From Fake It Till You Make It to Authentic Leadership: Greg Rider's Healthcare Revolution

[0:00]  Surprise, surprise. I'm not at the start of my career, you know. I' I've I've you know, but I I love still wanting to learn, you know, I love learning about new leaders. Um you know, new technologies. Um we talk about being a lifelong learner. That's I think a charact characteristic of an effective leader particularly in healthcare where there's new technology, there's new regulations, there's shifting things. It can it's very easy to just say it, you know, oh, it's just too much. I'm just going to stick with what I know.

[0:38]  Find for me, you know, it's important to find a way in my work life to be able to pause and to devote time to learning, to figuring out what how can I build in learning? What are what are some webinars? What are some readings that I can check into? where's it, you know, um is there a conference or something maybe on the weekend or in the evenings that I can check into and and find out? And even if it even if it's not like this is not directly related to my work, even if it's just to sit there and sort of absorb and listen Welcome back to another episode here on

[1:30]  the Heart and Hustle Podcast. Myself and Greg, we were just talking and realized that we should hit record because we're having so much fun. But we'll talk about it, man. Let's get into it. What you thought your purpose was to start a church, Greg? And now you're actually helping people live fully by owning their truth. What flipped the script, man? Oh my gosh, that's that's quite the quite the question out the gate refrain.

[1:51]  But um I told you had to start hard. Yeah. No. So, it is um well, it's all first of all, let me just say that's all part of my journey. It's all part of my story. And one of the things that I believe in for myself and I share with others is that regardless of what has happened in your past, as part of your journey, it's all part of who you are. It's all part of the package that makes you you. And so I think we we learned to how to look at the things in the past um and how to frame it and how to jump from that. And so for me, yes, part my uh a large part of my growing up, I grew up in a small town in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

[2:37]  I had loving parents. Um they weren't, you know, trying to force me a certain way. Um I was I you know I did grew up in the church. I sang in church choir as a kid. Um that wasn't actually good thing because I've been singing in performing groups and choirs my whole life up into through now. Um so I I just got I sort of got the sense and just sort of felt society was expectations. Well, you know, you you know, you date women, you get engaged, you get married, you have kids. And you know, even from an early age, I just knew that I wasn't like other guys. I wasn't interested or attracted, you know, to girls. I was interested in other boys, you know, and coupled with

[3:25]  the fact that I didn't like sports. So, I didn't really like or felt comfortable with doing traditional boy things. Mhm. Um, so I, you know, I followed that journey. I mean, I, you know, and I sort of thought I was different. I was teased and b, not bullied too much, but just sort of made fun of and the kid that was always picked last in gym class for sports teams. Um, and you know, I don't give him too much, Greg. Don't give him too much. Don't too much. I haven't even introed you, but yes, that's been flipped the script and we're gonna talk about just a little bit more. You know, it's funny. I really wanted to cut you off and say, "Hey, so you said you sing.

[4:02]  I'mma put you on the spot. But listen, I hated that. I actually was in chorus myself. I was in chorus for four years. And um people always say, "So you sing?" I'm like, "No, I used to. Don't ask me to sing. I'm not doing it." And some of my chorus buddies, I was like, "No, Ephrain, you sing." And I'm like, "I don't sing anymore." I mean, I do love to sing in, you know, at home in the car, but I'm probably not as good as you, Greg. I'm not a good Matter of fact, what are you doing? A baritone.

[4:29]  I'm actually I'm actually a bass. a bank. That used to be me. I was in Vice. Oh, we got to do this off. We got to connect, you know, after do a little listen Greg, I I appreciate it. For those that are are asking who is our guest, Greg's is a total like MVP in his space and I love it for the first time.

[4:51]  Today's guest is someone whose story is just all heart and all hustle. like Greg is a director at Emblem Health, but he's also doing some fierce advocate stuff uh for authentic leadership and someone who's really walked through the fire to become the kind of leader the world actually needs. Right? He talked about some of the things that he had to experience. And I it's always so cool when I hear that people find themselves. Sometimes they never find themselves, Craig, or sometimes they'll they'll hide and never be who they truly are because some of the things that you mentioned and we'll get to that. So that's why I'm so excited. I'm a big believer that we should tell very real stories that we should be ourselves at all times. And Greg, when we first met, you were very yourself. Um you were very proud and

[5:39]  that's what I love most and I'm hoping that people get to kind of see that through this conversation. Um so thank you, Greg, for for being here, man. Thank you. So, kind of to what you were mentioning, man, let's kind of go back into it. Walk me back. What did life look like when you were trying to live up to everyone's expectations? Was it happy? Was it Were you How were you feeling inside? Talk to us about those parts of your life.

[6:02]  I I I don't know that I ever felt the same way. I mean, I think it was a is a fluctuation of emotions. I think there was in the back of my mind there was sort of this feeling of um not good enough of shame. Sometimes that felt more strongly than others. Um we talked about singing when I when I was singing and I I for me what the joy of singing is being part of a group. I'm not a soloist. Um so being part of of a group and singing in exciting places and and joyful songs. So when I was singing, when I was part of the High School Musical Glee Club, I didn't feel shame.

[6:44]  I felt like fun and I felt like I belonged, you know. And I think that um you know, as a leader, as you know, we we want to ensure that we help to build a culture and create a space for people to feel like they belong. Um that they can, you know, they can show up. We hear a lot about being authentic. It just means that they're comfortable and they don't we don't make them feel like they have to be somebody that they're not.

[7:13]  Yep. Um what was that moment you you knew you just couldn't fake it anymore? Was there a specific conversation? Was there a moment? Was there a breakdown? It was actually going back to what you and I talked about in the previous conversation. It was at some point when I was engaged to a woman. I was living in Atlanta and I thought, I can't do this, you know, this is just not going to work. Um, I had I was engaged to a woman. Um, I was trying to start a church, a small church in um the metro Atlanta. Um, and I had gone to this this um religious fundamentalist church that had an exgay group of guys that were trying to deal with being gay and not

[8:02]  being gay. And it was like, "Oh my god, this is crazy." You know, this is crazy. I didn't know that existed. It did. bad and probably you know and to be honest with you afraid I mean I don't mean this judgmentally but when I was sitting there these were guys that were tortured and had all kinds of issues in their lives that were trying to make sense of and I'm thinking you know being gay is the least of your worries and your concern people you know there are other things that you can work on develop so I got through all of that very gratefully I think unscathed I could have some severe, you know, mental issues and health health issues and, you know, maybe some people might think I still do, but generally, you know, I

[8:49]  came through that and was able to sort of embrace myself and and move on. Um, but in the midst of that, I thought, you know, this is just I I it it doesn't make sense for my for me to try to be who these other people think I'm supposed to be. Um, and I was living in Atlanta and I was aware of this big, you know, LGBT community in a large city.

[9:10]  I'm like, this is this is where I need to jump in. This is part of who I am. I need to explore this. And, uh, once I sort of realized that, it really wasn't that that difficult to realize, stop trying to be someone you're not. Yeah. And that led to success at work, success on my relationships, community involvement. etc., etc. Now, now you're on the other side. Yeah. You're happy.

[9:36]  You're thriving, you're fully you. What's the biggest misconception people still still have about being um authentic and being your true self? And we're in this place, Greg, more than ever now. Like, it was probably way harder back, you know, when you mentioned your younger days when you were engaged, but now it's there's so much things going on where people can feel inclusive, right? But you really had to fight for what we have today. So, but for the right reasons. And now look at you. We're having a good time. We're having a good time talking about tea and coffee and all these different things.

[10:12]  And truly, you could just see yourself just lit up and excited about life. Talk to me about it. Man, what was that biggest misconception people still have about just being yourself? I I I for me, and I think this is true for for many people, um not not thinking that I will be okay, thinking that people will reject me, um that I won't belong.

[10:41]  Um because when when we're dealing with when we're struggling, there may be family, people or our church or other organizations that we are feeling either directly or indirectly a message that you're not okay. You're not okay the way you are. you need to change, you know, whether they're direct things that's saying, you know, you're shameful, you're sinful, whatever they may or they're just feeling that. Um, so what changed that for me was finding and being aware of people that were sharing opposite messages of that, finding inclusive place places. And so I think people need to they can't really

[11:31]  make that decision to shift their thinking until they find people that are presenting them with positive images that are telling them it's okay that are presenting them the opportunity to be in a safe space to present them with opportunities to belong to participate as they are. Um, now there are those of us who are more sort of, you know, leaders and stand up and maybe a bit of a of a rebel and say, "I don't care what you say. I don't care if there's nobody that's going to accept me. I'm moving forward. This is who I am." You know, haters hate, but I've got no time for you. I'm moving on. And, you know, I applaud those folks. They can help

[12:20]  um create a path for those of us that aren't like that. Um, but I think for many of us, we have to find those places where we begin to feel accepted, okay, embraced, hugged, it's okay. This is who you are. I love what you're doing. That looks great. Um, affirming who we are and affirming our strengths and affirming the way the ways that we contribute and participate in any professionally, personally, community, family.

[12:53]  You're so amazing, man. Good. You you mentioned last time as well, you said every leader's power begins with his with owning his story or their story, right? It could be he or she owning their story. When did you realize your story was actually your your power? That was your superpower. That is an interesting um I I think um I think some of that was coupled with sort of my my spiritual awareness. Um some of that comes from just sort of things that I've read and different people that I've read um through the years. Um, I read some, you know, people when I was still living in Atlanta and after I shortly came out sort of like, um, gay positive

[13:42]  spirituality and theology. And so I began reading some of that and that affirmed and gave me, um, I became involved with the LGBTQ employee resource group at AT&T, which is where I was working when I came out. Um, so I had role models and people that were just already showing up and living their lives and having success. That was part of it. Um, and then I think just my own spiritual growth and journey, um, has helped to affirm that. Um, and you know, one of the things that you and I talked about before, which I think is very very true, is that none of us, um, regarded whether we're a person or we're an organization or or a belief, no, no one person or belief has a

[14:32]  monopoly on truth. If we are open and honest, we can find truth resonating in all kinds of fun, funky, crazy interesting and boring places. I love it. Well, what are some what are some interesting leadership that you've learned? You talked about just really surrounding yourself with people that cared, poured into you, loved you for who you are. Um maybe what like what did you learn from them? It could have been family, friendships, or even failure.

[15:05]  What do you learn from them when it comes to the leadership aspect outside the office? these people that are just pouring into you at all different, you know, avenues. Gosh, that's you sort of you sort of um stumped me because I'm not quite sure where where to start. I I think I'm going to start with personal relationships. Um after, you know, after I had been out for a while and I was and that, you know, and I felt and I saw that people were responding positively in the work workplace. um just in the course of different things I was involved with and my you know I found that um I was getting positive responses um from from younger straight guys to be honest

[15:56]  you know because I for so once I came out and then I sort of you know the part of the gay world that I was part of was like oh well you know we stick to our own and you can't really trust um people and you sort of the stereotyped of you know straight macho g straight macho guys you know they're our enemy and it's just like that was just not true and I find people not like me embracing me and accepting me and hearing what I have to say and I can joke with them it's all about just relaxing and letting go of this you know I still carry that expectation that you know 15 20 years after I came out that I think people expect me to be a certain way um th that that sort of personally on on as far as you know sort of known leaders um I got

[16:45]  to hear um at a professional conference a few years ago the speaker Jay Shetty who his big book was think like a monk very good yeah yeah and very good I mean it was it was almost like this profound connection and understanding of what he was saying um you know and I you know I I built what a couple of presentations on his book you know on you know dharma which is let me refer dharma is passion plus expertise plus usefulness you know and I think all those components are um are important because we can I can find something I'm passionate about and I'm an expert at but for me if I don't wed that to the value of being youthful of

[17:34]  being able to contribute then that's not really dharma. And so I've found that when when we get to really exhibit our dharma, we're contributing, we're providing positive energy, we're helping people to the best they are, we're helping to to life in the universe move forward in a positive way. Um, and so that I mean I I refer to his book and his quotes like regularly because it just reinforces what I believe in and as a leader that's who I'm supposed to be. Help people to be the best at who they are and not trying to make them to be somebody they're not.

[18:18]  If the Heart and Hustle podcast has ever sparked any idea or made you think differently, do us a favor. Make sure to guys share this, post it on LinkedIn or even text that nonprofit friend that you just have. Whatever works. This is what keeps the conversation going and allows us to just grow this community together. Seriously, we appreciate you.

[18:40]  I love it. I love that you bring up J Shetty. J Shetty is so good, right? Um followed him for a long time before he's really where he's at today in that kind of platform. Um what what got you into J Shetty? That's actually a very interesting question. What do you social media? Someone introduced you to J Shetty. How'd that come across? He he was he was a speaker. He was one of the keynote speakers at um the the associates that I'm part of is a association for talent development. So it's everybody that does training and development. So they have these huge huge conferences like anywhere from 7 to 12,000 people that attend. Um one year they had um they had Barack Obama as a speaker. The next year they had Oprah.

[19:24]  So, um, were you there for all those? Yes. Greg, you're too cool, man. And I got to sit up front because of my certification with the association. But no, he was he was the main speaker. Um, and I, you know, I got to sit like in the fourth row from the front. So, he was talking about this stuff. And of course, I went out and bought his book.

[19:43]  Um, and I've just incorporated a lot of his methodology and thinking into some of the presentations and talks that I do. Um, I think because it's neutral. It's not tied to specific ideology. Um, and I, you know, that's the other thing a frame that I find to talk about truth. I love mixing and matching and bringing in all kinds of things. So, I've got some Jay Shetty, um, Bnee Brown. I've also, um, incorporate, um, you know, some concepts that come from recovery and 12step programs. Um, maybe a little bit of of traditional theology, but just I sort of mix and match. And I I do that consciously.

[20:32]  And I know that I'm not particularly advocating or trying to be an apostle or disciple for any one of those. I'm just this is Greg. This is the truth that Greg has found along the way that works for him that he wants to share and you know having being trained as an English person having a master's degree I believe in footnoting so I reference people and you know along the way and say this is where I got this this was not my original thinking you know what J Shetty what I love about J Shetty because we're on this topic it's really his mindset you know the way that he thinks and the way he allows others people to really think Right. Um, which really led me to create this journal myself on the mindset because the mindset is everything, man. You know, the way that we think about

[21:18]  ourselves, the way we see life and and just talking to you, amazing leader. You have some great insights and I actually want to I mean, we've been talking about just life in general and how you've been able to overcome and the adversity. We didn't even tap into who you are in the health care space. you're a healthcare leader, you know, and and and we know that when it comes to health care, healthcare is full of burnout and bureaucracy. What makes you still believe is actually a place for bold human first leadership?

[21:47]  Well, I think because when at the at its bottom line, at its most core foundational aspects, health care is about people helping other people. and we've got we have tools, we have technology um but they're to assist and I think what we're finding is it's interesting a friend you've got all kinds of technology you've got startups you've got biioarma you've got all these niche little technology um concepts and organizations and leaders and people that are trying to use technology to aid in more effective, more efficient humanto human contact with the patient,

[22:37]  with the member and their provider, whether that's the nurse, a clinician, a wellness coach, um, you know, who, whoever that is, you know, just it's on and on. And so I think it's it's exciting to to sort of find those of us that still believe that that that that's important and to not get too frustrated with the obstacles. you know, I work in compliance, so I know that that's, you know, there's a lot of regulatory um requirements and things that we have to sort of work through um and ensure that they're in place, but it's really to make sure that we're providing the most safe, compliant, effective way for for people to receive health care. So my role is

[23:27]  really to you know help other health care leaders to get what they need to meet the requirements to get the information so that they can most effectively um you know work with patients and members. And so, you know, some of my work with employee resource groups is really to provide tools to ensure that we can do what we can so that all of our patients and members um can get the care that they need to set up clinics, neighborhood care centers in neighborhoods that are best suited to folks that live in that neighborhood. So you have, you know, Zumba classes, you have nutrition um assistance programs. You help people navigate the health care system. You

[24:15]  provide them free classes on how to sign up, get health care, you know, how to, you know, new mothers, you know, all all those things are part of health care. And so my work as a healthc care leader is to provide my expertise to provide the framework that people get what they need so they can more effectively be on the front lines and and and work with our patients and our members. Um and to advocate for culturally competent care for health equity for everybody that needs it, etc., etc., etc., etc., whatever that may be, right?

[24:57]  uh what's a story or moment um that really reminds you why this work matters? Do you have something that comes to mind? We're just I mean this I came across this recent I mean a few years ago I was I was working actually on a presentation and one of um I was aware of a program that um Emblem Health has neighborhood care that are like sort of these neat little centers and neighborhoods and one of you we have several of those that are in um in Chinatown um in the burrows of New York and you know and so I became aware of when um when we have um as you know Asian-American providers and they're meeting with members, they talk to them about

[25:45]  about health care and they are able to address some of the eastern health practices and when they talk to their members. So rather than saying well don't listen to them you just have to follow western practices they develop ways to incorporate some of the the ways that um those members may, you know, they they still practice Eastern philosophy and Eastern medicine, but they also want to couple it with things they need to do that make sense for their health. Um you know, when they they have some pictures to show them how to balance their their their diet. And so they take into effect knowing that um some of the the sauces and the seasonings on on traditional

[26:35]  Chinese cooking tends to be high in salt. So they talk about well maybe you can decrease you know don't use so much soy sauce for example or be mindful of how you balance some of your seasonings. And that just like wow that was an aha moment. We're not throwing out we're not saying use this or the other. It's like how can we balance and incorporate things that are part of our patients and our members day-today life and still advocate for them and show them how they can be uh take better care of their health, how they can have a diet that works for them. Um so that yeah that was just an example of how we can um bring all this great stuff together to advocate for patients for better health.

[27:23]  Okay, I like that. I I really want to ask your opinion on this one. What What separates good health care leaders from the ones who really shift systems? I again I'm just speaking from my experience. I'm not speaking for Emblem Health or for anyone. This is just Greg speaking. I I I think there's there are the things that make good leaders, period. Um, you know, I a a good leader is someone that um is humble and realizes at what level they are in their career or in an organization, they do not have all the answers. Correct.

[28:06]  um they can sometimes be wrong and they need to reach out and be be able to say, you know what, I don't have the answer to that, but I can find out. Um, yeah. I if if you can't be humble and admit that you don't always have the have the answer, then you're setting yourself up and your employees and your organization um for failure and for missing out and heading down a path that could lead to to bad to bad things and not being able to adjust when you need to. I think being humble um being open and being comfortable. We talked about being comfortable being authentic. Um, you know, people should know who you are and

[28:54]  know a little bit about you and your background and you know where where you came from. Um, and that you're open. Um, always being always being willing to learn. you know, I'm I'm you know, I'm I'm not at the surprise surprise, I'm not at the start of my career, you know, I've I've, you know, but I I love still wanting to learn, you know, I love learning about new leaders. Um, you know, new technologies. Um, we talk about being a lifelong learner. That's I think a charact characteristic of an effective leader particularly in health care where there's new technology there's new regulations there's shifting things it can

[29:41]  it's very easy to just say it you know oh it's just too much I'm just going to stick with what I know find for me you know it's important to find a way in my work life to be able to pause and to devote time to learning to figuring out what how can I build in learning what are what are some webinars what are some readings that I can check into where's it you know um is there a conference or something maybe on the weekend or in the evenings that I can check into and and find out and even if it even if it's not like this is not directly related to my work even if it's just to sit there and sort of absorb and listen Yep. um are to, you know, to meet people that are sort of at a different

[30:29]  point in their career or maybe at the forefront. And like just learning how they learn, learning how people think, learning how other leaders organize their work, their day, how do they lead teams, how do they coach people? Um you know, where do they go when they when they feel stressed? What do they do to take care of themselves so that they can take care help take care of others?

[30:57]  I I feel when it comes to leaders, I mean, first of all, you're an amazing leader, right? That's why you can speak so highly on what a leader actually looks like and should do and all things like that. I believe that, you know, a leader should um realize is not about them, right? Ideally, it's everyone that is following. you know, yesterday, uh, she says, "How you a lead?" I was speak to another leader and she says, "How are you a leader when no one's following?"

[31:20]  Right? I'm like, "Oh, that's right." Right? But you got to realize that it's not about us. It's the work that we do here as leaders is is about how can we make everyone else better? How can we make our team better? How can we make the next generation of leaders better, right? Uh, understanding that we are not, you mentioned it, we are not the smartest in the room. And understanding you do not need to be the smartest in the room because some of your best leaders are not the smartest person in the room. they surround themselves with really good people. And I think that's what a good leader is, that you can find the good in people and bring that out of them while still pouring in more into them. So, I love the way that you were thinking and I'm I'm right on with with everything you said. It's people just have to understand, get out of your own way. It's not about you, but people are followers in life and they just need great leaders. So, be that great leader

[32:07]  without having to be all the extra and be authentically yourself. That's what makes people want to follow people to begin with. You know, when we think about social media, people follow because they love the content, right? They love what they're doing. They love who they are. They love how, you know, the fashion, they love the the colors, whatever that may look like, someone is following you for some for some reason.

[32:27]  So, remember that as a leader that people are watching. You do not have to be the best at at what you do, but understand that you still have to bring people up. So, I like everything that you were talking about, man, when it came to that. I another thing that I was just thinking of afraid as you're talking it's it's um it's about being mindful about all all the connections and the interactions that you have.

[32:52]  That's part of being a leader. I um I'm sort of old school in that I want to show up in the office, you know. um working from home just did not work for me when we had to shut down like everybody did you know at the start of the pandemic. I mean you know my husband is retired. We live in a studio apartment. I mean we were going nuts.

[33:15]  He's like you have got to figure something out. Um so I came back to the office and I'm in the office every day and um help you know part of my positivity and my joy I think the leadership skills that I have is that I connect with people you know um now granted you know for a long time there was just me and like facilities folks so I got to be good friends and connect with facilities but I love that you One of the joys and one of the be the blessings of being here with Emblem Health in this building is that I get to talk to the CEO, the president, the SVPs, as well as the director of facilities, the security

[34:02]  guard at the front desk, the people that clean the facilities and clean the bathrooms. I I'm on a firstname basis with all them. Hi, Greg. How are you? And you know, that's that's part of being a good leader. people know who you are and they they have a positive connection, you know, they don't run from you or like you know they you know it's not the equivalent of like in the office of running to the other side of the street because you don't want to run into that person.

[34:34]  You mentioned um them knowing you on a firstname basis, but to just know that you have those conversations with that level shows the true leadership, right? Because I've seen leaders walk right past and not say a word, but these people are the ones keeping it tidy, keeping it clean, making sure you have whatever you have in some of these uh offices. And it's like the most you can say is, "Hey, thank you. Hey, I I see you." Right. So, goes back to that good leader. You're a good leader, Greg. You keep telling us why you're I see I know you're a good leader, Greg. Thank you.

[35:04]  And you and by the way, you're a good host. Oh, I appreciate it. Stop it. Stop. You're too kind. U Greg, I really want to talk about when we talk about um just looking forward and innovation and you kind of touched a little bit as a leader on how we should be in different rooms to kind of see what's happening.

[35:20]  Um and leaders are now figuring out that AI is in a space where it could be really beneficial for people in the health care system, people in the nonprofit system. Um but people are really scared. Some people are truly scared. How do you personally make peace with it as a leader knowing that it's here? It's not going away.

[35:40]  that you raised a good point and I think it starts with you s you you sort of have to just commit and say I'm okay I'm going to jump in and find out exactly what it is how does it work um it's like and you know it's like a lot of things you know if you're scared of it you sort of have to start to figure out okay well I need to learn something about it and that's again for me. Um, I went to the ATD conference last year. I went to a smaller training conference and I went to all these workshops about AI and I was just blown away to realize what it is and how it works. And, you know, the leaders were kept, you know, kept saying

[36:27]  pairing humans with AI is really how we need to go. being able to figure out how can we use AI and what can we not use AI for. You know, AI is not going to take the place of humans is what I heard. Um, but what I heard, we we need humans to be able to understand how to partner with AI and how to use it, how to let it use the things that we're a not really good at or don't have the time for or are tasks that sort of frustrate and are menial. And guess what? We can then allow our people to be trained to do things that are higher level, things that they're more interested in. If we

[37:15]  can take away the work that sort of frustrates and it's mindless, help have them learn how to have AI do some of those tasks and um you know and so seeing seeing people excited about AI and learn about it and then of course we need to be able to make sure that we've got the infrastructure, the governance, the policies, all those things in our organizations that can help steer the conversation and the learning and the adaptation of AI but you that that's I mean AI is just one form of technology there's a lot of um you know there's a lot of things in the field of of of health care how can we best leverage electronic

[38:03]  medical records how can we leverage that how you know pairing patient portals with EMRs and make allowing members and patients to really use the patient portal and not just using it but providing opportunities to train and to allow our patients and our members to know how to use the patient portal. Yeah. when you talk about the technology and even in the AI space there's so much opportunity um as you mentioned where people are still a little afraid because they feel like it's a replacement to a job or to a human but in reality it's a tool for a human to do their job even better and show up in places where they haven't showed up in a while right um I'm a big user in AI and I was one that I knew about AI three years ago however

[38:50]  it took me till last year to really start to work with AI and realizing some unique things that it does and how it saves time and to me makes me more creative. I think sometimes uh the craziest part to chat, do you use chatt often, Greg? I I don't I that's on my list to to So, I'm going to show you.

[39:08]  Hold on real quick. To learn it. So, first of all, don't get confused. I got books back here because people gifted it to me. I don't really read. Okay. Um how So, let's talk about it. Right. This book right here, I was gifted by a uh a leader as I was walking away from the airline industry. And the book is The Success Principles from uh Jack Canfield, co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul. I don't know if you remember that. I kind of maybe I aged myself a little bit, but uh that was a really good book. And that was like the early 90s, I think. Maybe. Yeah. Yeah.

[39:39]  Early 90s. So I um I'm not reading this book. Okay. There's a lot of different things. I started to read. What happens, Greg? I started to read and then I started thinking about lunch and about outside and my plants and Yeah. So, I went to chat PT and I said it knew what I was doing because I've been talking to it. I said, "Hey, can you break down this book, The Success Principles by Jack Canfield, and because it knew my space in my lane?" It literally just broke down the book in segments on on mindset shift on, you know, leadership, everything it knew that I needed. And I'm like, "Wow." Oh, so now I could instead of having to read all these pages, I could read something, you know, a little shorter that because our attention span, you know, attention span these days, I only got but so much of it, you know, like I don't know what happened. Social media done ruined it for us. But I I I truly do, man. I I use

[40:27]  it in so many ways. in the nonprofit space, I see people using it um to write grants. You know, in the healthc care space, I can imagine maybe emails um you know, putting in there and just tweaking it or making it more relaxing or whatever it is. You could literally put in whatever you write every day and say, "Hey, can you make this more funny?" And it would just make it more funny for you, but still using your own words. So, again, it is prompting and I think that's what people um AI works off data.

[40:53]  Yes. Yeah. So, the more data you give it, the better the prompts, the easier it becomes to actually do the work. Um, and in the health spaces, I see things such as SMS tools that when people are needing to know appointments that they can just text in and because it's integrated with whatever that health care system is, it can tell them where their appointments at. Oh, they left and they forgot the prescription, what it was called, or they forgot what, you know, well, guess what? they can just text in and AI because it's in the AI box, it can just gift them that by a text message. Like when I talk about technology in the AI space, it it is pretty cool. Um, but I love that you're you're you're like in these rooms, maybe you're not using it, but you're seeing some unique things. Like, oh my god, you know, that's a game changer. I was actually working with um one of my board members of the nonprofit and I was so

[41:41]  happy. I'm going to tell you why, Greg. She's 70 plus years old. I I don't know the exact age. I don't know. She's in her 70s or something. and she's never used chat GBT, but we had a project that we had to do something. It was like copy and paste, fairly easy. You prompted one time. I realized we can get this done in 10 15 minutes. She was going to write 13 different bio scripts cuz we got we got scholarships coming up and she was going to write 13 of them. That means she had to read every essay and every recommendation letter to figure out a 30 45 second script. And while it may sound like, oh, that's nothing. That's a lot of reading, a lot of thinking, a lot of time. I got that same project done in 30 minutes. Wow. Because I took every essay, every recommendation letter, and I posted it. I said, "Hey, this is the prompt. This is their information." And it gave me 30 to 45 seconds. And when

[42:29]  she's seen that I'm showing her, she's like, "Oh my god, are you saving this?" And I just started laughing. And I was like, "It's already saved. It's in here." And now she's like, "Man, Ephraine, I would love to learn this. Like, it looks like so much fun because when you need ideas, that's why I think I'm really creative. Whenever you need ideas, you it gives you the ideas. Uh anyway, I could talk about AI for for some minute. Let's kind of get rolling, man. We're at the end of it all. We're about to get to that blind question. If someone is listening right now, Greg, um and they're scared to show up fully as themselves, what do you say to them? Say that again. Yeah. Yeah, no worries. If someone is listening right now and they're scared to show up as themselves, what would you actually say to that individual?

[43:09]  I would say it's okay to be scared. Um, and try just a small step, one small way to show up for yourself. Realize that you don't have to go from zero to 100 in five minutes. I love it, man. And when they talk about when you when we talk about legacy, everyone talks about legacy and what we what we leave behind.

[43:34]  What do you hope to leave behind, not just at work, but in the lives that you actually um you touch? You know, I think it's it's actually sort of simple but maybe profound or not. I'm not sure. Um just to have to that when people have in when people have connected with me or they have experienced some amount of time with me that they walked away um feeling a bit better about themselves about their life about who they are and about their contribution participation in the world.

[44:14]  Okay. You ready for the blind question? You ready for the hot seat now, Greg? I suppose I am. This has been a wonderful conversation. First of all, I just want to say thank you before we get to the blind question. Thank you. Um, but this one is is pretty good. What's something you're still learning about yourself? I am learning that I can that I can still be surprised and that I can I can be touched.

[44:43]  um emotionally in ways that I didn't expect. Okay, I love it. I love it. Greg was ready. He was ready, man. Greg, you have been phenomenal. Where can people find more information on you, LinkedIn, social medias, but also about Emblem Health for people to know more about what you guys are actually doing as an organization? If you guys want to touch on some points. Yeah, I mean, well, well, Emblem Health, we're a regional health plan based in New York. So we're health insurance, you know, and so we're not a big we we focus on the New York City um area. We've got, you know, and and so that's sort of, you know, Emblem Health. You can connect with me on LinkedIn um email um gitriterscplgmail.com.

[45:27]  Love it. And then is it Gregory Ryder? Because you told me don't call you Gregory, call you Greg. So would they look up Gregory Ryder on LinkedIn if they wanted to connect with you? Is it LinkedIn is is is Greg Ryder. See, I had to help you because they were going to put in Gregory. They're not going to find you, Greg. Yeah. And oh, another plug. You talk about singing. Um, I'll just say this. I I for I've been a member for like 26 years um of the New York City Gay Men's Chorus. So, check us out NYC on Instagram or Tik Tok. We always are posting fun videos and um I've got to sing with them in some amazing places. Carnegie Hall, NBC t NBC Today Show. Um, I got to sing in Madison Square Garden three times for the Knicks Pride Night, for the New York Rangers

[46:16]  Pride Night, and as backup to Hugh Jackman on one of his tours. So there, how that Greg, you're a star. I'm talking to a star right now. Greg, what was the Instagram? As a member of the chorus, not a star. So I I had to drop impressive stuff for you. So what is the social media again? I I didn't get it, so I couldn't type it in. It's um it's G G Rider CPLp, I believe, is how you find me on LinkedIn. No, the uh the Instagram for the course. Oh, NYC GMC.

[46:47]  All right, cool. Cool. I'm gonna look it up. I'm g look it up. Um Yeah, man. I I love courses. I don't know if you watch America's Got Talent, but every time a chorus goes up there and The Voice, we're big time voice. I love it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm a I'm a big I I I stopped watching The Voice ever since they just started changing judges. It was just never the same for me. Um that's like American Idol. Like there's some talented individuals right now on the season, but I just can't watch it.

[47:11]  It's just not the same. You know, you don't have Simon and Randy and you know, like it's just not the same. Yeah. I I can't even watching watching them later. So, but yeah, I mean, look, you know, ADT is my thing. Attent. Make sure you guys do go follow Greg on LinkedIn. Make sure you guys do sh check out the choir as well that he's a part of. And just to make sure that was correct, that is going to be the New York Men's Chorus. NYCGMC is their Instagram. Yeah, New York City Gay Men's Chorus. Gay Men's Course. What did I say? That's all right. I don't know what I said. All right, guys. We'll talk to you guys later. My name is E Fray. This has been Greg Podcast. We'll catch you guys in the next one. All right. Flers.