Risk and Leadership Patterns with Super Bowl Champion Ryan Harris

Feb 4, 2025

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Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.

Our guest, Ryan Harris, became a Super Bowl Champion after winning Super Bowl 50 in 2016 with the Denver Broncos and retired later that year. Ryan speaks about winning a game in Chicago, winning the Super Bowl, and becoming a sportscaster. He shares inspiring thoughts about achieving greatness, what it takes to succeed, and the difference between willingness and perfection.

Listen for Ryan's rules for success in this inspiring episode.

Key Takeaways:

[:01] About RIMS and RIMScast.

[:15] Public registration is open for RISKWORLD 2025! RIMS wants you to Engage Today and Embrace Tomorrow in Chicago from May 4th through May 7th. Register at RIMS.org/RISKWORLD and the link in this episode's show notes.

[:33] About this episode. We will be joined by Super Bowl Champion and award-winning broadcaster, Ryan Harris. He will be a keynote at RISKWORLD 2025.

[:59] RIMS-CRMP Workshops! On February 19th and 20th, a two-day virtual workshop for the RIMS-CRMP will be led by former RIMS President Chris Mandel and presented by the RIMS Greater Bluegrass Chapter, the 2024 RIMS Chapter of the Year.

[1:21] The next RIMS-CRMP-FED exam course will be held from February 4th through the 6th, 2025. Links to these courses can be found through the Certification page of RIMS.org and this episode's show notes.

[1:37] Virtual Workshops! Chris Hansen will return on February 11th and 12th to lead the two-day course "Claims Management". Gail Kiyomura of The Art of Risk Consulting will host the "Fundamentals of Insurance" virtual workshop on February 19th and 20th, 2025.

[2:00] On February 26th and 27th, Elise Farnham of Illumine Consulting will lead "Applying and Integrating ERM". "Managing Data for ERM" will be hosted by Pat Saporito. That course starts on March 12th, 2025.

[2:23] A link to the full schedule of virtual workshops can be found on the RIMS.org/education and RIMS.org/education/online-learning pages. A link is also in this episode's show notes.

[2:34] The RIMS Legislative Summit 2025 is back! It will be held on March 19th and 20th in Washington, D.C. Join RIMS for two days of Congressional meetings, networking, and advocating on behalf of the risk management community.

[2:52] This event is open for RIMS members only so if you're not a member, join now! Visit RIMS.org/advocacy for registration details.

[3:00] RISKWORLD 2025 registration is open. Take advantage of our Super Savings Rate by February 28th. Speaking of RISKWORLD, that brings us to our very special guest.

[3:12] Ryan Harris became a Super Bowl Champion after winning Super Bowl 50 in 2015 with the Denver Broncos. He retired in 2016.

[3:21] Beyond the field, Ryan has continued to work to win. For his contributions to Denver's business community, Ryan was the First African American to be awarded Colorado Sportscaster of the Year in 2020.

[3:33] Ryan was also named to Denver Business Journal's 40 under 40 class of 2021. He is an analyst for his alma mater, Notre Dame.

[3:42] On May 6th, Ryan Harris will be a mainstage speaker at RISKWORLD in Chicago where he will discuss transformative "5 Components of Championship Leadership," emphasizing how the direction from which leaders operate shapes their effectiveness.

[3:58] We're going to have so much fun speaking to Ryan, and we might even get his predictions on Super Bowl LIX. Let's get to it!

[4:06] Interview! Super Bowl L Champion, and RISKWORLD 2025 Keynote Speaker, Ryan Harris, welcome to RIMScast!

[4:18] Ryan Harris is the first Super Bowl Champion to join us on RIMScast! Justin and Ryan are both big fans of the Buckhorn Exchange in Denver.

[5:09] Ryan loves the idea of having people together at RISKWORLD 2025 to find groundbreaking solutions and try new things. That's how you win in football; that's how you win in life! Ryan looks forward to a convention of people looking for what's next with the skills they have now.

[5:32] Ryan says playing NFL football in Chicago was cold. He recalls that playing on Soldier Field feels like you're in a spaceship; the way the stadium bows out and comes right up is unique!

[5:49] One of Ryan's favorite memories of playing against the Chicago Bears was when the Broncos beat the Bears in a tight game, the year the Broncos went to win the Super Bowl! It was an important win!

[6:02] Ryan credits Head Coach Gary Kubiak for inspiring the team to win that day in Chicago by shortening team meetings from an hour to 15 minutes. So they kept the 15-minute meetings for the rest of the year and won the Super Bowl! Ryan loves going to Chicago.

[5:38] Ryan had said that one of the things he was going to do after the Super Bowl was get into broadcasting. He didn't have to go to anybody else to make that happen.

[6:55] Ryan says the plan starts with you! You need nothing outside of yourself to be great. You cannot expect other people to work harder for you and your goals. You're working toward them.

[7:06] Ryan got his "doctorate" in Applied Football Mechanics and Theory. He went into broadcasting to use all that knowledge. He was selected by the NFL to go to a Broadcast Boot Camp and meet the best of the best in the broadcast industry.

[7:20] On the last day, one of the presenters told them to go to their Alma Maters and work their way up. Ryan canceled his flight home, rented a car, and drove from that symposium to Notre Dame, and that's where he got his first broadcasting job.

[7:34] Ryan says it started with him listening, taking action, and telling people what he wanted to do and how he wanted to get involved. You sometimes have to work for free to get started, and then you don't.

[7:59] Everyone can sit on the couch and say they want to do something. The difference is the people who put their feet where they want to be.

[8:04] At the Broadcast Boot Camp, Ryan saw an old college football rival. They hugged it out. The NFL is one big office building and there aren't a lot of chairs. Spend a couple of years there and you'll get to know a lot of people in the NFL and they'll get to know you.

[8:31] Ryan is currently in law school. His "doctorate" is from "Peyton Manning University." He had great "professors" like Ben Roethlisberger, Alex Smith, and Tim Tebow. He went through quite the school of football thought.

[8:47] It's fun to have that knowledge, but it's useless as a father or a keynote speaker. He can't go hit people anymore. He had to change, and it's been fun doing that.

[9:17] Ryan has a double major in Political Science, and Economics and Policy. From Political Science he learned that there are many ways to solve social problems. In economics, he learned that having two parents in your life puts you in the top 1% of opportunities in America.

[9:51] There are key figures in your life or the education you receive that drastically change economic outcomes. What kinds of levers motivate people? There are many ways to do the same thing. It's a matter of degree and what fits the situation.

[10:34] Ryan's advice on stories: 1. People remember the first 20 words you say. 2. Storytelling is more valuable than a Master's in Business Administration.

[10:55] Start a story with a main theme. "We're going to talk about failure. This is a time I failed. On my sixth day in college football in training camp, I got knocked to the ground." Our brains love tangible examples. Examples get people into the story. Then Ryan introduces the obstacle.

[11:18] "At one point in Kansas City, I wanted to quit." He tells what he learned from it. He always brings a big idea that everybody understands and gives a concrete example from his life, what he said to himself, how he went through it, and what he learned from it.

[11:45] When we can bring people into our story and talk about our failures and how we worked out of them, we help others and create impact.

[12:14] Ryan attests that you don't win by ignoring the struggle. He speaks of factors of success and elements of success. Factors are things like having money and goods. Elements are things that have to happen for you to be successful.

[12:30] Failure is an element of success! You have to fail to reach your highest potential. That's the only way it works. Any famous person or industry has had a failure or ten, along the way. We don't talk enough about our failures. Having a process for failure dictates your success.

[13:05] Kickers in the NFL focus on process. Golfers focus on process. When you focus on the process, you reduce anxiety by 78%. You have the power to create the process for the failure you need. Then you start to have fun!

[13:22] Plug Time! RIMS Webinars! Resolver will be joining us on February 6th to discuss "4 Themes Shaping the Future of GRC in 2025".

[13:34] HUB International continues its Ready for Tomorrow Series with RIMS. On February 20th, they will host "Ready for the Unexpected? Strategies for Property Valuation, Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity in 2025".

[13:50] More webinars will be announced soon and added to the RIMS.org/webinars page. Go there to register. Registration is complimentary for RIMS members.

[14:02] Nominations are also open for the Donald M. Stuart Award which recognizes excellence in risk management in Canada. Links are in this episode's show notes.

[14:13] The First of (hopefully) Many RIMS Texas Regional Conferences will be held in San Antonio from August 4th through 6th, 2025. Risk Management Roundup in San Antonio is set to unite the Texas RIMS Chapters and welcome risk professionals from around the world.

[14:32] You can be a speaker. The Conference Planning Committee is interested in submissions exploring technology and cyber risk, workforce protection and advancement, energy and sustainability, extreme weather, construction, restaurant, retail, hospitality, and other trends.

[14:55] The deadline to submit your proposal is Monday, February 24th. The link to the event and the submission process is in this episode's show notes. Go check it out!

[15:07] Let's Return to My Interview with Super Bowl 50 Champion and RISKWORLD 2025 Keynote, Ryan Harris!

[15:20] Ryan Harris had an NFL career of 10 years, about 300% longer than the average NFL career. Justin asks what lessons of his career apply themselves most to risk management.

[15:43] Preparation is number one. What are you preparing for? When you're an NFL lineman you get prepared for different blitzes, an extra person who's going to come from a different place. The key to picking up the blitz is knowing it's coming. You anticipate it.

[15:58] Anticipation is very big. Then take the space that you need. Ryan tells of introducing himself to Mark Cuban, as a fan, referring to a book about him. Don't hold back. Introduce yourself to people you want to meet. In the NFL, you learn you have to take action.

[16:45] Go do it. You don't get to know if it's successful or not until the end. That's what Ryan loves bringing to people about the game of football.

[17:22] If you are looking to transition from one career to another, 1. Find out how to listen with curiosity. You add value by being curious. 2. Ask "How" or "What" questions, not "Why" questions. 3. Follow up. Call or email. Do those three things and you are going to be successful.

[18:47] Ryan Harris will bring his positivity to RISKWORLD. Positivity is one of the most important elements of success. Some hard experiences are a part of succeeding. Find a way to stay positive. It is so easy to be negative. Be positive and look at the obstacles in front of you.

[19:36] Look at the things you can do with the skills you can add to be successful. The positivity keeps you moving faster in that direction.

[19:59] What about injuries? Ryan Harris has had nine surgeries; four of them on his back! One time, walking to dinner, his body locked up, being so swollen from the impact in the game.

[20:19] The biggest thing people miss about professional athletes is how they take care of their bodies. Ryan has been doing yoga for 17 years. The Kansas City Chiefs are on their way to their third straight Super Bowl. They've had yoga every Tuesday at their facility for the last 10 years.

[20:46] If you want to know what the greats are doing, they're doing yoga. They start with yoga, a stretch, hydration, and nutrition to repair. All those things matter, but also the mindset they're in. Tell your body, I don't care how you feel right now, we've got to lift at 11:00. Then do it.

[21:13] Find a way. Get the kinks out. It is mind over matter.

[21:42] Ryan explains how he, as an offensive tackle, adjusted for a blitz. The key to being great is using all the information that's out there. We fail sometimes to realize the information that's at our fingertips because we're not even looking.

[21:55] When Ryan was with the Kansas City Chiefs, his 8th year in the NFL, a coach taught him, "Ryan, that spacing doesn't make sense. What is the field telling you right now?" He had not looked up beyond the line. When he looked, he could see the safety positioned to blitz.

[22:36] Ryan took it upon himself to get all the information he could before the snap. That made the play easier. He anticipated this guy going there, and he pushed him hard, helping his teammate. He was ready to attack the guy who was coming. That could apply to a sales call.

[22:54] Any situation you face will be easier if you gather all the information that's available about it. Make backup plans.

[23:09] Ryan talks about entrepreneur Jesse Itzler. He went to Davos to sell hourly memberships on his airplane. He couldn't get in, but he found out everyone was going to one coffee shop for a muffin and coffee. On the last day, he bought all the muffins and sat in the corner.

[23:27] Someone walked in for a muffin. The shopkeeper said he's got them over there. Jesse said, I've got a muffin for you, do you want it? That was his first sale. Do everything you can, take in all the information you can, and apply it strategically.

[24:08] Ryan predicts the Kansas City Chiefs are going to win Super Bowl LIX. He believes their willingness is the highest. The number one thing you learn in winning a Super Bowl is you have to be willing, not perfect. Ryan says most people are unwilling to be imperfect to succeed.

[24:23] The Kansas City Chiefs don't care what it looks like. They're willing to win the game with 13 seconds left on the clock or with five seconds left on the clock.

[24:34] For those who will be watching as a casual spectator, look for somebody to make a mistake and see if they're strong enough to come back and make a play again. If you can find that person, that team is a likely winner.

[24:51] Ryan, it's been such a pleasure to meet you today! I look forward to seeing you again in May. I'll be in the front, right there, waving to you! I'll try not to distract you too much, though!

[24:58] Ryan says, "Please try, I'm used to it! I love you, Justin. Thanks for having me, my friend!"

[25:04] Special thanks again to Super Bowl Champion and award-winning broadcaster, Ryan Harris, for joining us here on RIMScast. You can go to his site, RyanHarris68.com for more information.

[25:17] Be sure to register for RISKWORLD 2025, where Ryan will be on the main stage on May 6th, delivering a Keynote.

[25:27] Be sure to tune into next week's RIMScast episode, when another one of those main stage Keynotes, Rachel DeAlto, will join us as we talk about "The Power of Relatability." Register at RIMS.org/RISKWORLD.

[25:42] More RIMS Plugs! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in our show notes.

[26:10] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information.

[26:28] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information.

[26:46] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more.

[27:02] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management.

[27:16] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. You can email Justin at Content@RIMS.org.

[27:24] Thank you all for your continued support and engagement on social media channels! We appreciate all your kind words. Listen every week! Stay safe!

Mentioned in this Episode:

RIMS Risk Management magazine

RISKWORLD 2025 — May 4‒7. | Register today! | Super savings rate ends Feb. 28.

RIMS Legislative Summit — March 19‒20, 2025

Nominations for the Donald M. Stuart Award

Spencer Educational Foundation — General Grants 2026 — Application Dates

RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP)RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy

RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2025 | Submit an Educational Session by Feb. 24.

RyanHarris68.com

RIMS Webinars:

RIMS.org/Webinars

"4 Themes Shaping the Future of GRC in 2025" | Sponsored by Resolver | Feb. 6, 2025