How High-Impact Leaders Build Momentum and Empower Teams with JM Ryerson

Jeff Hancher
14 minutes ago
5 min read

What if your biggest breakthrough isn't in working harder but in working differently? In this episode of The Champion Forum Podcast, Jeff Hancher is joined by serial entrepreneur, best-selling author, and leadership coach JM Ryerson. You'll hear JM's personal story of battling burnout, reclaiming his health and marriage, and finding purpose beyond the paycheck. He'll share the telltale signs that you're not living your best life and the mindset shifts that can get you back on track. From empowering your team to rediscovering your motivation, this episode is packed with wisdom for any leader ready to lead at a higher level.

About JM Ryerson

JM Ryerson founded and sold three businesses and is now helping leadership teams do the same. He is an Author of the Best-Selling book, ‘Let’s Go Win,’ ‘Champion’s Daily Playbook,’ and ‘Upgrade,’ He is a Leadership & Performance Coach, International Speaker, and host of the Let’s Go Win podcast. JM’s great passions are inspiring people to live their best lives and become open to what life has in store for them. His goal is to provide others with the tools that will enable them to transcend their self-limiting beliefs. JM was raised in Montana and lives in Boca Raton, Florida, with his wife, Lisa, and their two amazing boys.

How do you inspire people?

When you attract talented people, you should also empower them to take that responsibility and run with it. Don't be afraid to work yourself out of the job. Check your ego at the door. You may bring some skills to the table, but it's the team around you that creates greatness. I want to see my team members succeed. We consistently hired gifted, talented, hard-working individuals and allowed them to take our place in our first and second companies. I even tell people on my team that they have permission and the responsibility to check me if I'm getting too focused on what I bring to the table.

What advice do you have for leaders regarding delegating, equipping, and empowering people?

Treat your employees like your brother. If you grew up with a brother or sister, you know that challenges and even fighting are normal in the search of improving one another. Put your arm around them and pour into them. Genuinely care; don't see them like another number. In the 1970s and 1980s, we treated people like a number. But now, when I hire someone, I'm hiring them, their family, their life, their aspirations. Ultimately, this is even more fulfilling for both the leader and the employee.

What are some leadership qualities all leaders must have that have stood out to you when you think of high-impact leadership?

Empathy: the ability of a leader to put themselves in another person's shoes. I had a hard time doing that because I just wanted to win no matter what, and it almost cost me my marriage.
Courage: not only to make hard decisions but also to not be liked. You want to be liked, but it's not your job. Your job is to influence people to perform at a high level.
Communication: the ability to inspire and explain your vision is extremely powerful. It allows other people to see how they fit into your vision and work effectively.

Can you talk to the person listening that might be experiencing this? What have you observed as signs that someone is not living their best life, and how can they improve?

You have to take ownership of your own fulfillment. You have the choice to be happy and fulfilled or not. You can change your mindset and your actions, or you can change your circumstances. It's up to you! I went through this during the six years we had our second company. I was almost 300lbs, and my marriage was suffering. I had to look in the mirror and say, I'm the one who is creating all this. Then my health improved, my marriage improved, and it was time to sell the company and create something I truly loved.

What are the signs you've lost fulfillment and motivation?

Do you jump out of bed excited for the day? If not, something is wrong. Today, I woke up and couldn't wait to do what I had planned. But I've been on the other side. I was making more money doing less work, but it didn't fulfill me. That feeling when you know, I'm not fired up, I'm going through the motions, that's when you know. You're not alone. I know how lonely it feels when you have the responsibility to take care of the people in your life, but you can make choices to help you change course and be excited about what you get to do.

Momentum is a superpower, but when we lose it, it can seem impossible to get it again. How can leaders create and keep momentum?

Momentum is fickle. Here's what I've found helps me regain lost momentum:

Celebrate your wins. I don't care how small they are. Give yourself the satisfaction of a pat on the back, and give it to other people on your team, too!
Just get moving. If you start moving and taking action, you'll attract other people to join you, making it easier to tackle your challenges.
Practice gratitude. What you focus on grows. We all go through difficult times, but there is always something to be grateful for. It doesn't make loss or challenges easier, but it does help you keep perspective.

Speak to the person listening who is facing some adversity and give them your advice on how to work through that?

I lost my dad to suicide. He is my hero and my everything. I didn't even realize it was a possibility. I'm open about it because I've learned a lot through this horrible tragedy. One of those lessons is, "This too shall pass." That statement helps me not ride the roller coaster so much. The way you feel now is not forever. Give yourself the time to acknowledge that it's okay not to be okay, and that it's horrible and painful. Look for the beautiful lesson because that's going to be a piece of how you can support and impact people for years to come.

Application Activities:

JM says that momentum and fulfillment are the leader's responsibility. Set up a daily routine that includes the three ways JM regains his lost momentum. Use this as a checkpoint to ensure that you are taking the necessary steps to keep moving forward and also to assess whether there is something deeper going on.
Compare how you treat your employees to how you would treat a sibling. What differences are there? How can treating your employees like a brother help you invest more in them? How could it help you give them more grace during challenging seasons? How could it help you be more bold in addressing their weaknesses? Take some time to journal about this concept, answer these questions, and consider any mindset shifts you need to make to fully apply it.

Connect with JM Ryerson