Sometimes leadership doesn’t begin with a grand vision—it begins with a text. In this introspective Gray Matter Moment, Ryan Gray records from the shores of Puerto Peñasco during his family’s annual October trip and reflects on a recent experience that brought personal vulnerability into the spotlight. He had been invited to co-lead a session at Yavapai College’s “Students of Leadership” retreat, an intensive three-day mountaintop experience for emerging student leaders. The theme? The phoenix.

What unfolded was a powerful exploration of the relationships that shape a leader’s story—those closest to you in your venture, and the larger network that comprises your odyssey. Feeling the weight of proving the concept, Ryan sent a late-night video request to his own leadership network, asking if they would say, simply, “I’m part of Ryan’s Leadership Odyssey.” The overwhelming response became a video that turned a presentation into a shared affirmation—and a retreat highlight.
This episode walks listeners through that experience, offering a reminder: the people you surround yourself with define your trajectory. Leadership isn’t solitary—it’s a journey guided by others.

Topics Discussed

• Recording from the Sea of Cortez during a family trip
• Broken wrist update and life-work balance
• Introduction to the Yavapai College “Students of Leadership” program
• Preparing (and co-presenting) a leadership session with Dean Stacey Hilton
• The symbolism of the phoenix, and collective nouns: venture and odyssey
• How venture reflects your close-knit leadership circle
• How odyssey represents the broader network that shapes your journey
• The last-minute decision to text Ryan’s own leadership network
• Dozens of affirming video replies and their emotional impact
• Showing students the power of curating your leadership odyssey

Connect with Ryan
@Ryan_A_Gray
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanagray/
[email protected]

Voiceover by Chris Dechter

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