S5E69🎙️ LIVE with Coach Kim C. Shaw, MAML, RBLP-T

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

So I've been following John Maxwell since the '70s. I don't want to date myself. And before the John Maxwell team even came about, I've always read his books because his philosophy, again, is so aligned. I make a joke when I'm teaching— this is a program that, um, Becoming a Person of Influence, which is an amazing program, by the way. And he says in that is leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. Now, you can have a positive influence on people and you can have a negative influence on people, but John Maxwell's perspective and the way he approaches leadership is my philosophy. It's about the people, man. Yeah, it's about the people, and you have to love that. You do. You— it's all about the people, and people know when you're genuine. People know when you're— it's about character, and it's about being that. I don't have to say who I am. I don't have to come in and say, 'I'm the leader,' and 'I'm the boss,' and all that. It's my character, the way I carry myself, and the way that I commune with my people that it's a— it's a given. It's an unspoken.

I never ever had to It is all about the people. How true that is. Okay, we have a very special guest waiting in the green room right now. But before we do, as is our custom on the show, we like to start with what we call moment of gratitude. And today, like yesterday, I am just so grateful I am able to speak again. I've been down with the flu and I completely lost my voice a couple of days ago. And I'm just so glad to still be in the land of the living. Because as long as there is— I am here, right? There is hope for me. As long as I am alive, there is hope for me. All right. I have today a very special person I will be speaking to. We've never really met until now, but she's just like me. She's part of what we used to call the John Maxwell Team, now the Maxwell Leadership. It is really a global family of more than 80,000 coaches now across America and around the world. And it's just amazing how we all have pretty much the same core values. I mean, we could be talking to each other for hours and hours and hours, just met, but as if we've known each other our entire life. That's really, really beautiful to see. So before I bring her on, let me see if I can properly introduce her. We are going to be speaking to our coach, Kim C. Shaw. Uh, she's a transformational leadership coach, resilience trainer, emotional intelligence advocate who's helping leaders unlock their full potential. With a master in management and leadership and certification as a resilience builder leadership program trainer, she equips leaders to strengthen self-awareness, lead with clarity and confidence, and navigate adversity with resilience. Build high-performing, human-centered teams. Her mission is so simple, but it's so, so powerful. She inspires leaders to lead with purpose and elevate others along the way. Please help me welcome to the Leadership and Success Podcast, Coach Kim Shaw.

Wow.

Hi, Kim. How are you doing today?

I am amazing. Wow, Coach Bob Fabien Zinga, all that footage you had there. I'm like, oh my God, I don't even remember that.

Yeah, if it's on the internet, social media, I will find it. But so, so wonderful to be speaking to you in the flesh right there in person. I guess to get started with, what is one thing you are grateful for this morning?

Actually, the same thing you're grateful for in this moment, having opened our eyes another day, getting that privilege to serve another day. Had some challenges in 2025, and I'm grateful to be on the other side of that, some health challenges. So I'm glad you're feeling better from getting over the flu. And yeah, the same thing, you know, just being grateful for another breath.

That is really— I mean, it's so simple, but it's so, so powerful. And by the way, part of the reason why I do this for my military community, it's about 21, 22 service members and veterans who commit suicide every single day. Oh my God. It's really, really an epidemic. And I think you cannot be suicidal and be grateful at the very same time. So mental health is definitely something we need to take care of. It's very, very important. Like even your body sometimes, right, when you're always busy, busy doing, doing, doing, your body will say, okay, I've had enough, you have to slow down, you have to rest, and then you don't have a choice. But hopefully we're going to be more and more proactive going forward. So another question I have, For you, Coach, uh, what is something about you that most people may not know when they first meet you?

Uh, let's see, that I ride motorcycles.

Wow, nice.

That I say I'm gonna live till I'm 99 and I ride roller coasters still. Um, avid roller coaster rider.

So that's pretty cool. Wow, you, you are full of courage and surprises. That is That is good, good to see. Yeah, good, good courage to you. I, I kind of, I don't know, it looks kind of cool to be riding a motorcycle, but in America people drive so crazy. It's been a minute, it's been a minute. So yeah, but yeah, I've heard from some of my mentors who do ride, sometimes they just go like in the desert or whatever, they feel like they just take everything off their, their mind, like in another world, they just relax and It's just so good for their soul. Maybe one day I'm going to try it.

It's a freeing thing, like when you are jet skiing or anything out there that has to do with just freeing yourself, it's really rewarding.

Yeah. Yeah. Just the person and the open world. That must be quite a feeling. Maybe one day I will pick up on that. So if you could take us back, What kind of shaped your leadership journey early on?

So my leadership journey did begin really early. Entrepreneurship. I was— I am a, a born and bred entrepreneur. I grew up working with my mom. We had a chain of hair salons. I started actually at the age of 10.

Wow, that's early.

Yeah. So responsibility, customer service. Business survival, people dynamics— those things were always a part of my everyday life early on. You know, I stayed in our family business until I was in my 30s, so I actually did not enter corporate America until in my 30s.

Wow.

That's when I relocated here to Florida. So by that time, I wasn't new to leadership. I think I was simply transitioning environments. And I believe that that early exposure shaped my belief that leadership is not about titles. You know, it's about accountability, it's about service, and it's definitely about consistency.

Wow. That is so powerful. Wow. So was there maybe like a defining moment where you realized that leadership was truly your calling and not just a role?

Ooh.

That is a really good question. And I still reflect back to the day that I became a single mom of 3 sons when my husband passed away. Very young sons. And of course, that's always going to be a defining season because you are in this world where you think life is perfect and you have everything set out for you, and then the rug is just snapped from underneath you. Leadership, of course, became personal because I was a leader at that moment. Eyes were on me. I had to protect the home. I had stability to build for my kids. I had futures to help shape. So that was always a level of responsibility that forced resilience and focus. And again, this is why I always share that leadership is not a title or anything. It's who you are from the inside. And that taught me, I think, always that It's not always going to be glamorous, um, you know, sometimes it's simply about just showing up every day and doing what you have to do. Yes, refusing to give up. Whenever anybody reads my bio, you know, I say something about, you know, at that time it was a matter of do or die, and dying is an option.

Wow.

I am really— oh, sorry, go ahead.

No, I was saying I grew up with him, so we were We went to junior high school, high school together, so it was— yeah, it was really devastating.

I am really, really sorry to hear that, but you are such a strong and resilient woman.

I appreciate— wow.

And what did that, uh, experience teach you?

Well, that experience definitely taught me that I am far more resilient than I ever imagined.

Yes.

Um, and, uh, you know that, and, and responsibility can be a powerful motivator for growth. And that's just it in a nutshell.

That is so powerful because in, in life sometimes, right, two different people, they go through exactly the same challenges, but one of them, they just break down and they just cannot live anymore. Life no longer has a meaning for them. But others like you, you just not only you survive, but you thrive and you kind of have a new purpose in life. Why do you think, you are a coach, so I know you think deeply about some of these things, why do you think people like you have that thing that allows you to really not only survive but thrive and do well through all of the trials and challenges in life when other people, they just crumble?

What do you think the Um, I, I think I need to attribute it back to— oh, are we there?

Yes. Okay.

Yeah, I think I'm, I'm gonna attribute that question back to, again, growing up the way I did. Um, you know, it was when you work for yourself, you know, there's no room and there was really no cushion. So you work, you, you, you continue to do what you need to do. Um, to survive. I really can't speak for anybody else, but you know, when I'm coaching and when I'm sharing, one of the things that I really, uh, and I like to do is help people see the positive sides and the, the attributes of things that make them who they are. A lot of times we have people who are challenged because they're always looking at what's going wrong. And if you look at your blessings— somebody just wrote to me yesterday, you're always so happy, you always seem to be so happy and smiling all the time. And I said, that's I am all the time because I know that it could be worse.

Yes.

Right. So I think that's it. And, you know, once you help people understand that, again, what we talked about coming in is we got another breath. That means we got another opportunity to make a difference in somebody else's life, to make a difference in our own lives. And people are always watching.

That is really powerful because I think what sometimes happens to people, they feel like they no longer have a sense of agency, like there is nothing they can do. Life just happens to them and they will just blow wherever the wind will take them. But what you said is so, so powerful. You have another breath and there is something you, you can do about it. Wow, powerful. Now you do emphasize, uh, self-leadership in your coaching. Why is the foundation, uh, why, why is it the foundation of effective leadership, self-leadership?

I think— not think, in my experience, um, leadership effectiveness is directly connected to self-awareness, right? So you knowing who you are. I think a lot of times the people— when I'm coaching, leaders often focus on the strategy, they focus on performance metrics, they focus on the things that are outside.

Yes.

But they kind of overlook that their own mindset their emotional patterns, their energy management, and their purpose all have a major impact on what's going to happen on the outside or the results that they're trying to get. So when they understand themselves more deeply, they make better decisions. They build stronger relationships. And we as leaders, we have greater confidence. My philosophy has always been whole self-leadership. That comes from that belief. I mean, you can't— you remember back in the day when you would have if, uh, you go to work and you're working and, you know, your leaders say, leave your personal business outside when you walk through that door, you have to bring just, you know, that is impossible. Yes, you have to understand that everything is working together. So a good leader is going to address all parts of that individual.

Wow.

And that's basically, to me, that's the foundation of self-leadership. It's all connected.

That is really quite insightful. And in your practice, what do you think are some of the biggest blind spots leaders have about themselves?

I think many believe, many leaders, they believe that their competence alone earns trust. In other words, I have all these degrees. I've been in this industry for 30 years, different things like that. And I remember when I was brand new in corporate. I mean, I literally made it to senior leadership and I didn't have a formal degree at the time. So that was an indicator, you know. I think technical expertise is definitely important, but influence is built through connection, empathy, and understanding. Credibility is built over time, not overnight, and it's not something that you have hanging on the wall. It's not that. I think also leaders underestimate how their stress responses and how they actually communicate. Their communication style impacts their team culture. That is one of the biggest blind spots. I recently did a presentation in a plug for Disrupt HR. It was called— let me see— Are You Someone People Want to Know? And the focus was understanding how you make people feel.

Yes, yes.

If you don't, if you don't really stop and think about your impact on other people and being self-aware and how you come across, you will always have a difficult time, especially in a position of authority.

Yes.

Remember John Maxwell's Five Levels of Leadership? Amazing book. You will always stay at levels 1 or 2. You might get to level 3, but if you don't have that, you'll never get to Pinnacle never gets by. Exactly. Mine is behind me. Yeah, yeah, that's one of my favorites.

Yeah, so powerful, because I feel like, uh, in many organizations, most leaders are barely at level 1, right? Just their title, just their position, where there is so much more to leadership than that.

And Coach BZ, that was one of the biggest challenges that I had when I was on the other side. It was that me having this ceiling to where I can't even help them grow because of the, the limitations that were allowed of me. So one of the reasons why I love being back on the other side, which is my entrepreneurial side, is that I have the ability to pour into people to grow beyond level 1, 2, and 3, helping them understand that level 1, you might be in a position of authority, but that does not make people want to follow you. What actually makes people want to follow you?

Wow, that is so Simple but so powerful. You remind me of the law of the lead. For my podcast last year and this season, we're using the 21 Laws of Leadership. But leadership abilities determine a person's level of effectiveness. It is so true. You cannot lead beyond your level of leadership. If you're going to have to lead at a higher level, you're going to have to grow as an individual. And it's— wow. Powerful, man. We are already getting so many nuggets and we're just getting started. So how do, or how can leaders, people listening to us right now, how can they develop their true self-awareness in a world that rewards constant output over reflection?

And that, you said the word right there. Just put in front of that intentional. Through intentional reflection. People have to be willing to give themselves honest feedback. We have to slow down. We have to observe our own patterns. And it's another— I remember in another course that I'm, um, Journey to Self Leadership, I think, and I talk about talking to yourself. And I said, not only do I talk to myself, I answer myself back. Yes, we have to be willing to reflect. We have to be willing to stop and say, I think I'm right, but I could be wrong.

That's humility.

Right? Exactly. High-performance environments reward speed and output. But growth requires moments of awareness, times that we have to recalibrate, go back and really think about what we're doing, the impact we're having, again, how we make people feel.

That is really, really powerful. And for the leaders or aspiring leaders who are listening to us, Right now, one thing I think that is key, and it also comes up a lot in Papa John's leadership philosophy, is really who you truly are, right? You talked about competence. In the Navy, I think we borrowed it from the Army, it's the 3 C's of leadership: competence, but also character, right? And then connection, because you cannot do anything that is worth doing if you don't have other people to do it with you. But your character is so key. And since January, I've been doing a study of a book of Proverbs, not a religious study at all. I think we did Proverbs 20 yesterday, and we're going to be doing Proverbs 21, I believe, tomorrow. But nice, good thing. I see what— old, old book, ancient wisdom, but it's still very much relevant today because the human nature really hasn't changed. And one thing I think is Even more relevant right now is the person you are when you think you are in private, when you think nobody is watching. Because the truth is, as a leader, people are always, always watching, right? If you don't believe me, just ask the people who've been exposed in the Epstein file. Uh, yeah, whatever is done in darkness will be revealed.

That, that is 100%.

Really, the question is, who are you when you think no one is watching? And how does that show up in your leadership? What would you say to our audience about that?

First of all, I know always the most important one in my life is always watching.

Yes.

I think I always say that it is so hard. It's so much harder to be fake than it is to be who you really are. It's so hard. You have to really continue to practice that. So I always share that I am myself 24/7, 365. That version, when you— who you are when nobody's watching is eventually going to show up in your leadership.

Yes. You can't keep it hidden forever, especially under pressure. Right, right.

Authenticity does not stay hidden. Sincerity can't really— you can't fake sincerity because eventually your true self is going to be revealed. So I think it's easier to be yourself than it is to try to be something or someone else. And if you're that 24/7, You don't have to worry about whether I'm this way in my leadership practice or I'm this way outside of home. That's one of the reasons why when I share on LinkedIn, you see my whole self. I was roller skating Saturday and this is me. And I'm not going to keep myself compartmentalized to make other people feel good. Oh, that's not professional. Oh, that's not leadership. I beg to differ.

Wow. Powerful. Yeah, because my mom used to say, you can trick some people some of the time, but you can never trick Everybody, all of the time. So insightful. I mean, really, when you think about it, leadership is really, really simple. Again, that's why I love Papa John's teaching, because he really brings it down to where people can understand. It's not really that complicated and complex, but it's just in the execution. Isn't that where most of the people have issue? It's not just understanding it, but actually putting into practice every single day.

I agree. And they make it— it is— they make it more complex than it needs to be.

Yeah.

Wow. It does not have to be so complex. It's influence. Do you want to be an influence, or do you want to be a bad influence? If you want to be a good influence, you introspect, you reflect, you think, you know, you, you figure out how you come across to other people. If it's not the way it's going to get the best results or within yourself, you change it.

So simple but so insightful.

I know, right? That's why we're coaches.

Yes. So you are an emotional intelligence advocate, and I think that's definitely something we need more and more of these days. I know the part of the country where I live in Silicon Valley, I think our IQ is probably off the chart. So many smart people here, but Emotional intelligence, ah, we have a lot of work to do. So often emotional intelligence is kind of labeled as soft skill. Why is it actually a leadership superpower?

At the end of the day, no matter where you go, no matter where you work, no matter who you interact with, these are not objects. These are not pieces of paper. We are ultimately dealing and talking about people. Yes, right, people. I've seen highly intelligent, heavily decorated, wonderfully educated people, technically brilliant, struggle, struggle hard because they lack emotional awareness and empathy.

Wow.

I think they get jaded into thinking, if I get all these things, then people are going to respect me, people are going to follow me. That's not it because people are deeper than that. Emotional intelligence helps leaders regulate themselves. Again, seeing how I am and really helping, making sure that I talk to myself, I listen to myself, I weigh all the different things that I know they're going to have an impact on those outside of who I am. We have to understand others. We have to navigate complex situations with clarity, but from a different lens. There are multiple lenses, especially we as leaders have to have, and we have to be able to look through. It's not—

wow. So how would you say should leaders regulate their emotions under pressure? And how can people become more emotionally aware?

I think going back to understanding that you are— you're human just like they are. Bringing up the topic of pressure more often, not keeping it bottled up, making sure that that conversation stays on the table, making sure that you make people feel comfortable enough when those situations do get tough. Because when you're working with teams, you have people, you have the most brilliant minds in the room, and you have people that can bring some of the most, you know, complex solutions to the most complex of problems. You might be the one in authority, but you can't do it all.

Yes.

And when you calm yourself down and you help your team understand that, yes, this might be a difficult situation, but together we can get through it. People will start bringing those ideas, people will start continuing to innovate, and you'll find that it's not so hard and it wasn't so bad after all.

Wow. That is really, really insightful. Now, you are also a certified resilience trainer. And of course, we've seen you've been resilient throughout your entire life, but through your coaching practice as well. How do you define resilience today in leadership?

I think I define resilience as it's not just enduring a hardship. Again, just like emotional intelligence, resilience, these have all become buzzwords. And they've been around for many, many, many centuries, of course, but now they're on LinkedIn and they're on, you know, I'm a thought leader and all this other stuff. But I think resilience, again, like I said, is not about just enduring hardship. It's about allowing challenges, you know, to refine how you think, to refine how you lead, to refine how you grow. And you see, you notice how Coach Bob, it all goes back to you. It all comes back to who you are.

Yeah.

It's not just, oh my God, this is a challenge. How am I going to get through it? We have to allow those challenges to refine us.

Yeah. It reminds me of that old gospel song because people tend to always cast blame and it's always somebody else's fault. No, but I have a money jack. It's me. It's me. It's me. Oh Lord.

Oh Lord. That's right.

It's me, not my brother, not my sister. That is so simple but so powerful. It shows humility and you really get to learn to grow through whatever circumstances and challenges you are experiencing. So powerful. Before I ask you another thing about resilience, I am going to say, I am kind of joking, but I am not. Part of the way I developed my emotional awareness is by getting married and becoming a father. That definitely made me a lot more aware. Yeah, it was no longer about me, myself, and I, but I really truly had to care and be mindful of my spouse and my kids. And they will teach you to be patient, to be humble, and to be a better, better version of yourself.

And I have to throw one more thing in there. My kids have taught me one thing. If I tell you one thing that I do not know at all, If I don't learn something from my kids every single day, a day doesn't go past. It's amazing, especially my youngest who's an adult. If that man does not teach me something that I didn't know the day before, I'm like, oh my gosh, I didn't know that.

That's pretty cool. Except when they were about 16, 17, then I didn't want to learn anything from them. But exactly, because then they felt like they knew everything when they're than more than you. Yeah, yeah. But yeah, it's, it's, it's really, uh, amazing how you can learn from pretty much, you know, every scenario in, in, in, in life. But going back to resilience, how can leaders who are listening to us right now, how can they build resilience in their teams and not just in themselves?

Like I shared a few minutes ago, um, you got to normalize those conversations. Normalize conversations about pressure. You know why? Because it's going to happen. We might be smooth sailing this month, maybe next month, maybe even next month, but as sure as the day goes by, there's going to be something that comes up that's going to pressure— that's going to make you move in a different direction. So if you start normalizing those conversations, learning from your setbacks— no, the only mistake I think people make are the ones we don't learn from. Right. So you learn from those setbacks, and you model yourself as a leader adaptability. You as a leader, you have to be adaptable, you have to be flexible, you have to be able to roll with the punches.

Yes.

So if you panic every time something happens, what do you think your team is going to do?

Hmm. Powerful. Because it is said it's lonely at the top. First, I don't think that has to be true. But For leaders out there who kind of struggle silently, what do you advise? What does resilience look like for them?

You said that you hit the nail on the head again. A lot of leaders carry heavy responsibility, but they carry it privately. You have to be able to create spaces for dialogue and support. That's essential. You being vulnerable does not take anything away from your leadership. It doesn't take anything away from your title and everything that you've earned. I think the most credible leaders are the ones who understand that they don't know it all, and your team makes you who you are, right? So I don't know it all. That's— I think that's one of the reasons why I was successful when I was, you know, when I was in leadership in, in corporate, is because my team— I was always there. My, my, um, my org chart was with me on the bottom and my team up on the top.

Wow.

So you know how you have the org chart with the leader? And, you know, mine has always been reverse because number one, I'm a servant, of course. But number two, the biggest thing is that it's my team that I'm there for. So I keep that in my mind.

I know.

And I always tell them, you know, when we're— I'm a collaborative type of leader. And the only difference between you and I is that I'm going to be responsible for the outcome.

Yes.

Wow.

You know, that is really something.

I take the brunt. That is the only difference between you and me. Just because I hold the title doesn't mean I'm more important than you are.

Yes.

It just means at the end of the day, either I'm gonna get fired or I'm gonna get praised.

Yes.

But I will always give my team their just due in supporting whatever decisions we do make.

Wow. Now, a lot of people who watch, um, this show, uh, are in the military or in high tech, and they aspire to become leaders. So for many of them right now, they are individual contributors, very, very highly technically skilled. What do you think is kind of one of the biggest mindset shifts that needs to happen for somebody who's an individual contributor, very competent, highly technically skilled, but now they're going to be in a role where they're not just responsible for themselves, but for an entire team?

That's a hard one. You know why? Because when you're in the military, you have been taught and structured in such a way to where your expertise is the thing that makes you of value. That's just from, you know, I'm not military, but I have military experience from family members and friends and different things like that.

Yes.

And I think, and I have clients that are former military. And my recommendation is always that mindset shift to moving from being that expert. Yes, you are, but to developing others. And we know that leadership requires influence, not just execution. But the other word is intentionality, and that is keeping it in the forefront, keeping it right here, taking it from back here and putting it up here. And it has to be there 24/7. Stop, slow down, think about the result you want to get from this interaction. Yes. So a lot of times we jump in their interactions and we're jumping in from a, um, a reactive perspective and not a proactive perspective. What do I want this interaction to result in? Wow. And that helps.

So stop reacting, start responding. Powerful.

Yep.

Wow.

So we talked about credibility earlier. How can new leaders start building that credibility without relying solely on their technical expertise? And another thing one of my mentors told me was, right, uh, rank is rented but trust is earned. How can they earn that trust?

I like that. I like that. And that's definitely true. Listening, right? Not just hearing, but listening deeply. Another huge one is being consistent.

Wow.

You have to be consistent. And the third one to me is genuine care. You have to genuinely care about the team's success, not just your own. And those are some of the things that will definitely help build that credibility because All those things I just mentioned will then result in trust. Your people will start trusting you a lot more because you're solid, you're consistent, you're listening to them, not just hearing them. And then you again rolling up your sleeves, you're in the trenches. I'm here with you. I'm not above you. Again, I'm responsible for the outcome, but I value what you have to input into this team.

Wow.

Powerful. Well, let's talk about purpose because if nothing else, that's definitely something Papa John's really focus on, leading with purpose. So you do speak about leading with purpose. How does a leader discover their why?

Ooh, that's a good one, Coach BZ. I think it's often by noticing patterns in whether and what others seek out You know, why do people seek you out? Why do people seek Inspiring You? Why do people come to Coach Kim? You know, Inspiring You was literally born during a very challenging season.

Yes.

And people consistently told me how inspiring I was. And this was, you know, throughout my corporate career. I mean, and in my life in general, my mom used to say, oh my gosh, you're so happy. Go lucky, you just drive me nuts.

Um, but I think that's very inspiring.

Yeah, and that's how, you know, that's how the name Inspiring You came about. It was a spiritual thing, you know. Holy Spirit said, Inspiring You, duh, that's what you do. So I'm like, okay, I don't know how that's going to go over from a branding perspective, but I like it. But eventually I realized that calling was to build something more meaningful. So that was my why to actually continue on what I started way back when I was a kid.

Yes.

Wow.

That is really, really powerful because I know of a few leaders who really were focused, they were really living their life on purpose, but at some point they kind of lost sight of that and they start drifting. How can people listening to us now kind of reconnect with their purpose, their reason why?

You said, how can people do what?

Reconnect with their purpose if they have lost sight of it.

Oh, again, I think number one is through clarity, right? You have to get a clear picture of what your purpose is. Sit, Be quiet, introspect, again, reflect.

Yes.

What is your purpose? I think busy work is another thing that challenges people because they get so entrenched in, in the outcome and they start doing busy work. They have to understand how that work contributes to the larger outcome or to your vision or to your goal. Stop just doing stuff for the sake of doing it.

Wow.

Really stop. Get clear on what you want to do. Get clear on what your purpose is. And then redirect and start. Even if you got to start over again 100 times, it's better than staying back there doing the same thing that's not going to yield the results you want.

Yes.

Remember the definition of insanity?

Yeah, yeah, doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. Wow. Again, these things are so simple, so clear, but, uh, again, I think it's in the execution, how you practice them every day. So Once someone knows their purpose, their reason why, how do they align their personal purpose with the mission of the organization, whatever organization they are involved with?

Same thing, right? Same thing. You have to have a clear understanding. You have to have a clear vision. One of the things that I always talk to also about, I guess, from being in in entrepreneurship for so long, when I did go into corporate, I thought of myself as a business owner or an entrepreneur in the organization within. So it's intrapreneurship. So I'm going to govern myself and manage my team and my business as if it was my very own.

Wow.

And when you do it for yourself and when you do it for your very own, you're going to put a whole lot more effort into it, right?

Yes.

You're not going to just punch a clock because I'm here to do a 9-to-5 job. A lot of times we have leaders that are coming in before they get in the door good, they thinking about what they're going to do after they leave.

Yes.

Wow. Powerful.

Powerful. Okay. We have about, what, 20 minutes left or so. I'm going to get into the last segment of the show. That's where I try to get into your mindset and see which leadership principles have helped you be as successful as you are today. You might recognize this about 7 segment. I pretty much copied from Papa John. Every time he meets with a leader, he asks them 7 types of questions in this area. I think they could be quite insightful in really revealing why people do what they do and why they are so successful or driven. So maybe to get started, what do you believe is one of the greatest lessons you have ever learned? Whether in life, in leadership, or just in general?

Greatest lessons I have ever learned. I have so many.

Yeah, just one of them. One of them. What comes to mind?

Thinking, knowing that I don't know it all. I think that's the greatest one because somebody who is, who, who, who, who really focuses on learning. I am a consummate learner, learner, learner, learner, learner. And knowing that I don't know it all and there's always something else to learn tomorrow, today, the next 5 minutes. I think that's the biggest thing for me.

That is so powerful. And I think if most people would just be humble and know what they know and know what they don't know and just say, no, I don't know, I'm going to find out, or whatever, that would solve so many problems. Wow. But looking through your life and everything you've achieved so far, Why do you think you've been so successful? What do you believe is the secret of your success?

Knowing that it's not about me. It never has been. It's always been about those that I serve. Wow. So, you know, it's funny that my former— I'm not saying former because now they've become mentees of mine. Young people that I used to work with, the people that I used to work with when I was on the corporate side, they started calling me the Maverick. And I'm like, well, why do you all do that? And I used to say that, you know, I asked for forgiveness before I asked for permission, and I was going to advocate for them. And I would say, you know, I'd be 5 miles down the road before I stop. And then, you know, my leader says, hello, what are you doing? I'm like, well, I did this because of this, this, this, and this was the expected outcome. And I knew this was going to happen. And so forth and so on. Yes. So I'm always advocating for my people and, um, just understanding that, you know, that's why I'm here. Wow.

So for every, uh, young minority women who are listening to us right now who aspire to lead, if you are there, yes, for, let's say, the next 60 seconds, what is one thing you would like for those young ladies to do first thing tomorrow morning?

Get up, reflect on what you want to do, where you want to go, and start from there. Also, there's never a good time to start.

Wow.

Never a good time to start. I know you know who Joyce Meyer is, Coach B. Remember back in the day she wrote a book called Do It Afraid? Do it afraid. I, I've had so many say, well, my website is not done, or yes, I didn't finish this and I didn't finish that. Guess what? You're gonna be waiting for a long time. Yes. If you don't start today, start today, even if it's something small. Start your journey.

Powerful. Wow, I like that. Uh, do it afraid. Yeah, because I think sometimes people, they kind of wait for everything to be, uh, in place. Yeah, 100% in place before they start. But then, no, it doesn't take faith if, if, if you, if you do that. Wow.

Powerful.

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

What am I learning these days? Well, I am in the process of actually writing. Actually, I am the lead in a project for the school that I teach for. I'm also adjunct professor.

Oh, congratulations.

Yeah, one of the, one of the challenges that I think we have is not, you know, we have, we have emotional intelligence, we have IQ, we have EQ. Cultural intelligence is a huge gap.

Yes.

And what we're doing and how we're training and how we're developing leaders these days. And that's basically what I'm really, really zeroing in on. Cultural intelligence is Because a lot of times people think that there again goes back to performance and, you know, a little— I'm self-aware, I could be self-aware, but you're not aware of the surroundings based on the cultural perspective. So that's one of the things that I'm really digging deep into right now and adding that extra layer onto this new program that I'm writing.

Powerful.

And also understand you are finishing up on a book, right? Maybe this year or soon. Very, very good.

Yeah, it has been in progress for the last 5 years, but I promise I'm going to finish it this year.

Well, it's the book you were meant to write. I'm sure you have one of those books. At first I thought it was a trick. Papa John sells a book, The Best Story Ever Told, right? You look at it and it's completely blank and it's like, this is your story. Exactly. Yeah, if I think everybody needs to take time to reflect and really think about the lessons they've learned throughout their life.

Exactly.

Share that, uh, to the next generation because that is so, so powerful. I mean, like I say, you know, things like the Book of Proverbs written more than 2,000 years ago, but because of it today we can still apply those same principles and learning and teaching and it's very, very impactful and absolutely timeless.

And you know, all parallel. Yes, that's another thing.

Yeah.

Now we, we usually focus on success. What about failure? How has failure shaped your life?

Learning. Once again, I don't think there's never been a failure that you have that you don't learn from again. I think failure is making mistakes in something and you failing at something, but you don't learn from it. So if you take a nugget or two from that thing that's perceived to be a failure. And again, failure is a perception, I believe. And I believe that, um, I failed, or, or it didn't turn out the way that I expected it to turn out— there's a difference in that language— because something was missing, or because I needed to learn a lesson, or that I was being protected. You know, God protects us from things that we should not do or shouldn't have. So I was thinking and listening like, oh, you didn't want me to go that direction. Okay, I see that now. And I learned from that and then I moved in a different direction.

Wow.

So are you really saying that in reality nobody ever fail? I know Papa John wrote a book, Sometimes You Win and Sometimes You Lose, right?

Yes. You win sometimes, you win sometimes, you learn. Absolutely, absolutely. And see, I tell you, I was joking around with Papa John when I see him, and I remember the first time I said this to him, and I said, um, you know, um, thank you so much. And he's looking at me like, what are you talking about? I said, thank you so much for, you know, just sharing my message to the world and my philosophy to the world. And, you know, I said, your platform, you're famous, so people are going to listen to you. They don't really listen to me. You know his thunderous laugh.

Right?

He busted out laughing so hard. He was like, I've never heard that before.

Yes, yes.

Yep.

But yeah, I guess it's really a mindset, isn't it? The first time I heard him teach in person, I think it was in 2007, I believe, Birmingham, Alabama, Church of the Island. One thing he said I never, never forgot is your attitude attitude will determine your altitude.

That's right.

And he also said that today matters.

Yes.

Whatever, no, yesterday is gone, no, there's nothing you can do about that, but today, today matters. Wow, that is so simple but so, so powerful. So is there maybe, uh, one of the greatest fear, uh, you can share that you have been able to overcome in your life?

Fear. I don't want to say that I'm fearless. Um, actually, you're gonna laugh at this one, but it's heights. That's, that's the only thing that came to my mind right now.

Really?

Yeah, yeah, fear of heights. And I actually had one, um, and I didn't realize it. And, you know, but parasailing will help you get over that real fast. You know, I'm, I'm not a daredevil, but I'm a, I'm not a, I'm not a thrill seeker either. I just like to have fun.

Wow.

So sometimes, you know, those things out of your realm.

Wow.

So you would experience what scares you. That's, that is something because, yeah, you did mention at the beginning of the show sometimes you do parasailing and all of that. It's like, wow. But, uh, Okay, well, more power to you.

Uh, yeah, yeah, getting on roller skates in your 60s, that's another thing. Yeah, yeah.

Wow.

Yeah, that is really something. Okay, uh, what about some people you know that we should know? Who are some of your mentors or coaches or, or people who have really, uh, helped you throughout your career that you think everybody should know and follow?

Well, of course, Papa John Maxwell. He's the best in the game. I mean, he is so amazing. Um, like I said, his soul, his spirit from inside and out is just amazing. Um, and yes, I got the check yesterday. I'm just telling you, I'm— she's another one that I love dearly, um, because, you know, from a spiritual perspective, she's real as real can get. And I love all the greats. I love Stephen Covey, I love Steve Jobs. I just love wisdom and just practical thinking. And again, it's not rocket science.

Powerful.

So if you could choose 3 people to have dinner with, they could be alive, dead, or even fictitious characters, who would you choose and why?

The first one I would choose is my brother, um, because I know that God wasn't finished with him. But God— well, God knows that he was finished with him. Of course, within myself, I don't. I think he had so much more to contribute. Um, just a plug, my brother was the person who coined the phrase hip-hop. So I want him to see what his nephew is doing, which is my son who's making a whole lot of, you know, um, he's carrying on the legacy. Wow. My dad, um, because I would love for him to see his great-grands. And, um, you know, and then my Nana. I mean, I know these are all personal, um, but I lost my Nana, my mom's mom, um, when I was having my first son, so she didn't get to see my kids. So those are the three that are near and dear to me that I wish that I had more time with.

Thank you for sharing. Wow, man, we do read a lot of books here. One book you've already mentioned is this one by Joyce Meyer, Do It Afraid. Why should our listener read this book?

Because that'll help you understand that there's no perfect time. Um, the time that you think is perfect is not the time that is actually the perfect time. And when you do it afraid, you're not leaning on yourself.

Yes.

You're not leaning on your own understanding. You're leaning on something way beyond you. I always get asked the question because I, you know, public speaking, I've sung choir, I sung for the President of the United States.

And wow.

Yeah.

Which president?

Yeah. Ford. No, Bush. Jimmy Ford. The first Bush.

Wow.

Yeah, right on the mall. And, um, you know, and we public speak, you know, we train, we teach, and huge audiences. And people ask, don't you get nervous? Of course I get nervous. Um, and every single time I was nervous before I started with you. Um, but if we depend on ourselves, that's where I think that word comes into play— failure, right? So again, You know, um, Do It Afraid is so— it's so great because it helps us understand, um, that it's not always about us. And you— it's— there's— there's never going to be a perfect time. Another one is Where the Mind Goes, the Man Follows. Mindset, mindset. You know, the word says, as a man thinketh, so is he.

Yes.

Again, sometimes we got to get out of our own Powerful. Yeah.

Wow.

Okay. Uh, is, is there another book you would recommend to my audience?

21 Habits— 21 Irrefutable Habits of Leadership.

Yes.

Read that book the first— for the first time more than— actually, when it was first published, it has to be more than 30 years ago. That one.

Yeah, almost 20.

Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.

Yes, I think it was 26, 27 years ago when he first published. Yes.

And, um, so many, you know, and I had actually based my corporate career on that book. Wow, amazing.

Tell us more.

Yeah, because, you know, I remember, I remember one time I was at, uh, I was in a role where, um, everybody in the office for some odd reason kept me that I was the leader in that office. And the actual leader came to me and said, you're not the manager, you're— I said, I already know that. And if you have to keep telling yourself that, that means you're not.

Yes.

And remember, he said, if you have to keep telling yourself that you are the one in charge and you are the leader, then you're not.

So true.

And I hadn't said that to anyone. It was just an assumption and it was based on how I carried myself.

Wow. So powerful. Something changed in your sound for some reason. Can you double-check your audio sound, please?

Audio? Let's see. Can you hear me?

Yes, I can hear you, but there is a little bit of static that I'm hearing.

Oh, okay. It's gone now. Yeah. I think that was my little one behind me. Sorry.

Okay, wow, but what you said is so, so powerful because when you are a leader, you don't have to tell everybody that, "Yeah, I'm the leader." Yeah, wow. That is really insightful. Is there maybe a song, a book, or a movie that would be like your life's theme or anthem?

Um, Every Woman, what else?

Yes, yes. I love that, I love that. Okay. If you had one and only one day to live, what would you have liked your final contribution to be?

Helping that light bulb come on for one more person. That is the biggest thing for me. When you see the light bulb come on, when you are imparting anything to someone, whether it advice, whether it's speaking life into them, whatever it is, that one more time would satisfy me. And, you know, even when I'm teaching, I always say, if it's just one person who got something out of that, my job is done.

Hmm.

Powerful. Powerful.

Wow.

Oh, let's wait. Uh, it looks like, um, we've lost her for just a second. Uh, Coach Kim, can you come back? This is fun. I really love doing this live, uh, instead of doing it offline and then, uh, do a bunch of pre-production and publish the way my wife does podcasting. Okay, here she is. She is back. Here we go. Hey, you are back.

Hey, you've been off the podcast.

All right, this is fine. That's one of the dangers of doing my podcast live, but I just love it. I wouldn't do it any other way. This is great. Thank you so much for, uh, sharing that. Now, if you did have like a magic wand and you could solve any problem in the world, what is that one problem you'd like to solve first thing tomorrow morning?

For people to understand that we are alike more ways than we are not.

Mm. Powerful.

And it is, that's the beauty of humankind. That's why I say I'm the people champion. I love people because we're all different. Different. Not even identical twins are the same.

Yes.

So we can start loving each other for our differences instead of hating each other for our differences and finding it a challenge to be different from the next person. That is the one thing I would just help the world take the blinders off and notice how beautiful we are as humankind and that we have so much to offer each other.

So true. All right, all good things come to an end. We are almost at the end of our hour. What can we do to add value back to you, Coach Kim?

Talk to me. I'm on LinkedIn. I do, I have a newsletter. I post, you know, I ask questions. And one of the things I always say when I'm teaching, when I'm training, when I'm in meetings, I don't ask rhetorical questions. When I ask a question, I ask for an answer. So you just Just interact. That's one of the things that, you know, and anytime anybody has a question, I'm always there to respond. So I just like interaction.

Yeah, and Kim's Chronicle, and people can subscribe to it right away. Wow, thank you so much. This is so, so powerful. Now, is there a question I should have asked you I didn't get a chance to ask?

I think you were very, very thorough there, Coach Beazie.

Fantastic. All right, let me ask you one of the most important questions that I ask all of my guests. If you could go back in time and, uh, really speak to that 17-year-old self, right, standing at the edge of this incredible career you have had, what would you say to 17-year-old Kim, you better go, girl. I love that because there's nothing that I think I would have done differently. Yes. Wow. All right, to end the show like I, uh, do customarily, it's gonna only take a couple of minutes. It's gonna be rapid fire. So I'm gonna ask you a question. Don't take too long to think, just give me what comes to your mind right away. Uh, one word that defines great leadership, one word.

Resilience.

Okay. A morning routine or practice that keeps you grounded.

Prayer.

Book or quote that changed your life.

John Maxwell. Joyce Meyer.

Who inspires you most today?

My mom.

A leadership habit you refuse to compromise on.

Integrity.

A question every leader should ask themselves frequently.

How am I coming across to my team? How do I make people feel?

I think it was Maya Angelou, right? People will forget what you tell them, but they will never, never forget the way you make them feel. So powerful. Okay, what did you want to be when you were a kid?

Actually, I wanted to be a naval officer.

Really?

Wow.

Yeah, I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I mean, the uniforms were awesome strength, strength, and service.

That is amazing, um, because, uh, we did have our first, uh, 4-star Admiral, uh, in the Navy, a woman, uh, Admiral Howard. But then we also had our very first female, uh, Chief of Naval Operations. Yeah, we are celebrating, uh, Women's History and Black History Month also short. I'm calling it Black History Year. So every day this year I'm going to be talking about Black history. But yeah, it's, it is, it is powerful. Like, by, by, of course, I am a commander in the Navy, but my, my wife is my home commander. And I'm like, man, she would have been a good field commander. She knows how to give orders for sure. But 3 adjectives describing you as a child.

As a what?

As a child, free adjective.

That describe me as a challenge?

No, sorry. As a child, as a kid.

Oh, as a child. Oh, super outgoing. Actually, you said just adjectives. Outgoing, friendly, inviting.

What about as an adult?

Same.

Okay. Pretty consistent. All right. What is something you are feeling optimistic about?

Life.

Yes, man, 2025 has been pretty tough for a lot of people and I'm hoping 2026 is going to be a lot better. All right, the very last question I have for you, and this is the end of the show. What is one word that represents our shared experience on this podcast today?

One word. Outstanding.

All right, I am so overjoyed and grateful, honored and privileged to be speaking to the one and only Coach Kim Shaw. Thank you so much for your time and sharing your wisdom with us. Really appreciate that. All right. Thank you so much.

All righty.

Take care.

Bye-bye.

All right, everyone. This has been quite a fascinating time. I am really so privileged and honored to be speaking to Coach Kim Shaw today. I could have been speaking to her for another hour or two, but make sure to Follow her on LinkedIn and sign up for her newsletter. And later today, in about 20 minutes, I'm gonna be speaking to Sergeant First Class Philip Ailes, US Army retired. He also has a doctorate in divinity. He's a transformational leader and emotional intelligence advocate and servant leader. We're gonna be talking from warrior to love. Leading Beyond the Uniform. So that's going to be live on LinkedIn and YouTube in about 20 minutes. And on tomorrow, I think I'm gonna come back to the book of Proverbs. We're gonna study Proverbs chapter 21. It's all gonna be done by artificial intelligence. It's gonna be about 15-20 minutes recap of the 1-hour discussion we had on January 21st. Again, all of those episodes are available on every podcast platform, on YouTube, and LinkedIn, you can watch and listen to them. And on Wednesday, I will have the great pleasure of speaking to Coach Maxine Maloney. And she is going to be speaking to us about institutional velocity, why decisions stall inside big organizations. She's a truth-centered executive advisor, leadership provocateur, and a strategist. I can't wait to speak to Maxine. All right, that's all I have planned for you and for today, which is March 23rd in Black history. What we are learning today is what happened back on March 23rd, 1875. 1875 in Tennessee, they legalized racial discrimination in public spaces just weeks after Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1875. So on that day, the Tennessee legislature approved House Bill number 527, a law that allowed hotels, inns, public transportation, and places of amusement to refuse admission or service to anyone for any reason. In practice, it openly enabled racial discrimination. At the state level. This came only weeks after the federal Civil Rights Act of 1875 became law on March 1, 1875, guaranteeing equal access to public accommodation and protecting jury service rights regardless of race. Okay, you can read more on my LinkedIn post. And for Women's History Month, the other thing we are celebrating now is, uh, uh, Admiral, uh, Frank Katie. She's the very first chief of naval operation, female, in the history of the Navy. So I'm gonna play a short video about her on the way out. So that's all we have for you today, and again, I hope to see you in about 20 minutes with Sergeant First Class Philip Ailes in just a moment. All right, bye for now.

For nearly 4 decades, Admiral Lisa Franchetti has been a trailblazer in the U.S. Navy.

Good morning, Johnson!

Charting her own course since 1985 when she completed the Naval ROTC program at Northwestern University. At the time, there was only one female admiral. There was even a law that barred women women from serving on combat ships. But that never stopped the young recruit from setting her sights far beyond the horizon. Once the ban was lifted in 1993, she quickly rose through the ranks and redefined what was possible for women in the Navy. She'd go on to lead at every level, commanding destroyers, carrier strike groups, and the entire U.S. Sixth Fleet, where she faced some of America's biggest adversaries at sea. Her path has taken her around the world, from Asia to Africa, and now all the way to the Pentagon. Last year, President Biden nominated the 4-star admiral to lead the Navy, and after a Senate confirmation hearing—

It has been the honor of my lifetime to command at every level of our Navy.

She was officially sworn in as the new Chief of Naval Operations in November.

Congratulations.

Becoming the first woman ever to assume the Navy's top position and the first female member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Her history-making career all made possible through the support of her family, including her husband Jim and her daughter Isabel.

Jim and Isabel, thank you for your inspiration every day. I always say that families are the glue that holds our Navy together, and I know in my case, that glue is extra strong.

Admiral Franchetti's dedication to service now inspiring the next generation.

When you're young, you think your life is going to be like I-95, but our life really is more like the Potomac. It's wizzy, it has lots of turns, but if you know what you want to do and you have your eyes open to all the possibilities, then you can achieve all those things that you want to do in your own life.

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