we would just have a simple office call about, hey, I'm you, you're me, you know, let's get to know each other as humans. And then we'll have a separate discussion. Like, don't— in that first office call, don't bring me your OERs, don't bring me anything. I just want to connect with you. And I think that is— that was really, really helpful because it also helped them to know me. Because I'm mindful of my reputation. I'm mindful of the labels in terms of, you know, being intimidating, being, you know, aggressive, and, you know, all the labels. I'm mindful of that. And so if I don't give them the opportunity to see me in a different way, then that reputation is going to continue.

That's really powerful. It goes back to your two, uh, columns, right? Of both connection first and then grace. And yeah, wow, that's really the way to lead. So, Mom, could you share a moment where your leadership was tested under real pressure and what you learned about yourself in that moment?

Yeah, I think being in command in Korea where you know, we are working in a combined arena where we might have different goals, as you know, from a Republic of Korea perspective and from a U.S. perspective, and being able to still find common ground in those type of environments. I needed that because I think anybody that hasn't worked in a joint, in a combined environment, and they just only know the Army way of solving problems, which is sometimes very like direct, and you don't work on those negotiation skills. You don't work on that, um, I can't make you do it, but I really need you to, you know. I think those— I learned a lot of that being in those environments, um, and again, it just made me realize that sometimes having the power is isn't really the, the solution. You need the influence. And so having me shift from power to influence, I think a lot of that happened with my assignments in Korea.

Wow. That is quite powerful. Now, especially during, uh, times of war, uh, many leaders do struggle, right, with decision-making, with so much uncertainty. What is your framework, ma'am, when you have incomplete information but you must act?

Yeah, I think having a, a plan for getting the information and having a network that allows me to fill in those gaps earlier than later. So a lot of times we, we know that we don't have the information, but we also don't have a plan for getting the information. And once I started expanding my network to, you know, just to a lot of MI people, non-MI people, not officers, you know, enlisted. Like, I'm not going to stay in a place of unknown for very long because if I don't know it, I definitely know somebody else that does, or I can use their network. And so I think there's a lot of fear and anxiety when you are operating in the unknown and you don't have a pathway out of it. Um, but that was, for me, it helped me to— when I have to go to someone and say, hey, I don't have this answer, I can automatically say Here's my plan for getting it. And this was when I'll be able to offer that, that whole solution to you.

That's really, really powerful. And it shows humility as well. Again, you have a very interesting story because you were also the commander of the 524th Military Intelligence Battalion. What was your leadership philosophy entering command and how did that evolve?

It was definitely about the presence versus connection. Um, it's— I've always been important— it's always been important to me that people see me, um, but not so much that they connect with me. And so that was something that I had to implement as a, as a commander. And also, you know, presence is with just when you find out what's happening. So you can't be, you know, in the office or, you know, unavailable because there are problems that you're not going to find until you go to it. Versus it coming to you. But my philosophy kind of transitioned away from that perfection to reps and sets. And so, you know, I love CrossFit and you don't hit your 1-rep max every day. Sometimes you, you need a couple of reps and sets before you get that. So that was definitely a new element to my philosophy.

Well, I thought I had the picture, but I believe you ran the 5K, the fastest one ever. I believe I saw that. On LinkedIn. I wish I had taken a screenshot. But yeah, that is really inspirational, especially as the leader, the commanding officer. I think your— I was gonna say sailor, but your soldiers, they really need to see that. Because sometimes in the Navy, you may be commanding officer, but no, you don't work out with your shipmates. You tell them what to do, but you yourself never do it. You are not really An example, and I think especially for junior enlisted members, that's really a great, great big, big, big, big deal.

Wow.

And then as the commander of the 524th, how did you build trust quickly working with a diverse, high-performing intelligence organization?

Well, it was necessary for me because I was not a counterintelligence officer or a human intelligence officer, but yet I commanded a battalion of those specialties. And so I had to establish trust early on, um, so that I could get the information I needed to make an informed, you know, decision about things that impacted the entire organization. Um, and so sometimes that can cause a little bit of fear because you're the commander but you're not the subject matter expert. But at the same time, you're not the subject matter expert but you still have the responsibility I'm— no, you can't delegate risk. You can't delegate something. So you have to find out how to still get the information you need to execute your, you know, your authorities that you cannot get to someone else. Um, and I think a lot of things that helped me was, you know, not having any daylight between me and my Command Sergeant Major, my senior civilian advisor, my warrant officers. They, they know that I, you know rely heavily on them. And it just, it makes people feel empowered when you ask them for help, um, and when they have the ability to say, hey, I helped the commander.

Yes.

And it— the more opportunities you give people to do that, it just becomes, um, easier to gain trust. But as a perfectionist, you're not asking for help because you're afraid of being wrong. But if you're focused on, you know, building connection, you, you don't have a problem doing, having those conversations and not feeling, and then, you know, feeling like you still are in control of it.

That's really, really powerful. One last question for this segment, ma'am, is what would your advice be for junior officer, mid-grade officer who are about to really take on their first major leadership role? What would you tell them?

Understand the vision and the, the goal of the organization. Understand, because once you understand the vision, you can exercise initiative and be okay with developing relationships early on. I think a lot of times we are in that mindset, you know, well, my work will speak for itself and you know, I work hard, so I don't need to, you know, interact with people. I can just go and do my job. That doesn't work. Like, you can be a phenomenal performer, but if you aren't developing relationships, you're not gonna enjoy the success that you think your performance alone should get you. Um, so I think when you are— especially when you're new in an organization— is very important to understand the, the vision of that organization, how you can support it and build relationships with people that can also help the entire organization.

Wow, that is really powerful. We are already running out of time. I could talk to you for hours, but we do need to talk about your book. The book is— here we go— A Table for One. I believe this is a novella. I haven't read it yet. Usually I read this before I interview, but I just found out yesterday, and you said earlier on when you were a kid, I guess you wanted to become, right, either an author or a lawyer. But here you are in the military and you are a bestselling author. Why did this book have to be written? A Table for One.

Yeah, so the lead character, Nia, she is a lawyer. So technically this is me. Um, so I think work-life balance wasn't, wasn't important for me in command. Like, I wasn't— I think when I decided to do something other than the military, it helped me be a better military leader, if that makes any sense. Um, and so I was in command, I was single, um, and I just wanted to do something that would helped me acquire, obtain balance. Um, my, my mom was always very, very, very supportive of me, and, and so she encouraged me, um, to do the writing. And it's a novella, novella, so it's like 10 pages. And so even though it's a book, it's a really, really short book. Um, but A Table for One for me was about being comfortable in your own skin, being comfortable with working towards your purpose and doing that alone. Wow.

Because I do think the title itself is quite powerful. A Table for One. What does that represent in the context of leadership and personal growth?

Yeah, I think a lot of times we might be inclined to people-please. And we might be inclined to do things, um, not because we think is what's best for us, but because we think this is what people want from us. A Table for One, 100%, is about, uh, being, being connected with yourself. So it's one thing to be connected with others, but if you don't have that foundational connection with yourself, it's, it's all for naught. And so having the confidence to be somewhere in your own space, in your own presence, and to not feel like something is missing, that is, that is, that's a big deal. And for me, I, it kind of just feeds over into a leadership role. If you are comfortable in your own skin and being, uh, in your own foundation, you're not going to be Uh, easily moved by popular opinions.

Wow. That is really powerful because it's true. Many leaders, they do struggle with their own identity outside of their role. Now reminds me of what my mentor told me, uh, rank is rented, but trust is earned. Yeah. So how does your book help readers navigate self-discovery and independence?

So, uh, Nia, the character, she got to that place by by failure. There was a failure or a setback in another relationship that forced her to kind of get to a place where I need to focus on myself. And I think as a leader, we need to be okay with letting that setback being a pivot point to something else that actually does service. And she got there not from a place of trauma, just from a place of just recognizing that I need to try something else. And I think a lot of times we, we put too much emphasis on a setback or a failure and we don't look for the opportunity to grow. And I can 100% guarantee you there is an opportunity to grow in that setback or that failure. But if you let it consume you, it will.

Man. Again, this is a novella. It's only about 10 pages, but I think it is so powerful. We are talking about the book A Table for One. Now, it's signed Miss Scott, but that's Colonel Octavia Scott, the author. And really, Nina, like you say, is kind of a version of yourself. But was there a chapter or a moment in the book that was very difficult for you to write or transformative?

Yeah, so Nia has this great relationship with her, um, with her counselor. So, and she's—

I—

there's some very difficult conversations that they're having that I talk about in that, and it kind of took me back to the conversations that I was having with my therapist, uh, you know, over the years. Uh, so those were— they weren't necessarily triggering, but there were opportunities to reflect on my experiences with getting help for things.

Wow, that is really, really, really powerful. What would you hope young officers or transitioning tech leaders or a woman in leadership takes away after reading your book? What is one lesson you hope they take?

I want them to take away with when you show up, as a whole person, as a whole person that isn't missing something, um, you operate differently. When you, when you feel like something's missing, you're going to be, you know, have more experience, more anxiety, experience more doubt, lack of confidence. But when you are whole by yourself, it exudes. I think there's probably a couple of words that people would use to describe me, and confidence probably one of them. And it's because I'm whole. And so you can't really attribute that to someone that still feels like there's something missing in their life.

Wow.

That is so powerful. Such a powerful message. So we have about 10 minutes left. Uh, for this last segment, that's where I try to understand the leadership principles that have helped you become successful. Uh, one question I have, ma'am, is what do you believe is one of the most important lesson, one of the greatest lessons you've ever learned, whether in life, in leadership, or just in general?

Yeah, um, for me it was grace. It was— I, I was always very, very hard on myself, and because I was hard on myself for a long time, I was hard on others. Um, but once I started really being comfortable with Being able to say, yes, I messed up, own the fact that I messed up, but then quickly pivoting to how I can improve, it was a game changer for me. Wow.

Now, the other question I have for you, you've done so many things. You are an author, you are an award-winning bodybuilder, and I think I have a picture here. You are also a certified coach, if it shows up in a minute. And of course, in the Military, you are only one promotion away from becoming a one-star general, which is a huge, huge accomplishment. What do you believe is the secret of your success, ma'am?

My mama. 100%, my mama. Um, again, if you go back to being a teenager that wanted to do something very, very drastic and being loved back to a place where Now I'm this woman that I am now. The secret to that has been my mom. I think if I'd shown up in the Army as the person that didn't want to be here, I don't get to this place. But I also think, you know, the other relationships that I've fostered, especially the mentors that I have gained later in my career, they've always— whether it's a high or a low, they're there. They're constant. And being able to have those people that look like me, don't look like me, has been a game changer. Wow.

Powerful. I know leaders are learners. What are you learning these days?

I'm still learning resilience. I, I am getting ready for a new transition in my life and making sure, you know, that I'm doing it for the right reasons. That I am, you know, have a pathway for continued success, you know, is important to me. So definitely.

So, um, if you could choose 3 people to have dinner with, you could choose anyone dead, alive, or even fictitious character, who would you choose and why?

Um, my mom, my dad, uh, both passed, and Michelle Obama. Uh, my mom was killed in a car accident, um, by a drunk driver that was speeding and high. And so losing my mom like that, there is a lot of just stuff that was just completely 100% unfinished. Um, my dad, he and I had been estranged, you know, for, for 10 years before he passed. Um, and so I would like the opportunity to reconcile that relationship. And Michelle Obama, because she's Michelle Obama, you know, like, yeah.

Yeah. You don't have to say, uh, anymore. It's, uh, wow. Thank you for sharing that. Is there maybe like a song or a book or a movie that would be your life's theme or anthem?

The woman in the arena. The is the point.

Um, but yes, the man in the arena. Yes. The woman.

Yeah. The woman in the arena. Love it.

I love it.

Yes, yes, yes. Wow. That is very, very inspirational. Okay. We are getting toward the end. If you had one day to live, what would you have liked your final contribution to be?

I think it is to inspire others to— like, I have a saying, it's show up, win, and repeat. And the word WIN is an acronym and it stands for wherever you are, insert your voice, not your fears. And so if you show up, if you make a commitment to be that woman in the arena, and whether you win, you lose, whatever, but you showed up, that's awesome. And when you show up, don't wait for invitations, you know, insert yourself and make sure you are dealing— addressing the things that are creating fear in your life, because we all have fear, but you got to address the root of it all. And then once you do that, just repeat it, and just whatever the situation is, you know, keep showing up, keep winning, keep, keep doing, being you.

I believe that's going to be the, uh, subject of your next bestselling book. Yes, ma'am. So inspirational. Yeah, I think you could unpack that. That's, that's, that's very, very powerful. I will make My daughter read it, if you, if you read it. Uh, powerful. So if you had a magic wand and you could solve any problem in the world, ma'am, what is the one problem you'd like to solve first thing tomorrow morning?

Mental health. Mental health. I would, I would, I would solve the stigma of asking for help, and I was, I would solve the problem of not validating people's feelings.. And for making them feel like, you know, they're wrong for not having good days. If I could do that, I would.

Wow.

And if you had the ear of every young woman who's in the military, all of the branches, over the next 60 seconds, both enlisted and junior officer, what would you tell them, ma'am?

It goes back to showing up and winning. Like, you have a purpose. Right? And don't count yourself out. The reason why I love the woman in the arena, because it's not about whether she won, it's not about whether she lost, it's about the fact that she showed up. And it doesn't matter what people say because they're going to say it regardless, um, but you have to be able to hold yourself accountable at the end of the day and to be comfortable and satisfied with the effort that you put forward. And if you can do that, that's a beautiful thing.

That is really, really powerful. If I didn't know any better, I would think that our president did write this poem, The Woman in the Arena. I know it was Men in the Arena, but that is so, so right. That's what I teach my daughters too. They need to find themselves and insert themselves because they shouldn't be denied just because they are female. I love it. I love it. So we are running out of time really, really quickly. What can we do to add value back? To you? How can my audience do that?

Listen, I think just participating here and giving me some feedback about, you know, uh, what I said. I think I would love to hear any— everyone else's perspective on it.

Can you talk about your coaching program?

Oh yeah, so it is focused on menopausal women because I'm— I'll be 47 on my next birthday And I think we've all transitioned, uh, uh, some things physically, emotionally. And so my coaching business about giving people the tools to get back to their best selves, even at this stage in our life.

And, uh, finally, Pamper Purpose Service. What is that all about, ma'am?

That was 100% about, uh, pampering yourself. So taking care of yourself first and foremost, um, being able to live in the reason why God put you here and be able to be of service to others because we all have that responsibility.

Man, do you get time to sleep, ma'am? It looks like you are way, way too busy. This is incredible.

I don't.

And of course, for everybody listening, I want you to get a copy of the novella, right? Make sure you do. It's available everywhere books are and especially on Amazon. And yeah, this is really great. It is short, but it really goes to the point. And I think you could potentially change and improve your life. Okay, we are practically out of time. If I may ask you one more question, is there anything else you wanted to talk about today? A question I should have asked you, I didn't get a chance to ask.

I'm looking at my notes and I covered everything I wanted to cover, so you did really well.

All right, I appreciate that. And, uh, if I can ask you one last question, uh, if you could go back and give a piece of advice to your 17-year-old self before you entered the Army, standing at the edge of this incredible career you've had, what would you have told 17-year-old Octavia?

You are enough. You are enough no matter what day of the week, what hour of the day. You are 100% enough, and you own that and make them realize it. And if they don't realize it, guess what? You're still enough.

I love it, I love it, I love it. Well, thank you, thank you so much for your time. Now the last question I'm going to ask you: one word that represents our shared experience on this podcast today.

Inspiring. I enjoyed it.

I've really, really— I am so, so grateful for your time, your knowledge. And Mom, I'm definitely looking for your next bestselling book. And once you publish that, I need you back here and I'm going to make my daughters read it. So thank you so much. Appreciate it.

Thank you. Have an awesome day.

All right, everybody, this is one for the book. Really, really grateful and honored to have spoken to the Colonel. Octavia Scott today. And like I say, get a copy of her book and you can also follow her on— she has so many websites. Follow her on LinkedIn and then her coaching site, right? oneofonecoaching.com and also nonprofitpurposeandservice.com. All right. I'm going to have a back-to-back broadcast today. So in about 5-10 minutes, I'm going to be speaking to the one and only Lieutenant Colonel Glenn Axelrod, US Army retired. We're going to be talking about "For Those Called to Lead: Lessons from War, Cyber, and Life." He's a cybersecurity expert now, but not only that, he is also, I found out yesterday, an actual Hollywood movie actor. So we're gonna be talking about all of that in the next 10 minutes. Thank you so much for watching. And I hope to see you for the next episode here on the Leadership Success Podcast. Bye for now.

Thank you for tuning in to the Leadership Success Podcast with your host, Coach BZ. If today's episode added value to your leadership journey, Be sure to subscribe, share, and join us again for more wisdom nuggets on how to lead better and achieve greater success. Remember, leadership is the most critical skill of our time. The world will always need leaders to inspire others, drive innovation, and execute meaningful strategy. So why not count yourself among the bold leaders shaping the 21st century? Until next time, stay inspired, stay committed, and keep leading with excellence.