Ryan Abbott

Ryan Abbott

Executive VP, Southeast Region, Clayco

by Ryan Abbott

Q: What most notably stands out about your leadership style or what is an example of leadership success you can share with our readers?

I live for those moments when someone accomplishes something that they never thought possible. In our line of work, creating something that has never existed before requires individuals who are unbelievably adaptive, hard-working and innovative. Where most are doing everything they can to keep their employees from bumping into the walls, all I’ve ever wanted is for my partners to push up against what’s possible, do things they’re proud of, provide our community with an extraordinary value. Most of our team is doing something new to them — in a way and at a scale and value that hasn’t before been accomplished.

Q: What impact has COVID-19 or the disruptions of the past 18 months had on you as a leader?

The pandemic demonstrated to me that we are vastly social creatures; we work in teams, we envision purpose through fellowship, culture shapes our lives. My brothers and I were recently on a group rafting trip and one of them mentioned he had just listened to an article named, “What is Human Nature? Paleolithic Emotions, Medieval Institutions, God-Like Technology” with Edward O. Wilson. Essentially, we’re an archaic species mixed up in transition. Yes, we exist in a newly created civilization, but we’re still new to it. My leadership needs to provide reason, accountability and emotional purpose so that someone can socially align to find their life’s work.

Q: What do you feel we can be doing as a business community to empower economic growth here?

Support education, so that we can further diversify our economy to be more stable and equitable to growth and development. As a community, we don’t yet possess the skills we need to support the industrial diversity that we are currently building.

Q: What is new and notable for your company’s near future that will impact our economy?

We’re servicing clients who are creating components for the globally connected super computers that ride around in our pockets, cars that drive themselves, food manufacturers that fuel the mind and body, machines that allow for decision making at a scale that has never before been possible, and creating non-traditional living environments where people form social and experiential connections that allow them to thrive. We’re doing all this not by following traditional development, design and building practices but by overlapping each step to make our economy better.