Being a Good Human First: How to Drive Billion-Dollar Results with Rona Guymon

In today’s episode, John sits down with the incredible Rona Guymon, Senior Vice President of Annuity Distribution at Nationwide. Leading a team of 240 people responsible for a staggering $18 billion in annual sales, Rona is at the forefront of what it means to build and sustain a high-performance culture. 

How do you lead a team to break records four years in a row and keep them motivated when the market gets volatile? Rona pulls back the curtain on her journey, sharing how she built a foundation of trust with her team virtually during the chaos of 2020.  From her initial mandate to transform a "lone wolf" mentality into a cohesive, team-first approach to the daily practices of gratitude that changed everything, this conversation is a masterclass in heartfelt, effective leadership. Rona and John also dive deep into the power of the debrief, the importance of mentorship, and why being a good human is the ultimate center point for any leader.

Key Takeaways:
- (00:01:10) Gratitude and The Debrief: 

Rona shares her key takeaways from John's presentation at her national sales meeting, highlighting the reinforcement of gratitude in leadership and the importance of the team debrief to ensure continuous improvement. 

- (00:06:40) Building Trust in a Crisis: 

How do you create connection when you can't be in the same room? Rona explains how she intentionally built a foundation of trust with her new team during the pandemic by focusing on them as human beings first through daily texts and personal calls. 

- (00:12:30) Pivoting in a Volatile Market: 

After four record-breaking years, Rona’s team faced new challenges with market volatility. She discusses the importance of going back to the basics, educating her team, and pivoting with a new plan to navigate the uncertainty. 

- (00:13:30) The Three Levels of Mastery: 

John introduces a powerful leadership framework he discussed with Bill Belichick: 1. Do your job, 2. Be world-class through continuous improvement, and 3. Teach someone else to take over.  Which level are you on?

- (00:23:00) Finding Success in Failure: 

Rona tells a powerful story about training for a milestone endurance hike, only to be sidelined by a broken foot.  She shares how she reframed the "failure" to find the real success: learning she could do hard things and that preparation doesn't always guarantee the outcome. 

- (00:34:30) Leadership Lessons from a Rock Band: 

Rona explains how playing in a rock band translates directly to leadership. It teaches patience and the understanding that every member has a unique and vital role to play in creating a cohesive, successful product. 

Key Quotes:

“I have to be a good person. I have to assume goodness in others before I could lead, before I can get them to trust me.” 

“There's an opportunity in the change.” 

Connect with Rona: 

LinkedIn