A Conversation with NFL Quarterback Matt Ryan

On Wednesday, June 26, Southern Company hosted a session titled, “The Athlete beyond Athletics: A Conversation with NFL Quarterback Matt Ryan.” Chris Womack, Executive Vice President and President of External Affairs at Southern Company, spoke with Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan about the values needed to succeed on the field and in the office and how to reach your full performance.

Womack kicked off the discussion by explaining how reaching peak performances goes beyond just personal performance; personal performance is also key for teams, organizations and businesses to reach their full performance. Womack explained how within a company, culture and values are used to get the maximum performance out of employees and make the company perform at its best.

Ryan spoke about his leadership approach and how to empower other individuals. Ryan said that a huge part of leadership is getting to know your teammates and he does that by spending time with teammates both on and off the field. By getting to know your teammates, Ryan said, you can learn more about them and what they need from your leadership. Ryan helps empower others with the tools they need to succeed based on the experiences he has had.

Ryan also spoke about the importance of consistency among leaders. As a leader, you need to constantly change and evolve, especially if your team is constantly changing and evolving, but consistency is key in leadership, because your team needs to know what they can expect from you, Ryan said.

Communication is also a key part of leadership. When dealing with tough situations or divisive issues, open conversations are critical within an organization, Ryan said, because they enable people to talk about how they feel, and others can hear different perspectives, which are shaped by that individual’s own personal backgrounds and experiences. When deciding how to deal with the debate over kneeling or standing during the National Anthem, through their conversations, the Falcons came to a decision together, as a united team, to find a solution that was comfortable for all of the players.

To watch the full panel, click here. To learn more about the panel, click here.