Latest / Something Extra / Human-Centric AI and the Art of Leadership w/ Ryan Schlimpert

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Human-Centric AI and the Art of Leadership w/ Ryan Schlimpert · Something Extra

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Ryan Schlimpert: Yeah.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So one of the things I like to talk to talk about is folks
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Ryan Schlimpert: that just get it.
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Ryan Schlimpert: You know, I think some of the things we talked about, trust, empathy, honesty,
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Ryan Schlimpert: all those fundamental things are kinda table stakes for leaders,
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Ryan Schlimpert: but I like to say people that get it.
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Ryan Schlimpert: It's somebody that can read a room, somebody that can know when to push,
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Ryan Schlimpert: when to hold back, somebody that can persuade, somebody that can gather
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Ryan Schlimpert: consensus, those sorts of things.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So I really like to look for that.
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Ryan Schlimpert: It's just people that kinda get a sense of the situation and you feel
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Ryan Schlimpert: like can really, be a dynamic leader in that regard.
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Lisa Nichols: It takes something a little more to lead with impact.
0:45
Lisa Nichols: I'm Lisa Nichols, author of Something Extra, and this podcast
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Lisa Nichols: was inspired by our daughter, Ali, whose additional chromosome has shaped
0:53
Lisa Nichols: how I see people in leadership.
0:56
Lisa Nichols: Each episode features conversations with inspiring leaders from around the world
1:00
Lisa Nichols: about what truly defines how they lead and serve others.
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Lisa Nichols: If you enjoyed today's conversation, please consider leaving a five star
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Lisa Nichols: It helps more people discover the show.
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Lisa Nichols: And if you'd like to go deeper, my book, Something Extra, is available on
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Lisa Nichols: Amazon and through other major book retailers.
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Lisa Nichols: Today, we welcome Ryan Schlempert, senior vice president and chief information
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Lisa Nichols: officer at Drury Hotels.
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Lisa Nichols: A decorated technology leader, Ryan has spent his career evolving
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Lisa Nichols: from a hands on technologist into a strategic executive renowned
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Lisa Nichols: for modernizing corporate infrastructure and championing human centric
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Lisa Nichols: AI.
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Lisa Nichols: Recognized as a St.
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Lisa Nichols: Louis CIO of the Year finalist, he brings a unique perspective on bridging
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Lisa Nichols: the gap between cutting edge technology and everyday human experiences.
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Lisa Nichols: Well, Ryan Schlimpert, welcome to the something extra podcast.
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Lisa Nichols: I am so delighted that we can make this work today.
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Lisa Nichols: Thank you for making the time.
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Ryan Schlimpert: Absolutely.
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Ryan Schlimpert: Happy to be here, and, really excited to have this conversation.
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Lisa Nichols: Yeah.
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Lisa Nichols: And we're gonna have fun.
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Lisa Nichols: I told you, it's gonna be fun.
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Lisa Nichols: So you and I know each other through the IT
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Lisa Nichols: community in Saint Louis.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And then some mutual connections here and there as well.
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Ryan Schlimpert: Right?
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Lisa Nichols: Several mutual connections.
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Lisa Nichols: Yes.
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Lisa Nichols: That is correct.
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Lisa Nichols: And just lots of different groups and things like that.
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Lisa Nichols: And then we're Technology Partners is fortunate to be doing some work with you
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Lisa Nichols: guys and, love to be partnering with a great company
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Lisa Nichols: like Drury.
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Ryan Schlimpert: Likewise.
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Ryan Schlimpert: You know, some of the things that we've looked at at vendors and different
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Ryan Schlimpert: partners, we're big on culture here at Drury.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And so,
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Ryan Schlimpert: knowing you a little bit and seeing how you hold yourself and how your
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Ryan Schlimpert: company operates, gave us a lot of confidence moving forward.
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Ryan Schlimpert: It's been, it's been great so far.
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Lisa Nichols: It has.
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Lisa Nichols: It sure has.
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Lisa Nichols: Well, I wanna go back.
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Lisa Nichols: I don't wanna spend too much time on this, but I know that you
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Lisa Nichols: grew up in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.
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Lisa Nichols: Some of our listeners may not know where Poplar Bluff is.
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Ryan Schlimpert: Yeah.
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Ryan Schlimpert: Yep.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So Southeast Missouri, there's the joke that if you cut off
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Ryan Schlimpert: the Boot Hill, then it would make the IQ of both states higher.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So I get some funny looks sometimes when I say I'm from Poplar Bluff,
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Ryan Schlimpert: but great small town, grew up there all the way through
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Ryan Schlimpert: high school, and have a lot of great memories from there.
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Lisa Nichols: You know, I grew up in a small town too, Ryan.
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Lisa Nichols: And someday, when I get some margin, I've always thought it'd be
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Lisa Nichols: so fun to do, like, a little study.
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Lisa Nichols: I know so many great leaders that have come from small
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Lisa Nichols: towns.
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Lisa Nichols: There is something really special.
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Lisa Nichols: I don't know about you, but when I was a teen area, I couldn't
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Lisa Nichols: get away with anything, but because my parents knew everybody.
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Lisa Nichols: Oh, I can go on and on about that because not only was
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Ryan Schlimpert: it a small town, you know, parents and church all the way through, knew
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Ryan Schlimpert: everybody there.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And then also, my mom was a third grade teacher at my elementary school.
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Ryan Schlimpert: My dad was the principal at my junior high.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So I had no hope.
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Lisa Nichols: You could get away with nothing.
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Lisa Nichols: They knew everything.
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Lisa Nichols: That's awesome.
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Lisa Nichols: And I know that you went to college at Westminster in Fulton, Missouri.
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Lisa Nichols: The the claim to fame for Westminster, I think, is, like, Winston Churchill.
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Lisa Nichols: Right?
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Ryan Schlimpert: Yep.
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Ryan Schlimpert: The Iron Curtain speech was done there.
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Ryan Schlimpert: There's a great,
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Ryan Schlimpert: museum there.
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Ryan Schlimpert: There's a piece of the Berlin Wall.
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Ryan Schlimpert: It's a statue where they've sculpted out, and it's called breakthrough.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So a lot of great history there.
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Ryan Schlimpert: But the old gym that Churchill gave his speech
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Ryan Schlimpert: in is still the gym that they play basketball in, and I played basketball
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Ryan Schlimpert: in.
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Lisa Nichols: So cool.
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Lisa Nichols: Well, I've actually had the pleasure of visiting that museum, and
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Lisa Nichols: I would encourage any of our listeners that are around that area go.
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Lisa Nichols: I mean, it's really it is a special place for sure.
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Ryan Schlimpert: It's really well done.
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Ryan Schlimpert: Absolutely.
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Lisa Nichols: I agree.
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Lisa Nichols: I agree.
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Lisa Nichols: Well, I know that you got an MIS in computer science, and then you
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Lisa Nichols: went on to WashU and got a master's from WashU.
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Lisa Nichols: You are also a big time athlete,
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Lisa Nichols: both in high school and college.
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Lisa Nichols: Right?
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Ryan Schlimpert: Big time is subjective, I guess, but I wouldn't go that far.
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Ryan Schlimpert: But, yeah, I played basketball and, football and
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Ryan Schlimpert: golf in high school, and then I had two plates and ten screws in
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Ryan Schlimpert: my arm from high school football.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So decided I didn't need any more hardware and played basketball in college at
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Ryan Schlimpert: Westminster.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So
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Lisa Nichols: Oh my goodness.
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Lisa Nichols: Wow.
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Lisa Nichols: You know, my husband and I were just Greg and I were just talking
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Lisa Nichols: about this last night because our grandson is really into competitive soccer.
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Lisa Nichols: And he's thinking he might wanna pick up wrestling or some of those others.
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Lisa Nichols: And I'll never forget, Ryan, talking to Kyle McClellan.
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Lisa Nichols: I don't know if you know that name, but he was a Cardinals pitcher.
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Ryan Schlimpert: Yep.
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Lisa Nichols: And he was kinda like you.
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Lisa Nichols: He played three sports in high school.
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Lisa Nichols: And one day, we were talking to him, and he said, you know, I
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Lisa Nichols: really think playing multiple sports made me a better athlete overall.
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Lisa Nichols: And sometimes now in today's world, it's kinda like it's hard
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Lisa Nichols: to play multiple sports.
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Lisa Nichols: Right?
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Ryan Schlimpert: Absolutely.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And we could have a whole podcast on this subject.
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Ryan Schlimpert: My wife and I coach our son's baseball team together.
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Ryan Schlimpert: I've coached his flag football.
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Ryan Schlimpert: I've coached his basketball.
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Ryan Schlimpert: He's played multiple different sports, and we've really encouraged that.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And with our baseball team, it's a select team.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And, you know, we've got some talented kids on it, but we've really tried
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Ryan Schlimpert: to keep it open to where people can play multiple sports.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And we've seen a lot of kids had to leave other teams because they
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Ryan Schlimpert: weren't allowed to play, multiple sports.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So that's kids' sports is getting really intense these days, but we've tried to
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Ryan Schlimpert: walk that line of giving the kids the opportunity to really grow their their
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Ryan Schlimpert: skills and invest in it, but also not go too crazy with it.
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Lisa Nichols: Yeah.
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Lisa Nichols: I I completely agree.
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Lisa Nichols: Well,
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Lisa Nichols: you know, you you've just had an incredible career.
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Lisa Nichols: I mean, I think you started, Ryan, as a software engineer
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Ryan Schlimpert: Correct.
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Lisa Nichols: Or eight.
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Ryan Schlimpert: Correct.
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Ryan Schlimpert: Yeah.
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Ryan Schlimpert: Right at you know, I went to Westminster and wasn't really sure what I
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Ryan Schlimpert: wanted to do.
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Ryan Schlimpert: I knew I was good at math.
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Ryan Schlimpert: I kinda was this good at computers a little bit, but
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Ryan Schlimpert: didn't really know what that meant.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And so just kinda did the core curriculum the first year or so, and
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Ryan Schlimpert: then that really started to understand what that MIS degree meant.
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Ryan Schlimpert: It was a mix between business and IT, and I was like, no.
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Ryan Schlimpert: I think that could work out pretty well.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And so got into that, and then I did an internship at a small
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Ryan Schlimpert: software
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Ryan Schlimpert: company here in Saint Louis and just really enjoyed that
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Ryan Schlimpert: solving problems, and it's almost like putting together puzzles all day being a
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Ryan Schlimpert: developer.
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Ryan Schlimpert: Mhmm.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So I really enjoyed that, and that's how I got started.
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Lisa Nichols: Yeah.
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Lisa Nichols: And now you're a CIO.
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Lisa Nichols: You had a a good stint, I believe, too at Mastercard, right, which is
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Lisa Nichols: another one of our wonderful esteemed clients.
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Lisa Nichols: That's a great great place too.
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Lisa Nichols: But now you're at Drury as a CIO.
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Lisa Nichols: Let me ask you this.
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Lisa Nichols: When you were writing code way back then, Ryan, as
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Lisa Nichols: a software engineer, did you ever dream that you would be a CIO?
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Ryan Schlimpert: You know, not really.
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Ryan Schlimpert: Obviously, just coming out of high school or coming out of college, you're just
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Ryan Schlimpert: kinda focused on the role.
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Ryan Schlimpert: But over the years, as I as I kinda progressed and was getting more
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Ryan Schlimpert: responsibilities and just being more embedded in in the
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Ryan Schlimpert: decision making and the team and how that worked.
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Ryan Schlimpert: I just started to realize more and more, like, I really like to have
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Ryan Schlimpert: more influence and be able to shape the team and shape the
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Ryan Schlimpert: budgets and shape the decisions.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And that's where at Mastercard, I I've made the decision to go into management,
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Ryan Schlimpert: and it was really interesting.
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Ryan Schlimpert: I went into management with a team of about five, and we were doing
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Ryan Schlimpert: workflow automation for this one division.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And then they moved us in enterprise architecture,
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Ryan Schlimpert: and we went from five to seventy five in the course of a couple
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Ryan Schlimpert: different a couple years, really.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And so my career progressed within that.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So I decided to go into management, and before you know it, I was
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Ryan Schlimpert: leading the team.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And so I really changed dramatically just there in a couple
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Ryan Schlimpert: years, but I've really enjoyed that ability to be in technology and
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Ryan Schlimpert: influence it still and be kind of a techie to some degree, but also
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Ryan Schlimpert: have that business and and really that harmony between business and
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Ryan Schlimpert: IT is where the magic happens.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And so that's what as a CIO, you can really shape that.
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Lisa Nichols: Yeah.
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Lisa Nichols: We we say that all the time.
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Lisa Nichols: We're business people first Mhmm.
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Lisa Nichols: And then technologists.
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Lisa Nichols: Right?
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Lisa Nichols: It's like how technology can move the needle, for the
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Lisa Nichols: objectives of the business.
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Lisa Nichols: But can I just ask you a question?
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Lisa Nichols: So I I do know, like, Mastercard, you got to do a lot of
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Lisa Nichols: different things.
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Lisa Nichols: So if there's a listener out there,
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Lisa Nichols: you know, and and maybe they are in a role,
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Lisa Nichols: and and they may be interested in something else, Ryan.
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Lisa Nichols: I mean, did you did somebody come along and tap you on the shoulder
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Lisa Nichols: and say, hey.
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Lisa Nichols: You should try this, or did you have the propensity to
10:13
Lisa Nichols: go, no.
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Lisa Nichols: I raised my hand.
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Lisa Nichols: I want to do that.
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Lisa Nichols: I mean, give some advice to that person out there that's like, yeah.
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Lisa Nichols: I think I might wanna be in leadership.
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Lisa Nichols: What would you tell them?
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Ryan Schlimpert: Yeah.
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Ryan Schlimpert: Absolutely.
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Ryan Schlimpert: I think I'm not the traditional.
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Ryan Schlimpert: I'm not, like, had a bunch of mentors necessarily that
10:31
Ryan Schlimpert: influenced it significantly, or I didn't have a road map for my career.
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Ryan Schlimpert: I think what I did is I just really worked hard and tried to
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Ryan Schlimpert: do the right things for the right reasons.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And, ultimately, opportunities presented themselves, and then I stepped into
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Ryan Schlimpert: it.
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Ryan Schlimpert: There was,
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Ryan Schlimpert: the biggest move that I made, there was a Mastercard's really good at high
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Ryan Schlimpert: potentials and given opportunities and talking to people.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So there was certainly support there.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And as once I was a vice president over a number of different teams
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Ryan Schlimpert: and I really knew that area well, they were like, let's challenge you and
11:04
Ryan Schlimpert: give you some more experience somewhere else.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So I moved from being over web development and process automation
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Ryan Schlimpert: and a variety of other teams to be the vice president
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Ryan Schlimpert: of digital marketing technologies.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So completely new business, completely new tech stack, completely
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Ryan Schlimpert: new everything.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And so that was a great opportunity to just challenge me in in different
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Ryan Schlimpert: ways, and I think those are the sorts of things people should not be
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Ryan Schlimpert: afraid to step into.
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Ryan Schlimpert: You know, that was a pretty big leap at the time for me, but
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Ryan Schlimpert: I just rather trust that I could do it and, figure it out.
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Lisa Nichols: Yes.
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Lisa Nichols: For sure.
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Lisa Nichols: You know, I you had said something about just doing things with excellence
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Lisa Nichols: and doing the right thing, right, all the time and just bringing
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Lisa Nichols: seeing where you could bring value.
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Lisa Nichols: I will never forget, Ryan, and you may remember her, Bavani Amirthalingam,
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Lisa Nichols: who was the CIO for Ameren
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Ryan Schlimpert: Yep.
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Lisa Nichols: For many years.
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Lisa Nichols: And I will never forget this.
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Lisa Nichols: I will never forget Bavani telling me one time.
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Lisa Nichols: She said, I never, like, worked on building my resume.
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Lisa Nichols: She goes, I just worked on every place I've been bringing
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Lisa Nichols: the maximum value.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And that's I feel like that's my story.
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Ryan Schlimpert: You know?
12:18
Ryan Schlimpert: I Yeah.
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Ryan Schlimpert: I just worked really hard.
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Ryan Schlimpert: I was respectful.
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Ryan Schlimpert: I I collaborated.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And whenever one of my bosses moved on to a different
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Ryan Schlimpert: opportunity, they tapped on my shoulder because that made sense at that time
12:32
Ryan Schlimpert: because I was there and ready for it.
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Ryan Schlimpert: Later on, when I was a director, our vice president left the company,
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Ryan Schlimpert: and it was like, wow.
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Ryan Schlimpert: You know?
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Ryan Schlimpert: But I'm looking around, I'm like, why not me?
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Ryan Schlimpert: And I was I was pretty inexperienced.
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Ryan Schlimpert: I was ready to be a vice president at that point, but,
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Ryan Schlimpert: I've worked hard and put myself in that position where they said, let's let's
12:55
Ryan Schlimpert: move forward with you.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So I think that's exactly how my career has worked out.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So I just feel like if if you put yourself in good positions, you
13:04
Ryan Schlimpert: work really hard, then doors can open for you.
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Lisa Nichols: Yeah.
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Lisa Nichols: That's such great advice.
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Lisa Nichols: Such great advice.
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Lisa Nichols: You know, was there a specific time, Ryan,
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Lisa Nichols: because leadership is really about people.
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Lisa Nichols: I mean, was there a
13:23
Lisa Nichols: specific time that you can think where you're like, oh, this is
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Lisa Nichols: really it's it's moving more about people.
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Lisa Nichols: And you already kinda said it.
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Lisa Nichols: You wanted to influence.
13:33
Lisa Nichols: Well, you don't influence technology.
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Lisa Nichols: You influence people to adopt technology.
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Lisa Nichols: Was there, particular time where you realized that that it was really more
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Lisa Nichols: about people?
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Lisa Nichols: And what did you do to, like, level up,
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Lisa Nichols: I guess, in terms of being able to be a better leader of people?
13:54
Ryan Schlimpert: Yes.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So two kind of things that come to mind.
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Ryan Schlimpert: Number one, with all the process automation work we did, it was so important
13:59
Ryan Schlimpert: for change management.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So I got to to where I was always saying it's
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Ryan Schlimpert: people process dot dot dot technology.
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Ryan Schlimpert: Because we go into meetings so much and they're like, we wanna automate this
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Ryan Schlimpert: and do it this way.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And it's like, let's go back to the start here and really map this
14:15
Ryan Schlimpert: out.
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Ryan Schlimpert: So that really educated me.
14:19
Ryan Schlimpert: And then one of the other things is with that team that I kinda
14:22
Ryan Schlimpert: grew up on, and we grew up from five to seventy five, and I
14:25
Ryan Schlimpert: went from being a developer to vice president.
14:28
Lisa Nichols: Yes.
14:28
Lisa Nichols: You
14:28
Ryan Schlimpert: know, I could jump in and try to fix things myself because I knew
14:32
Ryan Schlimpert: everything from the code to the testing to the methodology, everything.
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Ryan Schlimpert: My boss at the time kept throwing additional teams at me
14:42
Ryan Schlimpert: basically to just max me out so I couldn't go into the weeds.
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Ryan Schlimpert: And that's where I really realized, like, I can't solve problems myself.
14:49
Ryan Schlimpert: I have to have a team and enable them, equip them, support them,
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Ryan Schlimpert: and that's how I'm gonna be successful at this level.
14:57
Ryan Schlimpert: And that was really a great it's a very difficult experience.
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Ryan Schlimpert: I had multiple different teams, and I felt stretched.
15:04
Ryan Schlimpert: And then one of my peers went on maternity leave, and I got her
15:07
Ryan Schlimpert: team.
15:08
Ryan Schlimpert: And, I mean, I was just burning the candle at both ends.
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Ryan Schlimpert: I and that was one of those moments where I just learned I can
15:16
Ryan Schlimpert: do more than I think I can.
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Lisa Nichols: Mhmm.
15:18
Ryan Schlimpert: And I really pushed myself and made it through that, and it really equipped
15:22
Ryan Schlimpert: me going forward to know how to delegate, empower,
15:26
Ryan Schlimpert: equip, and support versus just figuring it all out on my
15:30
Ryan Schlimpert: own.
15:31
Lisa Nichols: Oh, that is so good.
15:33
Lisa Nichols: That is so good.
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Lisa Nichols: And I think a lot of people, Ryan, fall in that trap of
15:38
Lisa Nichols: doing it yourself.
15:39
Lisa Nichols: But, really, you got to work through people because you're only gonna go
15:43
Lisa Nichols: as far as your capacity.
15:45
Ryan Schlimpert: Right.
15:45
Lisa Nichols: And we've got limited capacity whether we believe we do or not.
15:49
Lisa Nichols: Right?
15:49
Ryan Schlimpert: So Absolutely.
15:50
Ryan Schlimpert: Absolutely.
15:51
Ryan Schlimpert: I figured that out during that stretch.
15:53
Ryan Schlimpert: I was like, I'm gonna need to take a mental break here.
15:57
Lisa Nichols: Yes.
15:57
Lisa Nichols: For sure.
15:59
Lisa Nichols: Well, okay.
15:59
Lisa Nichols: You've already talked about you've already talked about change management and
16:04
Lisa Nichols: the business process,
16:06
Lisa Nichols: you know, transformation that you were going through.
16:09
Lisa Nichols: You know?
16:10
Lisa Nichols: I mean, how do you how do you think that you really build
16:15
Lisa Nichols: trust with the teams during this time of significant change?
16:18
Lisa Nichols: And I would say we're going through significant change.
16:20
Lisa Nichols: That is one thing about technology.
16:21
Lisa Nichols: Right?
16:22
Lisa Nichols: It's gonna change.
16:25
Lisa Nichols: You know?
16:25
Lisa Nichols: But how do you build trust during those times?
16:27
Lisa Nichols: Because I just know that sometimes I really do believe that the
16:31
Lisa Nichols: human element is even more important
16:35
Lisa Nichols: in seasons of change, right, with AI and everything because
16:40
Lisa Nichols: people need time to kinda catch up.
16:42
Lisa Nichols: There needs to be more empathy, all those things.
16:47
Ryan Schlimpert: Yeah.
16:47
Ryan Schlimpert: That's that's a a deep question.
16:49
Ryan Schlimpert: A lot of ways we could go with that one.
16:52
Ryan Schlimpert: Trust is such an important thing and such a foundational thing.
16:56
Ryan Schlimpert: But I the thing that comes to mind for me is being we've been
16:59
Ryan Schlimpert: very intentional about, how we build trust within the team
17:03
Ryan Schlimpert: and how we provide avenues for people to communicate and hear
17:07
Ryan Schlimpert: it from my mouth at the right time.
17:09
Ryan Schlimpert: So, you know, we'll have town halls to be able to just
17:13
Ryan Schlimpert: get some of that corporate information.
17:15
Ryan Schlimpert: How's the company doing?
17:16
Ryan Schlimpert: What are we focused on?
17:18
Ryan Schlimpert: That information out.
17:19
Ryan Schlimpert: But then I'll have, like, leadership meetings with
17:23
Ryan Schlimpert: departments.
17:24
Ryan Schlimpert: So myself, my directors, the managers, and really talking about from a leadership
17:28
Ryan Schlimpert: perspective, and then we'll have, meetings with the individual
17:32
Ryan Schlimpert: teams to really provide just that time as a small group to talk about
17:37
Ryan Schlimpert: what are we up to, what do you want me hearing, what questions do
17:40
Ryan Schlimpert: you have for me in a more intimate setting.
17:42
Ryan Schlimpert: And then,
17:44
Ryan Schlimpert: also giving them an avenue to share some of the things they're up to
17:47
Ryan Schlimpert: to make sure they see all the great work they're doing, And how you
17:51
Ryan Schlimpert: hold yourself, how you support, how you talk through those sorts of things,
17:56
Ryan Schlimpert: I think can help build trust.
17:58
Ryan Schlimpert: And, ultimately, I just think people can see through anything that's
18:02
Ryan Schlimpert: fake
18:03
Lisa Nichols: at the end of it.
18:03
Ryan Schlimpert: So if you're pressing or you're trying to be somebody you're not,
18:08
Ryan Schlimpert: then I think people get that and and sense it.
18:10
Ryan Schlimpert: And so just being yourself and, doing
18:14
Ryan Schlimpert: all those things I mentioned, I think, can really help.
18:17
Lisa Nichols: I agree.
18:18
Lisa Nichols: You know, you just reminded me, and I love this.
18:21
Lisa Nichols: And you said don't, like, try to impress or, you know, be something that
18:25
Lisa Nichols: you're not because people can see right through that.
18:28
Lisa Nichols: So transparency.
18:29
Lisa Nichols: Transparency, honesty, integrity, all those things are really important.
18:33
Lisa Nichols: But, Ryan, you just reminded me.
18:34
Lisa Nichols: And John Maxwell, I mean, obviously, you can see I love to read.
18:38
Lisa Nichols: Yeah.
18:38
Lisa Nichols: But I think I've read, like, probably, I don't know, at least eighty percent
18:43
Lisa Nichols: of his books.
18:44
Lisa Nichols: But, I'll never forget him.
18:46
Lisa Nichols: I heard him speak, last year, and he said, you know, if you
18:50
Lisa Nichols: really wanna impress people, tell them about all your successes.
18:55
Lisa Nichols: But if you wanna impact them, tell them about where you're you've
18:59
Lisa Nichols: made mistakes.
19:01
Lisa Nichols: Yep.
19:02
Lisa Nichols: And, I mean, I really come to believe vulnerability
19:07
Lisa Nichols: is really important.
19:08
Lisa Nichols: I think it creates psychological safety for your team.
19:12
Lisa Nichols: I mean, how have you, like, have you seen that to be the case
19:16
Lisa Nichols: as well and being vulnerable with them and saying, hey.
19:19
Lisa Nichols: You know, I messed up here.
19:22
Lisa Nichols: I don't know the answer to this, by the way.
19:25
Ryan Schlimpert: Yes.
19:25
Ryan Schlimpert: And, you know, I I love to solve problems.
19:28
Ryan Schlimpert: I love to help.
19:28
Ryan Schlimpert: And so, you know, you you have that tendency to always have an answer.
19:32
Ryan Schlimpert: And, but I I just got out of a meeting this morning where it's
19:36
Ryan Schlimpert: a fairly big organizational discussion that we're talking about moving forward.
19:41
Ryan Schlimpert: And I just admit it, like, with all the data I have at this
19:44
Ryan Schlimpert: time, I think this is the right step.
19:46
Lisa Nichols: Mhmm.
19:46
Lisa Nichols: But you
19:47
Ryan Schlimpert: know what?
19:47
Ryan Schlimpert: It may not be.
19:48
Ryan Schlimpert: And if we get into it and we don't find the right people or
19:51
Ryan Schlimpert: it doesn't work out the way we're thinking, we'll pivot.
19:54
Ryan Schlimpert: But I just think little things like that to say, like, I'm not just
19:57
Ryan Schlimpert: coming in here telling you I'm a hundred percent everything's figured out, and I
20:01
Ryan Schlimpert: know all the answers.
20:02
Lisa Nichols: Right.
20:03
Ryan Schlimpert: And so I think those subtle things can go a long way to
20:06
Lisa Nichols: your point.
20:07
Lisa Nichols: I agree.
20:07
Lisa Nichols: And that's culture.
20:10
Lisa Nichols: It's built one thing at a time like that.
20:12
Lisa Nichols: Right?
20:13
Lisa Nichols: And I know you've built a tremendous culture there in the IT organization at
20:17
Lisa Nichols: Drury.
20:17
Lisa Nichols: And Drury itself has a tremendous,
20:21
Lisa Nichols: yeah, for our listeners, I think everybody knows what Drury, but Drury is a
20:24
Lisa Nichols: wonderful hospitality hotel, privately owned
20:28
Lisa Nichols: chain.
20:29
Lisa Nichols: What I remember about Drury, I think this is maybe still the case, Ryan.
20:33
Lisa Nichols: Tell me if it's not, you get a free breakfast.
20:36
Ryan Schlimpert: Absolutely.
20:37
Ryan Schlimpert: Free breakfast is a big part of our value prop.
20:40
Ryan Schlimpert: But also at five thirty, we have five thirty kickback where we give
20:44
Ryan Schlimpert: away a ton of food.
20:45
Ryan Schlimpert: You could basically make a meal if you want to, and we give three
20:49
Ryan Schlimpert: free drinks away.
20:51
Ryan Schlimpert: And so people love that.
20:52
Ryan Schlimpert: It's going back to the youth sports, we do great with that because a
20:56
Ryan Schlimpert: family of four can go stay at our hotels.
20:58
Ryan Schlimpert: They can have some free breakfast, free dinner if they want.
21:02
Ryan Schlimpert: And, you know, between that, our our plus one service with a
21:06
Ryan Schlimpert: great friendly team and our product is is always clean,
21:11
Ryan Schlimpert: well maintained,
21:13
Ryan Schlimpert: We do really well and excited to share.
21:15
Ryan Schlimpert: We just announced today that we won our twentieth JD Power
21:20
Ryan Schlimpert: award, and we were just recently named sixth
21:25
Ryan Schlimpert: on the list for America's most our com America's
21:29
Ryan Schlimpert: company's best for value.
21:32
Ryan Schlimpert: And that was six.
21:34
Ryan Schlimpert: It wasn't a hospitality ranking.
21:35
Ryan Schlimpert: It wasn't a small business mid sized business ranking.
21:38
Ryan Schlimpert: It was across the board.
21:39
Ryan Schlimpert: We're between, like, Costco and and Toyota, I think.
21:43
Ryan Schlimpert: So really excited for that one.
21:45
Ryan Schlimpert: Pretty cool.
21:47
Lisa Nichols: Wow.
21:47
Lisa Nichols: Congratulations.
21:49
Lisa Nichols: That is terrific.
21:50
Lisa Nichols: Well, for our listeners who have not stayed at a jury, please, please,
21:55
Lisa Nichols: the next time you're traveling, stay at a jury.
21:57
Lisa Nichols: They do great.
21:58
Lisa Nichols: And when I say a free breakfast, we're not talking muffins.
22:01
Lisa Nichols: We're not talking continental breakfast.
22:03
Lisa Nichols: We're talking the real McCoy.
22:06
Lisa Nichols: So I love that.
22:08
Lisa Nichols: Well, I tell you, I'll ask you one more question, then we're gonna take
22:11
Lisa Nichols: a quick break, Ryan.
22:13
Lisa Nichols: But what do you I mean, you've obviously hired a lot
22:17
Lisa Nichols: of people, right, over the years.
22:19
Lisa Nichols: What characteristics really separate high performing
22:23
Lisa Nichols: team members, leaders from just average ones in
22:28
Lisa Nichols: your mind?
22:29
Ryan Schlimpert: Yeah.
22:29
Ryan Schlimpert: So one of the things I like to talk to talk about is folks
22:33
Ryan Schlimpert: that just get it.
22:35
Ryan Schlimpert: You know, I think some of the things we talked about, trust, empathy, honesty,
22:39
Ryan Schlimpert: all those fundamental things are kind of table stakes for leaders.
22:43
Ryan Schlimpert: But I like to say people that get it.
22:45
Ryan Schlimpert: It's somebody that can read a room, somebody that can know when to push,
22:49
Ryan Schlimpert: when to hold back, somebody that can persuade, somebody that can get
22:53
Ryan Schlimpert: gather consensus, those sorts of things.
22:57
Ryan Schlimpert: So I really like to look for that.
22:59
Ryan Schlimpert: It's just people that kinda get a sense of the situation and you feel
23:03
Ryan Schlimpert: like can really, be a dynamic leader in that regard.
23:07
Lisa Nichols: Yeah.
23:07
Lisa Nichols: That's so good.
23:08
Lisa Nichols: Well, we're gonna take a quick break, everyone, then we'll be right back with
23:11
Lisa Nichols: Ryan Schlemmert on the Something Extra podcast.
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23:45
Lisa Nichols: Well, welcome back everyone to the Something Extra podcast with Ryan Schlumbert.
23:49
Lisa Nichols: So, Ryan, in every room I'm in with technologists
23:53
Lisa Nichols: anymore and even nontechnologists, AI is the big
23:57
Lisa Nichols: buzzword, and it's changing everything.
24:00
Lisa Nichols: I mean, it truly is just changing,
24:03
Lisa Nichols: the way but I know that you take a very human centric approach to
24:07
Lisa Nichols: AI.
24:07
Lisa Nichols: Can you tell me a little bit about what you believe about
24:12
Lisa Nichols: AI, how you're doing that, the human centric approach, and
24:16
Lisa Nichols: what kinds of things are exciting you about AI?
24:20
Ryan Schlimpert: Sure.
24:20
Ryan Schlimpert: This is another big one.
24:22
Ryan Schlimpert: Right?
24:22
Lisa Nichols: It is.
24:23
Ryan Schlimpert: But certainly exciting.
24:25
Ryan Schlimpert: I think, generally speaking, I've been saying for a long time, like,
24:29
Ryan Schlimpert: this is real.
24:29
Ryan Schlimpert: This is not a fad.
24:31
Ryan Schlimpert: So for a number of years, we've been talking about with the board, with
24:34
Ryan Schlimpert: their strategic planning, with our leaders about how should we be preparing
24:38
Ryan Schlimpert: for this, what should we be doing to equip our teams for this,
24:43
Ryan Schlimpert: a number of things along those lines.
24:45
Ryan Schlimpert: You know, we've been looking at it from a guest perspective
24:50
Ryan Schlimpert: and revenue perspective, but also just that internal efficiency and kind
24:54
Ryan Schlimpert: of AI for your personal role.
24:56
Ryan Schlimpert: So a lot of different things we're excited about.
24:59
Ryan Schlimpert: We just launched our chat GPT app, here recently,
25:04
Ryan Schlimpert: and that's exciting because hospitality is changing big time.
25:08
Ryan Schlimpert: You know, a lot of our guests find us through Google or go to
25:12
Ryan Schlimpert: online travel agents or come directly to our website, but now you've got this
25:16
Ryan Schlimpert: new layer of AI that people are chatting with to plan their travel.
25:20
Ryan Schlimpert: And so we really wanna be at the forefront of that because it's so
25:24
Ryan Schlimpert: critical of how people find us.
25:27
Ryan Schlimpert: We're having to pay commissions to third parties when
25:31
Ryan Schlimpert: they go through OTAs and stuff.
25:32
Ryan Schlimpert: If we can get more of that direct, it'll be huge.
25:35
Ryan Schlimpert: So w e got this exposed and MCP servers
25:39
Ryan Schlimpert: and all that fun to to to support that.
25:42
Ryan Schlimpert: So that was a big step for us.
25:44
Ryan Schlimpert: But in general, I think philosophy wise,
25:48
Ryan Schlimpert: I like to say automate everything that is not guest spacing.
25:52
Ryan Schlimpert: Right?
25:52
Ryan Schlimpert: So any of these little tasky things that we can automate, we've been
25:57
Ryan Schlimpert: always focused on that, but now AI is a new tool in your toolkit
26:00
Ryan Schlimpert: to do that in different ways.
26:02
Ryan Schlimpert: And so continuing to focus on that, and that's where the human centric
26:06
Ryan Schlimpert: side.
26:07
Ryan Schlimpert: Our plus one service, our jury team is so great.
26:10
Ryan Schlimpert: We don't wanna automate.
26:11
Ryan Schlimpert: And I think people get focused on putting a kiosk out
26:16
Ryan Schlimpert: to save labor at the front desk or putting a chatbot out to,
26:20
Ryan Schlimpert: you know, make it a whiz bang thing on on the the website, but
26:24
Ryan Schlimpert: then it leads to friction or disappointment.
26:27
Ryan Schlimpert: And we wanna automate things that are tasky things to free up our team
26:31
Ryan Schlimpert: to spend more time with our guests, and that's where the human centric side,
26:35
Ryan Schlimpert: I think, really enabling our team to be great at what they do is
26:38
Ryan Schlimpert: ultimately what we're trying to do, and AI is a new tool to help
26:41
Ryan Schlimpert: us do that.
26:42
Lisa Nichols: Yes.
26:42
Lisa Nichols: For sure.
26:43
Lisa Nichols: Yeah.
26:43
Lisa Nichols: I could not agree more.
26:45
Lisa Nichols: People wanna interact sometimes with a human being.
26:49
Lisa Nichols: I mean, the human being's the one that's gonna say we are they could
26:53
Lisa Nichols: really feel, right, how you feel about them as a guest.
26:57
Lisa Nichols: Right?
26:57
Lisa Nichols: So
26:57
Ryan Schlimpert: Right.
26:58
Lisa Nichols: I think that's so important.
26:59
Lisa Nichols: And you know that I'm friends with Horace Scholtes.
27:02
Lisa Nichols: You know, who cofounded the Ritz Carlton, and he would say, no.
27:05
Lisa Nichols: Don't don't ever put a kiosk out there.
27:10
Lisa Nichols: You know?
27:10
Ryan Schlimpert: Yep.
27:11
Ryan Schlimpert: It's I appreciate you sharing me that book.
27:13
Ryan Schlimpert: I I read his, book that you shared with me, and there's
27:17
Ryan Schlimpert: just so many good lessons in it.
27:19
Ryan Schlimpert: And what a what a great leader he's been, and just
27:23
Ryan Schlimpert: I love the ladies and gentlemen, you know, serving ladies
27:27
Ryan Schlimpert: and gentlemen and that mindset and that tone that he set from
27:31
Ryan Schlimpert: the top all the way through of excellence.
27:33
Ryan Schlimpert: It's just
27:34
Lisa Nichols: Absolutely.
27:35
Ryan Schlimpert: It's no wonder they're they've been such a leader in the industry.
27:39
Lisa Nichols: Yes.
27:39
Lisa Nichols: Absolutely.
27:40
Lisa Nichols: Yeah.
27:41
Lisa Nichols: If you haven't I think it's excellence wins.
27:43
Lisa Nichols: Right?
27:44
Lisa Nichols: Horace Schulte, it's a Ritz Carlton book.
27:46
Lisa Nichols: Very, very good.
27:47
Lisa Nichols: But I I'm with you on that.
27:49
Lisa Nichols: And when I think about that, we are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and
27:53
Lisa Nichols: gentlemen.
27:53
Lisa Nichols: It just elevates the dignity of the human being.
27:57
Lisa Nichols: Right?
27:57
Lisa Nichols: And it was really how they feel.
27:59
Lisa Nichols: But I know Drury is doing the same thing.
28:01
Lisa Nichols: So, Ryan, kudos to you guys, and congratulations on all
28:05
Lisa Nichols: those awards.
28:08
Lisa Nichols: You know, how do you think okay.
28:10
Lisa Nichols: So, Ryan, this is a big question because there may be there may be
28:14
Lisa Nichols: people that are listening that still think maybe it's some hype.
28:18
Lisa Nichols: But I heard you say it's not going away.
28:20
Lisa Nichols: This is not a fad.
28:22
Lisa Nichols: We always say it's not going to replace the human being.
28:27
Lisa Nichols: You're always gonna need that human being, but
28:31
Lisa Nichols: human beings need to learn how to leverage it.
28:34
Ryan Schlimpert: Absolutely.
28:35
Ryan Schlimpert: And, you know, I like to say, we don't know what the future's gonna
28:39
Ryan Schlimpert: hold.
28:39
Ryan Schlimpert: You know, some of those stuff is is very novel technologies, and how it's
28:43
Ryan Schlimpert: gonna impact us years down the road, it's like I'm not predicting
28:47
Ryan Schlimpert: that.
28:48
Ryan Schlimpert: But I know here in the now, we have more things that we could
28:51
Ryan Schlimpert: possibly do that we'd love to get to that we can't.
28:54
Ryan Schlimpert: And so if we can use technology to move faster and get more things
28:58
Ryan Schlimpert: done and free up our team, like I said, to to be great at
29:01
Ryan Schlimpert: what they do through serving our guests and our team, you know, we wanna
29:05
Ryan Schlimpert: do that.
29:07
Ryan Schlimpert: And so that's kind of the mindset we're taking at this point.
29:10
Lisa Nichols: Right.
29:10
Lisa Nichols: Well, what about that person, that listener out there that thinks it's still, like,
29:14
Lisa Nichols: a lot of hype?
29:15
Lisa Nichols: I mean, how how could organizations what are
29:19
Lisa Nichols: little steps that they can do to kinda start, you know, being ready to
29:23
Lisa Nichols: enable the organization to take on some projects, you know,
29:27
Lisa Nichols: that are, influenced by AI?
29:31
Ryan Schlimpert: Sure.
29:31
Ryan Schlimpert: I mean, I and and there is certainly some hype out there, and and
29:35
Ryan Schlimpert: even the big model provider leaders have come out and kinda said, yeah.
29:38
Ryan Schlimpert: We kinda got this wrong.
29:40
Ryan Schlimpert: All white collar work hasn't evaporated overnight.
29:43
Ryan Schlimpert: So there is certainly some hype out there, and I think, you know, that
29:46
Ryan Schlimpert: there's always that Gartner hype cycle, and I think we're going through a little
29:50
Ryan Schlimpert: bit of that.
29:52
Ryan Schlimpert: But I think it's real.
29:53
Ryan Schlimpert: And and I think in terms of what you can do, you know, we're
29:57
Ryan Schlimpert: thinking about, like I said, that kind of AI for you or that personal
30:00
Ryan Schlimpert: productivity side of it.
30:02
Ryan Schlimpert: There's a lot we can do to just educate teams, encourage,
30:06
Ryan Schlimpert: show and tell of what's working across the organization to get
30:10
Ryan Schlimpert: those light bulbs going off so people can say, you know what?
30:13
Ryan Schlimpert: Okay.
30:14
Ryan Schlimpert: I got some use cases that that could apply to me.
30:17
Ryan Schlimpert: And so we're doing a lot of things like that.
30:19
Ryan Schlimpert: And and I think those subtle things are very powerful.
30:23
Ryan Schlimpert: And then, you know, on the IT side, there's certainly a lot more we
30:26
Ryan Schlimpert: can do around envisioning how do we architect for agents and
30:30
Ryan Schlimpert: how do we really enable our business teams to get at our data in
30:34
Ryan Schlimpert: even better ways than we have been able to in the past.
30:37
Ryan Schlimpert: Instead of a Power BI dashboard, you know, can they just chat
30:41
Ryan Schlimpert: with our data and really get drive to the deeper insights?
30:45
Ryan Schlimpert: I always say that our from a data analytics perspective,
30:49
Ryan Schlimpert: that
30:51
Ryan Schlimpert: without the insights, you know, our business teams are operating in the dark
30:55
Ryan Schlimpert: in historical gut feel and just your experience.
30:59
Ryan Schlimpert: And so you're kinda wandering around in the dark, and you do okay.
31:02
Ryan Schlimpert: But as as you get them more data, you turn up that dimmer switch
31:06
Ryan Schlimpert: so you can start operating in the light of the day.
31:09
Ryan Schlimpert: And I think that's a powerful concept and what we're continue just to try
31:12
Ryan Schlimpert: to get more and more of those insights to our business team so that
31:15
Ryan Schlimpert: we can operate in the light of day and make great decisions
31:19
Ryan Schlimpert: and propel our business forward.
31:21
Lisa Nichols: That's a great way to put it.
31:22
Lisa Nichols: I love that.
31:24
Lisa Nichols: Well, I know, Ryan, that you talk about the importance
31:28
Lisa Nichols: of the CIO, CFO relationship.
31:33
Ryan Schlimpert: Absolutely.
31:34
Lisa Nichols: Big on that.
31:35
Lisa Nichols: Why is that partnership so critical?
31:39
Ryan Schlimpert: Yes.
31:39
Ryan Schlimpert: So, a, just all the initiatives within the accounting and financial
31:44
Ryan Schlimpert: space around data, around financial and automation
31:48
Ryan Schlimpert: and all that, it's great to have that relationship.
31:50
Ryan Schlimpert: But more broadly, that support for the the investments and the very
31:55
Ryan Schlimpert: various initiatives that we need to really do to drive technology.
31:59
Ryan Schlimpert: Like I said, I love the concept of we're here to ultimately make our
32:03
Ryan Schlimpert: teams be great at what they do through the smart use of technology.
32:07
Ryan Schlimpert: And that partnership with our CFO is really critical to get the support
32:11
Ryan Schlimpert: and understanding of why are we doing these things, how can they really drive
32:14
Ryan Schlimpert: the business forward, what's the ROI.
32:17
Ryan Schlimpert: And so it's it's very important relationship for sure.
32:20
Lisa Nichols: Yeah.
32:21
Lisa Nichols: I agree.
32:22
Lisa Nichols: I totally agree with that.
32:24
Lisa Nichols: So, Ryan, you you've already mentioned this, like, at the beginning of the podcast
32:28
Lisa Nichols: about, like, not be having to learn how to work through people.
32:32
Lisa Nichols: Because if we are trying to do everything ourselves, then, you know, we're gonna
32:36
Lisa Nichols: we're gonna max out.
32:37
Lisa Nichols: Right?
32:38
Lisa Nichols: We've got just so much capacity.
32:40
Lisa Nichols: And you talked about empowering your people, equipping your people, and I wanted to
32:44
Lisa Nichols: find out, like, when you talk about empowerment, what does that look like on
32:48
Lisa Nichols: a daily basis?
32:49
Lisa Nichols: What are the tactical things that you do to make people
32:53
Lisa Nichols: feel empowered?
32:57
Ryan Schlimpert: Yeah.
32:57
Ryan Schlimpert: So one of the things that comes to mind is just
33:01
Ryan Schlimpert: I've been on teams in the past that I took over that every decision
33:05
Ryan Schlimpert: had to go up through management, and then the management team would talk to
33:08
Ryan Schlimpert: the business team and it would go back down.
33:11
Ryan Schlimpert: But you really need that those teams at the grassroots level working together
33:15
Ryan Schlimpert: at a high level.
33:16
Ryan Schlimpert: So I've always encouraged to trust the team to go have those conversations.
33:20
Ryan Schlimpert: We even go so far some time as to have, like, our accounting team
33:25
Ryan Schlimpert: from supporting Workday and all that is sitting with the accounting
33:29
Ryan Schlimpert: team in that area.
33:30
Ryan Schlimpert: And and so you're saying, hey.
33:32
Ryan Schlimpert: I trust you to be in there really understanding their problems, being with them
33:36
Ryan Schlimpert: on the day to day, and being their partner.
33:39
Ryan Schlimpert: And I think that sends a loud message.
33:41
Ryan Schlimpert: Other things I I've always remembered boss told me one time, like,
33:46
Ryan Schlimpert: if you were writing a paper or putting a
33:50
Ryan Schlimpert: presentation together and you bring it to your boss and he marks it up
33:54
Ryan Schlimpert: left and right and basically tells you to rewrite it and does all these
33:58
Ryan Schlimpert: things.
33:59
Ryan Schlimpert: Over time, if that happens every time, how much effort are you gonna put
34:03
Ryan Schlimpert: really to get it right the first time versus just going and be like,
34:07
Ryan Schlimpert: let them do it?
34:08
Ryan Schlimpert: And I find times like that where a testing leader might
34:12
Ryan Schlimpert: go in and test after everybody else does it and catch
34:16
Ryan Schlimpert: everything that was wrong.
34:19
Ryan Schlimpert: So that what signals it saying I don't trust you?
34:21
Ryan Schlimpert: So you've really gotta let people run and trust.
34:25
Ryan Schlimpert: And then if if you stub your toe, you learn from it and correct
34:29
Ryan Schlimpert: into the future, and you gotta find those times where you don't wanna stub
34:32
Ryan Schlimpert: your toe in those critical moments that maybe you do need step in, but
34:35
Ryan Schlimpert: you can't do it all the time.
34:36
Ryan Schlimpert: You've gotta let people run.
34:38
Ryan Schlimpert: Let them figure those things out and learn over time, and then they take
34:42
Ryan Schlimpert: that accountability,
34:44
Ryan Schlimpert: and have that pride and that ownership that this is on me.
34:47
Ryan Schlimpert: And I have responsibility, and I'm empowered to go do this and get it
34:51
Ryan Schlimpert: right on my own.
34:52
Lisa Nichols: Oh, that's so good.
34:53
Lisa Nichols: That is so good, Ryan.
34:54
Lisa Nichols: You remind me of another John Maxwell quote.
34:57
Ryan Schlimpert: Oh, yeah.
34:58
Lisa Nichols: Says you don't you don't lose.
35:00
Lisa Nichols: You don't win or lose.
35:01
Lisa Nichols: You win or learn.
35:03
Lisa Nichols: You know?
35:03
Lisa Nichols: And when you make mistakes, you learn from those, but sometimes the mistakes
35:08
Lisa Nichols: are the things that really cause you to learn.
35:11
Lisa Nichols: Absolutely.
35:12
Lisa Nichols: Think?
35:12
Lisa Nichols: I mean, if you do stomp your toe, I guarantee you the next time
35:16
Lisa Nichols: you're gonna be a little bit smarter about it.
35:20
Lisa Nichols: Right?
35:22
Lisa Nichols: Absolutely.
35:23
Lisa Nichols: I really I love that.
35:24
Lisa Nichols: But if you have somebody that's gonna come in and rescue you, I mean,
35:28
Lisa Nichols: why why
35:30
Lisa Nichols: work to get it right?
35:31
Lisa Nichols: So that's, that is really good.
35:36
Lisa Nichols: Well, you know, Woody okay.
35:38
Lisa Nichols: We we've already talked about trust, so I'm not gonna go there again.
35:42
Lisa Nichols: But, you know, there's things that can erode trust really fast.
35:48
Lisa Nichols: Our mutual friend, Pete Hogan,
35:51
Lisa Nichols: Ryan, that you know Pete too, he told me one time, he said, trust
35:55
Lisa Nichols: is earned in drops and lost in buckets.
36:00
Lisa Nichols: And I love that quote.
36:02
Lisa Nichols: What are some of the things that can really erode trust quickly
36:07
Lisa Nichols: that that maybe our listeners need to really pay attention to and
36:11
Lisa Nichols: make sure you're not doing those things?
36:14
Ryan Schlimpert: The first thing that comes to I go back to those comments about being
36:17
Ryan Schlimpert: genuine and authentic.
36:19
Ryan Schlimpert: And Mhmm.
36:20
Ryan Schlimpert: When you're doing sort of passive aggressive things, like asking
36:24
Ryan Schlimpert: probing questions that might make somebody look bad, but you're trying to appear like
36:28
Ryan Schlimpert: you're being on the up and up, I think those are things that bleed
36:32
Ryan Schlimpert: through too, and it just really undermines trust.
36:36
Ryan Schlimpert: I know that in my past, I've experienced people that you can
36:40
Ryan Schlimpert: just tell in meetings they're there to progress their own agenda.
36:45
Lisa Nichols: Oh, that's a good one.
36:47
Ryan Schlimpert: Basically, trying to come up with the answer that makes them look good versus
36:51
Ryan Schlimpert: the answer that's right for the organization or for the team.
36:55
Ryan Schlimpert: And I think those things undercut trust very quickly.
36:58
Ryan Schlimpert: And, again, people perceive those things.
37:00
Ryan Schlimpert: Even if you can't put a finger on it or call them out because
37:03
Ryan Schlimpert: it's they're doing it in a smooth way, you know, I think Yes.
37:06
Ryan Schlimpert: Those sorts of things really undercut.
37:10
Lisa Nichols: That's so good.
37:11
Lisa Nichols: So good.
37:11
Lisa Nichols: Well, I know that you're, coaching Jackson's.
37:14
Lisa Nichols: You already said that.
37:15
Lisa Nichols: You and your wife both are coaching his baseball team.
37:18
Lisa Nichols: I guess it is.
37:19
Lisa Nichols: You know,
37:21
Lisa Nichols: how has coaching,
37:24
Lisa Nichols: like his sports and stuff, really translated into what you're doing
37:29
Lisa Nichols: at at work?
37:31
Lisa Nichols: I mean
37:31
Ryan Schlimpert: Yeah.
37:32
Ryan Schlimpert: I I think there is a lot of parallels.
37:34
Ryan Schlimpert: And Yes.
37:36
Ryan Schlimpert: I think that's one of the good ways as a good leader is more
37:39
Ryan Schlimpert: like a coach than a disciplinarian or than a director.
37:44
Ryan Schlimpert: But I it's interesting, especially with these boys.
37:47
Ryan Schlimpert: We've coached them from, you know, when they were little and now thirteen u.
37:52
Ryan Schlimpert: Just finding the right moments and in understanding how every
37:57
Ryan Schlimpert: team member is different.
37:58
Ryan Schlimpert: So we've got some kids that you can really give them that encouragement and
38:02
Ryan Schlimpert: get into them a little bit, and they're like, okay.
38:04
Ryan Schlimpert: I got it.
38:04
Ryan Schlimpert: And others that you really gotta pull to the side and be like, give
38:08
Ryan Schlimpert: them a little bit of confidence boost and talk a few things.
38:12
Ryan Schlimpert: So I think that individuality and understanding that everybody needs
38:16
Ryan Schlimpert: different leadership from you is a big one.
38:20
Ryan Schlimpert: And then also knowing the timing.
38:22
Ryan Schlimpert: You know, if if after a game, they just got their butts kicked, it's
38:25
Ryan Schlimpert: like you come in with a big thirty minute speech about how they need
38:29
Ryan Schlimpert: to do better.
38:30
Ryan Schlimpert: It's like, that's probably not landing very well.
38:32
Ryan Schlimpert: It's like they're tuned out.
38:34
Ryan Schlimpert: They're disappointed.
38:35
Lisa Nichols: They're already disappointed.
38:36
Lisa Nichols: They're already feeling badly about themselves.
38:39
Lisa Nichols: Right?
38:40
Ryan Schlimpert: So I think that's one of the thing that as great leaders know
38:44
Ryan Schlimpert: when to push.
38:45
Ryan Schlimpert: So I would say one of the hardest thing about parenting and coaching is
38:49
Ryan Schlimpert: when to be empathetic and when to push, when to really be
38:53
Ryan Schlimpert: have high expectations and demand the best out of them and when to be
38:57
Ryan Schlimpert: understanding and give them a little, room to breathe.
39:01
Ryan Schlimpert: And that is such a challenge with kids, and I think
39:05
Ryan Schlimpert: that that's the same in business as well.
39:07
Ryan Schlimpert: And there's a time to really hold your team accountable and demand excellence,
39:12
Ryan Schlimpert: But there's also times to understand that they're doing everything they can do,
39:16
Ryan Schlimpert: and you you need to give them some grace.
39:19
Lisa Nichols: Yeah.
39:20
Lisa Nichols: That's so good.
39:21
Lisa Nichols: And I completely agree with you on that.
39:24
Lisa Nichols: It's it is difficult.
39:26
Lisa Nichols: Well, what keeps you grounded outside of work, Ryan?
39:30
Ryan Schlimpert: Oh, I would say my wife and my thirteen year old, for sure, they
39:34
Ryan Schlimpert: keep me grounded.
39:35
Ryan Schlimpert: You know, just my parents and friends, a lot of great
39:39
Ryan Schlimpert: great relationships,
39:41
Ryan Schlimpert: and, people that know me from from many years ago.
39:45
Ryan Schlimpert: And so, I think that's easy.
39:47
Ryan Schlimpert: And growing up in a small town to your point, like if
39:52
Ryan Schlimpert: there's no reason in I'll use a Poplar B luff term, I
39:56
Ryan Schlimpert: guess.
39:56
Ryan Schlimpert: No reason to get big for your britches or or too much of yourself.
40:00
Ryan Schlimpert: Yeah.
40:01
Ryan Schlimpert: And so I think the the wife and son are
40:05
Ryan Schlimpert: probably the two that bring to mind because you can think something and then
40:08
Ryan Schlimpert: come home, and then you're just one of them.
40:10
Lisa Nichols: Right.
40:11
Lisa Nichols: Exactly.
40:12
Lisa Nichols: That is so funny.
40:14
Lisa Nichols: Well, let me ask you this.
40:17
Lisa Nichols: When you think about your legacy,
40:20
Lisa Nichols: Ryan Schlepper, what do you hope people say about your leadership?
40:26
Ryan Schlimpert: That's deep.
40:28
Ryan Schlimpert: I think I just hope people appreciate me
40:32
Ryan Schlimpert: and look at that I was there for the right reasons to drive
40:36
Ryan Schlimpert: the business and the teams and the individuals within the teams forward
40:40
Ryan Schlimpert: in a positive way and ultimately brought people together and
40:44
Ryan Schlimpert: and made great things happen.
40:47
Ryan Schlimpert: I think that's in a nutshell.
40:49
Ryan Schlimpert: I look back at my upbringing with great parents that,
40:53
Ryan Schlimpert: were good
40:55
Ryan Schlimpert: people in the community
40:58
Ryan Schlimpert: and did the right things for the right reasons.
41:00
Ryan Schlimpert: And, you know, they've celebrated fifty years of marriage a couple years ago, and
41:04
Ryan Schlimpert: it was just so cool to see that legacy.
41:07
Ryan Schlimpert: And so kinda similar feelings going through my brain as you asked that question.
41:11
Ryan Schlimpert: It's just Yeah.
41:11
Ryan Schlimpert: People look back that you did the right things for the right reasons, but
41:15
Ryan Schlimpert: did a lot of good and helped a lot of people.
41:17
Lisa Nichols: I love that.
41:18
Lisa Nichols: That's perfect.
41:19
Lisa Nichols: Well, I have a little lightning round for you.
41:21
Lisa Nichols: Alright.
41:22
Lisa Nichols: Okay.
41:23
Lisa Nichols: So besides the book Something Extra,
41:27
Lisa Nichols: what is one book that every leader should read?
41:33
Ryan Schlimpert: I think one of the ones that I always loved is the Good to Great and
41:38
Ryan Schlimpert: the the sequel to that.
41:39
Ryan Schlimpert: I think there's so many great lessons in those books,
41:44
Ryan Schlimpert: that I've taken away, so I encourage those for sure.
41:47
Lisa Nichols: Yes.
41:47
Lisa Nichols: Oh, that is yes.
41:48
Lisa Nichols: If you haven't read Jim Collins' Good to Great, and he's got, Built to
41:52
Lisa Nichols: Last, he's got several books out there.
41:54
Lisa Nichols: But, make sure you pick that up because I totally agree with that.
41:59
Lisa Nichols: How about the best leadership advice that you've ever received?
42:05
Ryan Schlimpert: Oh, man.
42:08
Ryan Schlimpert: You know, sometimes I get the best, and it's not advice, but
42:12
Ryan Schlimpert: I've learned the most from some of the bosses that I wouldn't wanna emulate.
42:17
Lisa Nichols: You know?
42:17
Lisa Nichols: Right.
42:18
Ryan Schlimpert: That's what comes to mind right now, but it's
42:20
Lisa Nichols: I've seen
42:21
Ryan Schlimpert: people that are just trying to get ahead.
42:25
Ryan Schlimpert: They leave a path of destruction behind them and are just pushing down walls.
42:29
Ryan Schlimpert: And I took away some things from that.
42:30
Ryan Schlimpert: Like, I'm a people pleaser, so maybe I need me to be more assertive
42:34
Ryan Schlimpert: with a vendor or with a partner or with the team at certain times.
42:38
Ryan Schlimpert: But, man, I also learned that's not how I wanna operate No.
42:42
Ryan Schlimpert: On the whole.
42:43
Ryan Schlimpert: So I think that's a good one.
42:45
Ryan Schlimpert: And then I think that kind of being an authentic leader, like I've talked
42:48
Ryan Schlimpert: about a few times, I've had some advice around that that I think is
42:52
Ryan Schlimpert: just foundationally important.
42:55
Lisa Nichols: Good.
42:55
Lisa Nichols: Good.
42:55
Lisa Nichols: Good.
42:56
Lisa Nichols: What about, do you like to travel?
42:58
Lisa Nichols: What's your favorite place that you've ever traveled, Ryan, that you can think of?
43:02
Ryan Schlimpert: Oh, man.
43:02
Ryan Schlimpert: We do like to travel.
43:04
Ryan Schlimpert: You know, been been to Europe, Greece, all around Europe on a backpacking
43:08
Ryan Schlimpert: trip out of college, been to South Africa and Costa Rica and
43:11
Lisa Nichols: Oh my goodness.
43:12
Ryan Schlimpert: Just went to Hawaii this year, and I was up in Canada for a
43:15
Ryan Schlimpert: fishing trip
43:18
Ryan Schlimpert: that I was talking about.
43:19
Ryan Schlimpert: Best play I did a three week camping trip as part of my junior
43:23
Ryan Schlimpert: in, college where we learned about the ecosystem,
43:27
Ryan Schlimpert: the people, the environment, everything for a semester, and then we traveled for
43:31
Ryan Schlimpert: six weeks, three weeks camping.
43:35
Ryan Schlimpert: And that was just such a cool because we got to trip because we
43:38
Ryan Schlimpert: got to go behind the scenes at the Belizean Zoo.
43:41
Ryan Schlimpert: And, so that Belize trip was a really memorable
43:45
Ryan Schlimpert: one.
43:45
Lisa Nichols: Oh, that is cool.
43:46
Lisa Nichols: Yeah.
43:47
Lisa Nichols: We love to travel too.
43:48
Lisa Nichols: I love seeing new cultures and learning from the people
43:53
Lisa Nichols: and just seeing the beauty of the world.
43:55
Lisa Nichols: It's just, really special.
43:58
Ryan Schlimpert: With our thirteen year old being at that age where it's like he can
44:01
Ryan Schlimpert: really absorb and start to appreciate things, we're trying to do more of that
44:04
Ryan Schlimpert: with him, and it's it's a really fun time.
44:06
Lisa Nichols: It is fun.
44:08
Lisa Nichols: I've got a friend,
44:10
Lisa Nichols: that was the CEO for Dayspring, and his family,
44:14
Lisa Nichols: what they their their goal, their big audacious, hairy
44:18
Lisa Nichols: vision is to visit every national park.
44:23
Ryan Schlimpert: Wow.
44:23
Ryan Schlimpert: That's cool.
44:24
Lisa Nichols: I think that's kind of a cool goal, but with the whole family.
44:27
Lisa Nichols: You know?
44:27
Lisa Nichols: And he's got adult children now and everything, but I just think things like
44:31
Lisa Nichols: that are really, really cool.
44:34
Lisa Nichols: Well,
44:36
Lisa Nichols: what about this?
44:37
Lisa Nichols: What is one thing that you're still trying to improve as a leader?
44:45
Ryan Schlimpert: I think just what's the right level of strategy
44:51
Ryan Schlimpert: in pushing things ahead versus kind of being
44:56
Ryan Schlimpert: complacent or, I guess, just kind of keeping the business
45:00
Ryan Schlimpert: running to the level that everyone's happy.
45:03
Ryan Schlimpert: For certain areas, you know, AI, it's like, should we be going faster?
45:07
Ryan Schlimpert: Should we be pushing harder?
45:09
Ryan Schlimpert: Should I be asking for more resources?
45:11
Ryan Schlimpert: What's the right level
45:14
Ryan Schlimpert: for our company at this time? I mean, that is such a hard
45:18
Ryan Schlimpert: thing for me.
45:19
Ryan Schlimpert: So I I think finding that balance is something I still really
45:23
Ryan Schlimpert: think about.
45:24
Ryan Schlimpert: I think about constantly, I'm thinking about how do I help the team
45:28
Ryan Schlimpert: get better.
45:28
Ryan Schlimpert: I love the concept of you've got to, when you're cutting
45:33
Ryan Schlimpert: things, you've got every now and again step back and sharpen your blade.
45:36
Lisa Nichols: Yes.
45:37
Ryan Schlimpert: So I am always talking to the team and, you know, they get exhausted
45:40
Ryan Schlimpert: with me, I think, sometimes.
45:42
Ryan Schlimpert: But we, of course, wanna keep the business business initiatives
45:46
Ryan Schlimpert: moving forward and our business teams happy, but we've gotta find ways to always
45:50
Ryan Schlimpert: sharpen our blade so that we can do more next year, and we can
45:54
Ryan Schlimpert: do things faster faster, smarter, better.
45:58
Ryan Schlimpert: And so that's something that I'm always just striving for.
46:01
Ryan Schlimpert: Like, what's the next thing that we can do to get better with our
46:03
Ryan Schlimpert: methodology, with with our expectation setting with the business, with
46:08
Ryan Schlimpert: our partnership with the business, with our use of technology and tools?
46:12
Ryan Schlimpert: I think there's a that's an evergreen process for sure.
46:15
Lisa Nichols: Amen to that.
46:17
Lisa Nichols: There's always something to improve.
46:18
Lisa Nichols: Isn't there, Ryan?
46:20
Ryan Schlimpert: Absolutely.
46:21
Lisa Nichols: Always something.
46:22
Lisa Nichols: Keep growing.
46:23
Lisa Nichols: Well, this is called something extra, and I would love to hear from
46:27
Lisa Nichols: you what you believe is the something extra that every leader needs.
46:32
Ryan Schlimpert: Yeah.
46:32
Ryan Schlimpert: So I touched on the the people that just get it already.
46:36
Ryan Schlimpert: You know, those people that can really understand the friction behind the conversation,
46:40
Ryan Schlimpert: read the dynamics.
46:42
Ryan Schlimpert: So I won't touch on that one again.
46:43
Ryan Schlimpert: But the other one I think that goes hand in hand with that a
46:46
Ryan Schlimpert: lot, and it's kinda just what we talked about, that people that exhibit
46:51
Ryan Schlimpert: significant intellectual curiosity, They don't assume they have all the
46:55
Ryan Schlimpert: answers.
46:55
Ryan Schlimpert: They're constantly learning, asking questions, looking for ways of improve
46:59
Ryan Schlimpert: to improve, and I I've always had fun with this.
47:02
Ryan Schlimpert: I heard a long time ago the definition of ROI,
47:07
Ryan Schlimpert: it's not return on investment.
47:08
Ryan Schlimpert: It's relentless ongoing improvement.
47:11
Ryan Schlimpert: And so that concept that the best leaders never arrive.
47:15
Ryan Schlimpert: They keep growing, adapting, and helping the people around them do the same.
47:19
Ryan Schlimpert: And so I really think that's something extra to make you a dynamic leader.
47:23
Ryan Schlimpert: It's that combination of people that just get it, like I talked about before,
47:28
Ryan Schlimpert: and then that ROI.
47:30
Lisa Nichols: I love that.
47:31
Lisa Nichols: I love that.
47:32
Lisa Nichols: I'm so glad that you mentioned that.
47:34
Lisa Nichols: I'll remember that as well.
47:35
Lisa Nichols: Well, Ryan, this has been so much fun.
47:38
Lisa Nichols: I so appreciate you making the time to be on the show, and I
47:41
Lisa Nichols: know that you're gonna help our listeners.
47:42
Lisa Nichols: So thank you so much for building into other people, and,
47:46
Lisa Nichols: I believe that's what this conversation's gonna do.
47:49
Lisa Nichols: So thank you.
47:50
Ryan Schlimpert: Well, thank you.
47:51
Ryan Schlimpert: It was a it was a lot of fun, and just I appreciate
47:55
Ryan Schlimpert: you and just the joy that you bring to every room that you're in
47:58
Ryan Schlimpert: and the way that you hold yourselves and the way that you lead, tech
48:01
Ryan Schlimpert: partners.
48:03
Ryan Schlimpert: Just really admire that.
48:04
Ryan Schlimpert: And so appreciate you having me.
48:05
Ryan Schlimpert: It's an honor, and it's been fun.
48:08
Lisa Nichols: It's been fun.
48:09
Lisa Nichols: Alright.
48:09
Lisa Nichols: Have a great rest of the day, my friend.
48:11
Ryan Schlimpert: Alright.
48:12
Ryan Schlimpert: You too.
48:13
Announcer: Something extra with Lisa Nichols is a Technology Partners production.
48:17
Announcer: Copyright Technology Partners Inc. 2019 .
48:20
Announcer: To learn more about this week's guest, check out the show notes at tpi
48:24
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48:26
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48:29
Announcer: Thank you for listening to Something Extra.