Meet Judy Ryan

We recently connected with Judy Ryan and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Judy, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
First, I believe purpose comes from those moments where we know this person we are at our best. I found my purpose after observing how many children and adults sell their souls in exchange for love, approval, and acceptance, and what that costs us all. I remember when I was exploring my purpose, one memory that came to me was me as a 5th grader going into 6th grade. I had been bullied terribly in 5th grade despite doing everything I could to be liked and accepted. This was exhausting and excruciating. I remember walking to a new school the next year and making a decision that in this new school, I was going to be myself no matter what came with that. I felt this heavy burden lift from me and I felt such joy and hope.

When I went to the new school I was resolute about being myself. Every time I spoke up, especially when my perspective was not the most common one, I braced for the sky to fall. Instead, I found that many of my fellow students (boys and girls) respected me, and began to look up to me. Without trying to be, I became liked and popular. I felt free and most importantly, I loved my life! MY life. This is one memory I drew upon as I clarified my purpose. In it, I felt so alive, so connected, and so expanded. This is still something I focus on every day. My purpose is “to create a world (the conditions and conversations) in which all people love their lives.” That is what I do in workplace culture transformation.

I always remember that ALL includes me. I will help people “LOVE their lives” and “love THEIR lives” meaning that I support everyone in being free to be who THEY are here to be; to follow their calling. To this day and every day, I read things I’ve posted on my refrigerator that remind me that I need not give my power away in exchange for someone’s love, and that I don’t have to be what others want me to be. Each day, one of my prayers is, “Please release me from the need for love, approval, and acceptance from others.” It’s not that I don’t like and want love, approval, and acceptance, but I first give it to myself and then trust God will provide it when, where, and how I need it, so I don’t become transactional with others. In this way, I can be in service and I feel great joy!

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I founded my business LifeWork Systems in 2002 so we are now in our 22nd year. What I love about the work I do is that it is based on helping people shift from BELIEVING THEY ARE INFERIOR to KNOWING THEY ARE GREAT. They just need the right conditions, communications, and support to bloom into their best selves. This means a dismantling of many beliefs and practices so many people believe are good and right ways to develop good citizenship in people in homes, schools, workplaces, and elsewhere in the world.

What I love is that I have built a comprehensive, scalable, immersive, and proven, yearlong culture transformation process that fosters everyone developing the leader within. This is transferred to organizations so they keep it the systemic change going and everyone has a common set of concepts, terms, tools and processes. The immersive process we have developed and use ensures that people not only learn how to be purpose and values-based in their thinking and behaving, but also emotionally and socially intelligent, develop high trust, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY (the model is called responsibility-based) and ways to support one another regularly, and ongoing.

We mix the levels in every organization, (from CEO to front-line staff) and include everyone in leadership development and culture change, which is possible today because of advances in technology. For example, when we have worked in school reform, we mixed parents, teachers, school administrators, students and even some community members in our change process so that artificial barriers that separate the roles are eliminated. We use best practices from education like “flipped training” so what’s learned is retained and applied ongoing. (new paragraph)

When we work in corporate, government, non-profit, or any other organizations, we do the same. For example, our process includes the mixing of C-suite executives with mid-level management, and people all the way to the front-line staff, so that everyone has a common set of concepts, terms, tools, and processes. Just like in my family of 5 children everyone knew how to lead family meetings by the age of 5; we rotated leadership every week, so everyone leads and follows and mentors one another. (new paragraph)

I am excited because we are positioned to scale our proven culture transformation system globally, and are now designing a 365-day app for those who have adopted our culture process. This app will house all of our 30+ tools for quick reference on phones, as well as bring forward each day one vital concept taught so awareness of new ways of operating remain top-of-mind, relevant, applicable, and create the high trust, psychological safety, mental health and more that is so needed today.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
One, I believe that by engaging in temperament assessments, we often gain clarity about what we most value and our greatest strengths. For example, I came to understand that I’m a systems developer, specifically human systems. Only about 8% of the population develop systems. An even smaller percentage focus on human systems. I value competency and a strength I have is to see that letting go of what is no longer working is key to the evolution of our world. ADVICE: Be willing to consider the whole of things, your unique values, gifts and strengths, and to evolve so that what is your purpose and joy and is most needed can be birthed in your life and our world. And, always stay open to “I am receptive to learning about and considering alternatives to the status quo”

My knowledge of applied Adlerian psychology (Alfred Adler) for over 35 years is now converging with the best thought leadership on the evolution of organizational culture. My work is based in believing and promoting the immense value of every person and in the concept of social interest (caring about how we use our power and what we CAUSE with it) and so much more. The results of this are incredible and cause a shift away from power-over and power-under dynamics to power-within for all people. Power within and alignment with purpose, values, visions, and temperament enlivens and encourages innovation, collaboration, and copious, practical application of LOVE! (new paragraph)

When Adler’s model was used in a prison in Florida, recidivism (repeat incarceration) went from the common 65 – 70% nationwide down to 4%! We see similar extraordinary results when people learn win/win concepts, terms, tools and processes, and become consciously empowered, lovable, connected and contributing. ADVICE: Learn about what causes struggles in and between people and what causes encouragement and growth instead. Throw away status quo conditioning that continues be the root cause of so many of today’s waste, pain, and needless challenges.

A quality key to develop is PURPOSE and VALUES-based ways of living. Also learn how to become personally responsible for using your power wisely and making sure you get the support and encouragement you need to make this shift. All of this leads to self-love, self-approval and self-acceptance. You are strengthened, and CHOOSE TO CREATE A LIFE YOU LOVE and not what you think you ‘should’ or ‘have to’ do and create. Then you can help others do the same. In this way, you begin living as the best person you actually are. ADVICE: Learn to dis-identify with the beliefs that you are not good enough, don’t belong, don’t matter, need to be fixed, etc. so you can begin living a joyful, generous, ALIGNED, and truly meaningful life of kindness, service, and fulfillment!

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
As mentioned, my purpose is “to create a world in which all people love their lives!” A key vision of mine is “to fulfill this purpose in partnership with like-minded, like-hearted, innovative thought leaders and change agents worldwide.” We are ready to grow and scale and need certain kinds of people to help do this. Here are the things we look for in partners and prospects:

  1. Does this leader/prospect/partner have AWARENESS? (Focuses on current and future trends, culture evolution, revenue generation, ability to pivot, agility, and what ensures competitive advantage)
  2. Does this leader/prospect/partner recognize NEEDS? (are they aware of losses that can be plugged and intolerant of them, motivated to create new?)
  3. Does this leader/prospect/partner have PASSION/CONVICTION? (are they chomping at the bit to stay relevant, competitive, effective, and committed to develop their people and to creating continuous advancements?)
  4. Is this leader/prospect/partner INNOVATIVE? (NOT risk averse but rather courageous, with a positive and helpful ego in which he or she develops other leaders, provides the best support and encouragement?)
  5. Is this leader/prospect/partner willing to INVEST time/budget? (in culture evolvement and people development, supporting performance, and engagement at all levels within any organization, professional or personal?)

We have a system for supporting revenue-sharing partners and oversight consultants and welcome those who resonate! Together we can more quickly and fully scale the conditions to help many people love their lives!

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Caren Libby Photography

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