tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45574289459488259842024-02-08T14:25:22.708-06:00Leadership Austin BlogAshley Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05351347556523916611noreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-35227415777470624242014-02-20T15:54:00.000-06:002014-02-20T15:54:17.940-06:00We've Moved!We've recently switched platforms and from this point forward will be blogging through our main website at <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/">www.leadershipaustin.org</a>. Please head there to continue reading and/or subscribe to our new post feed.<br />
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<b><a href="http://leadershipaustin.org/" target="_blank">Go to LeadershipAustin.org</a></b><br />
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Our new blog includes the entire post history of this Blogger site, and will continue to feature new information about Leadership Austin's programming and the alumni, partners, and participants engaging in collaborative, inclusive, and sustainable leadership for our community. We hope you will join us!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-46063407522631916002014-02-07T15:18:00.003-06:002014-02-07T15:18:54.153-06:00February 2014 ENGAGE Recap<i>Guest post from 2013-14 ENGAGE Breakfast Series guest blogger <b><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/alicia-dietrich/5/b40/598" target="_blank">Alicia Dietrich</a></b>. Alicia is a public affairs representative at the Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin. See the end of this post for the podcast from the breakfast.</i><br />
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As Austin prepares for a new era of single-member city council districts, Leadership Austin hosted the February 5 ENGAGE breakfast panel to explore "Countdown to 10-1: The Changing Face of Austin City Governance."<br />
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Austin voters approved a plan in 2010 to restructure the city council from eight at-large positions to 10 single-district members and a mayor elected at-large. The new structure takes effect this fall.<br />
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Panelists included former state Rep. <b>Wilhelmina Delco</b>; <b>Dr. Regina Lawrence</b>, director of the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life at The University of Texas at Austin; and <b>Bill Spelman</b>, current Austin City Council member and a professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. The discussion was moderated by KXAN News Anchor <b>Robert Hadlock</b>.<br />
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Here are eight takeaways from the discussion:<br />
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<b>1. New city council members are going to have a learning curve their first year as they learn how difficult it is to balance campaign promises made to their district constituents with city governance.</b><br />
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"When you run for public office, you make outrageous promises," said Delco. "You tell people, 'If you make sure that I'm elected to that council, your street will be paved, your lights will be on, when you call, I’ll come within 15 minutes.' So, when you go on to a council representing a specific district, then you feel compelled to look at that district rather than the big picture."<br />
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Spelman agreed: "The first time somebody runs for office, if they're a newbie and they haven't had the opportunity to spend a lot of time in the building on a board or a commission or a task force, they don't know very much about city government. They think their job is to make promises, and they don't understand that you can't always keep those things."<br />
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<b>2. Council members must learn to work together and cooperate.</b><br />
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Spelman grew up in Los Angeles and talked about his experience working with city council there in the 1970s. "The city council actually represented their districts, but most of them recognized that they had an obligation to the entire city, in part because some of the money that they needed in order to run for their rather large districts had to come from downtown and Westside. So they had to represent other parts of town or at least be aware of the problems in other parts of town."<br />
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Delco also talked about her experience working in the Legislature, and how she convinced conservative lawmakers to vote for early childhood education in exchange for her vote to allocate funds to help eradicate a cattle disease. "You get those tradeoffs where your issues aren't important enough for me to oppose, and then I'll trade that for something that's very important to me. I think that's a good thing. It gives you a bigger picture of an issue that's not important to you, but is important to someone else."<br />
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<b>3. The new 10-1 structure is an opportunity to engage new voters who have felt left out of the process.</b><br />
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"It's a wonderful opportunity to get people talking about what does city government do, and why does it matter?" said Lawrence. "Now candidates have something to talk about that they didn't necessarily before. You have an opportunity now to talk about neighborhood and community and very specific concerns for specific areas of the city."<br />
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<b>4. The new 10-1 structure isn't perfect, and some groups will still be under-represented on the council.</b><br />
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"Unless you have 25 districts, you're not going to represent the diversity of the population," said Delco. She also pointed out that many minorities are not concentrated in any single district, and that the new structure doesn't guarantee representation for those groups.<br />
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<b>5. This is an opportunity to increase voter turnout.</b><br />
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"Levels of voter turnout have plummeted in Austin and in Travis County over the last several decades," said Lawrence. "This may not be an ideal opportunity, but it is an opportunity to try to begin to reverse that trend." Panelists also pointed out that moving the election date to November will very likely have a positive effect on turnout.<br />
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<b>6. The new mayor will have to work to unite council members on citywide issues.</b><br />
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"I wouldn't want to be mayor if they paid me in gold coins tomorrow, because that's the person who's got to juggle all those commitments that people have made in order to get [elected]," said Delco.<br />
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<b>7. Sign up to serve on a city board or commission.</b><br />
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"You guys—who need to be on boards and commissions—have not been telling us you want to be," said Spelman. "If you want to be on a board or commission, we can probably arrange that. But not enough people are interested, and as a result, we're going to have an increase in the number of people we have to appoint, and without increasing the number of people who are interested, we're going to have some trouble."<br />
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Said Delco, "One of the things I think the council has to do is—right off the bat—start educating these new council members who, again remember, ran for and were elected on their issues and not the issues of the city at large. One of your first jobs is going to be to explain to [your constituents] what all these boards and commissions do and how important it is for them to have representation on them."<br />
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<b>8. Keep educating yourself about these issues.</b><br />
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Lawrence encouraged voters to attend the <a href="http://kut.org/post/why-bother-austin-city-government-101" target="_blank">"Why bother? Austin City Government 101"</a> informational session hosted by the Strauss Institute, KUT, and the League of Women Voters to answer questions and teach voters how to make their voice heard at City Hall. You can also continue the conversation and build skills for community collaboration at Leadership Austin's <a href="https://www.z2systems.com/np/clients/leadershipaustin/event.jsp?event=410" target="_blank">Skills Booster Shot</a> on February 28.<br />
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<b>Full Audio from the Event</b><br />
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I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as Chief Executive Officer of Leadership Austin. For 35 years, we have been developing and connecting community leaders in our effort to build a better region. Now, as the fourth CEO, I am anxious to build upon the organization's accomplishments and to continue to focus on exploring critical community issues, developing leadership skills to address those issues, and fostering relationships that help facilitate positive, collaborative civic engagement.<br />
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I joined Leadership Austin in 1995, when it was still part of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. I was not accepted into the ESSENTIAL class until my third application, but it was well worth the wait. My Leadership Austin experiences continue to influence how and where I spend my time. In addition, it has been a privilege to serve three terms on the Leadership Austin Board of Directors in 1996, 2001 and 2009. As I assume hands-on management of the organization, I plan to draw upon my perspective as someone who was served by Leadership Austin and someone who helped set direction for Leadership Austin.<br />
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My central belief is that we all share a role and responsibility to help shape our community. For the last 32 years, I've been fortunate to call Austin home and to work with smart people on exciting projects that have made a positive impact on our region. I look forward to working with each of you to shape creative experiences through which Leadership Austin can continue to make Greater Austin the best possible place to lead and live.<br />
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For over 35 years Leadership Austin's shared belief in the civic health of Greater Austin has been reaffirmed in our core values of Community Trusteeship, Inclusiveness, Collaborative Decision-Making and Personal Responsibility. These values have been our firm foundation as we have grown from the single program in 1979 to the five programs today.<br />
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I will continue the Leadership Austin legacy of energizing one another to create the community we call home. Our home is growing, changing and expanding. It attracts some of the brightest minds, most ambitious entrepreneurs and most dedicated community-builders. The challenges are many, but the opportunities provided by this growth are unmatched in any city in the United States. I look forward to diving into my new role with incredible support from the Board, staff, alumni and our community. As we celebrate our 35th Anniversary year, we can look back with pride on what we have accomplished and know that the best is yet to be realized.<br />
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Christopher Kennedy<br />
Chief Executive Officer<br />
Leadership Austin<br />
<a href="mailto:ckennedy@leadershipaustin.org">ckennedy@leadershipaustin.org</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-884289930284126082014-01-23T15:43:00.000-06:002014-01-23T15:43:37.142-06:00EMERGE 2013 Session V Takeaways<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Guest post from recent EMERGE 2013 graduate <b>Jessica Sager</b>, reflecting on the December 5 EMERGE program day on community engagement. Jessica is an account manager with the <a href="http://matrixmanagementinstitute.com/" target="_blank">International Matrix Management Institute</a>.</i><br />
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To effectively recap the power and magic of our 5th EMERGE classroom session, it's important to know that the seeds for Session V were sown back during <a href="http://leadaustin.blogspot.com/2013/11/emerge-2013-session-iii-takeways.html" target="_blank">Session III</a>. It was during that class when, having learned about and <a href="http://leadaustin.blogspot.com/2013/11/emerge-2013-session-ii-takeaways.html" target="_blank">identified our core energies</a> (Maven/Relater/Evangelist), we were grouped into triads of the three energies and given an envelope. Within it, there was the name of a Leadership Austin alumni member who had generously contributed their time to meet with us. Our assignment: to meet with these leaders and learn how change takes place in the community, including insight on how the leader's own core energy, values and guiding principles influenced their effectiveness. We all knew what an opportunity this assignment and classroom represented—to be able to connect and network with some of the giants of the Austin community, spanning all aspects of the nonprofit, corporate and public sectors. We met with leaders like <b>Cookie Ruiz</b> (ESSENTIAL 1995), <b>Kelly White</b> (Honorary Alumni 2007), <b>Kirk Watson</b> (ESSENTIAL 1984) and many other passionate leaders connected with Leadership Austin who are a large part of what makes Austin so great.<br />
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During our 5th session, we reconvened to share the insights that we had gathered through our interviews. The classroom experience was amazing and rich, like getting a "daily dose of wisdom" on steroids. Each group shared highlights of the advice, wisdom and humor of the leaders they had interviewed, whom cumulatively have centuries of experience causing change, being the difference, and leading in the community. The resulting wisdom and anecdotes ranged from pithy advice, such as the words shared by <b>Clarke Heidrick</b> (ESSENTIAL 1982), "Be Humble, Be Merciful, Do Justice," to the good humored humility offered by <b>Sam Planta</b> (ESSENTIAL 1991), encouraging us to "Do a daily gut check," to self inquiry, such as <b>Suzanna Caballero</b> (ESSENTIAL 1993) asking "What do you want to be known for?" and <b>Pastor Joe Parker’s</b> (ESSENTIAL 1985) deep question on responding to the call to leadership, "Am I willing?" And, lest we were to get carried away by all the inspiring causes we are now aware of because of our time in this program, we can reflect on the wise words of <b>Eugene Sepulveda</b> (ESSENTIAL 1988): "There is an infinite number of good causes, but only a finite number of resources." A good reminder to choose our causes wisely.<br />
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As a quintessential Relater myself, I was in heaven; this was not only an opportunity to personally meet with outstanding members of the community, but it was also the classroom equivalent of having 18 deep and meaningful conversations about leadership and change with the Who's Who of the Austin community—getting to talk to the people who do things that matter, about what matters to them.<br />
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Beyond their generosity with sharing their time and stories, what I was most struck by—as I listened to my peers share stories from their interviews—was the incredible multidimensional and diverse energy of leadership in the Austin community. In previous classrooms, we had dialogued about what kind of energy was needed to be a leader. Must you be an Evangelist, and have the drive to get things done? Or perhaps being a Relater is key, as they are the connectors of the community. Or should you be more Maven, to be able to correctly address the problems? Through this assignment and the sharing in classroom, it was clearly evident that leadership is not about you having a particular kind of core energy. More so, it's about your willingness to bring your energy—in its totality—to the cause that calls you the most. To make a difference in the community you need to be able to integrate the energy of everyone; as <b>Kerry Tate</b> (ESSENTIAL 1995) shared with her group, "You have to collaborate… you cannot stay in silos."<br />
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Lastly, this session brought home in a new way what it means to be a part of Leadership Austin, and to soon take our place among these distinguished alumni as our program comes to an end. The words from one interview shared ring so true: "We are a part of something much bigger than ourselves."<br />
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For other highlights from this EMERGE session, check out my classmate <b>Ethan Brisby's</b> <a href="http://ethanbrisby.blogspot.com/2013/12/leadership-austin-emerge-20-snippets-of.html" target="_blank">summary of quotes</a>.<br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">NOTE: The opinions of Leadership Austin alumni, faculty members, and guest bloggers are their own, and do not represent an official position of the organization.</i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-30651502926273456952014-01-22T11:00:00.002-06:002014-01-22T11:02:56.974-06:00Leadership Austin CEO Selected<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>A message from 2013-14 Leadership Austin Board Chair <b>Brian Dolezal</b> (ESSENTIAL 2001).</i><br />
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Dear Friends of Leadership Austin,<br />
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It is my pleasure to share some exciting news today: The <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/about/board" target="_blank">Leadership Austin Board of Directors</a> welcomes <b>Christopher Kennedy</b> as Leadership Austin’s new Chief Executive Officer effective February 3, 2014.<br />
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We are thrilled to have Christopher’s talent and skill leading Leadership Austin in this role. We are confident his business experience, vision and proven commitment to our community will enable Leadership Austin to strategically explore critical issues, build leadership skills to address those issues and foster relationships that help facilitate positive, collaborative change in Central Texas.<br />
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Christopher was selected following a comprehensive search that included a stakeholder survey, staff input, nearly 40 resumes of interest and 15 interviews. The Leadership Austin Board of Directors unanimously selected Christopher after a process led by the Leadership Austin Search Committee with our external recruiter <a href="http://www.baconlee.com/" target="_blank">Bacon Lee & Associates</a>. Since June 2013, Christopher has served as Leadership Austin’s Interim CEO after serving as last year’s Board Chair.<br />
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An accomplished leader with more than 20 years of progressively responsible experience and successful results in executive positions, Christopher has a proven track record in developing and implementing strategic plans, and exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to forge successful working relationships with customers, employees, boards and community leaders.<br />
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Previously, Christopher served as Chief Administrative Officer for the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) and most recently has been busy as an equity partner in two start-ups with a philanthropic focus. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications from The University of Texas at Austin, and is a graduate of the Leadership Austin Essential Class of 1995. He served three different terms on the Leadership Austin Board of Directors in 1996, 2001 and 2009.<br />
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Please join me in welcoming Christopher to this new role!<br />
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Sincerely,<br />
Brian Dolezal<br />
Chair, Leadership Austin Board of DirectorsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-81539338788658310762014-01-14T14:35:00.000-06:002014-01-14T14:35:35.767-06:00January 2014 ENGAGE Recap<i>Guest post from 2013-14 ENGAGE Breakfast Series guest blogger <b><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/alicia-dietrich/5/b40/598" target="_blank">Alicia Dietrich</a></b>. Alicia is a public affairs representative at the Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin. See the end of this post for the podcast from the breakfast.</i><br />
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The January installment of Leadership Austin’s <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/engage" target="_blank">ENGAGE breakfast series</a> explored the best ways for leaders to move Austin forward during this period of tremendous growth and change. Panelists Travis County <b>Judge Sam Biscoe</b> and University of Texas at Austin Professor <b>Jeremi Suri</b> sat down with moderator <b>Shannon Wolfson</b> of KXAN to discuss the challenges Austin faces as it grows, and what it will take for leaders to address those issues.<br />
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Suri outlined what he believes to be the three greatest leadership challenges facing Austin: the challenge of success and how to lead beyond that, diverse groups in Austin not living in integrated ways, and the uneven growth of the economy and lack of opportunities for upward mobility.<br />
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To address Austin’s greatest challenges, Biscoe advocated for better collaboration between the city, government agencies, nonprofits, and community leaders. He noted the improved state of mental health care in the city after local hospitals worked with the county jail to make sure that patients were getting appropriate treatment instead of jail time.<br />
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However, he said that while the city has high aspirations for cooperation, we often fall short on implementation.<br />
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"We've always done a good job of studying and putting together reports and plans," he said. It's the next step that’s key, though.<br />
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He explained that government tends to respond to issues and problems, and if you have a problem you want solved, you need to get it in front of the right person and work to build consensus.<br />
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<b>"We respond, by and large, to specific issues that we try to fix,"</b> he said. <b>"I don’t know if we as a county ever sit down and think, 'What kind of Travis County do we want?'"</b><br />
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He noted that building consensus and compromise are crucial: "If you have five persons responsible for a decision, you'll see that often what we approve wasn't what was brought to us. But you'll see what got consensus and what we had resources to back up."<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KXAN's Kate Weidaw interviews<br />
panelist Judge Sam Biscoe</td></tr>
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Suri noted that it was important that people learn that compromise is necessary and that they shouldn’t feel shut out of the process if they don’t get everything they want. "When people come to believe it's a process where the decision of today isn't the last decision—if they only got 20 percent of what they wanted today, maybe tomorrow they'll get something more. When it's a process and you have credibility, that's what works."<br />
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Suri also discussed the importance of crossing lines in politics to get things done. "We need to talk to people who think differently and see things differently. <b>We need to make a conscious effort to cross lines because you can't [create change] if you're only talking to people who already agree with you. You need to make a conscious effort to cross lines</b>, and the beauty of Austin is that we have such an intellectual diversity here all around us."<br />
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As Austin moves toward a new City Council structure next year with single-member districts, both panelists stressed the importance of asking tough questions of potential leaders to make sure they can articulate a vision for the city’s future and how they will include everyone in that vision.<br />
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"As an elected official, your attitude should be 'I represent all county residents,'" said Biscoe. "From the neighborhood association level on up, inclusion should be part of everything we do. If we err, it should be that we included too many people."<br />
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Suri said, "We desperately need people in this city now who can continue to talk to groups who have been dominating dialog but are also able to bring other people in and connect them. Successful politicians are connectors. Second, <b>I think it’s time we ask our politicians to say not just what they promise to do about a problem, but what they envision the city looking like.</b> I think we do need a vision. I don’t mean a visionary in terms of pie in the sky, but an ability to articulate, to tell us a story about how you see our city with all these changes, institutionally and economically, growing in the next five to 10 years and how we can all be part of making that kind of city."<br />
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Both panelists also emphasized the importance of mentoring and incubating future leaders, through encouraging students to pursue public service and by implementing permanent succession strategies at the government level.<br />
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"We need to remind people at all age levels, but particularly young people, that public service is a noble calling," said Suri. "Leadership has to involve politics in your organization and in your city."
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<b>Full Audio from the Event</b><br />
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<i>Guest post from ESSENTIAL Class of 2014 participant <b>Leslie Wingo</b>, reflecting on the December class day on Austin's diversity and inclusion. Leslie is a partner with <a href="http://www.sanderswingo.com/" target="_blank">Sanders\Wingo Advertising</a>.</i><br />
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We define others and ourselves by how we see the world and how we see our place in it. For as long as I can remember, I have always been "the only" one in the room. Often I feel as though I am the only female, the only African American or the only person who feels singled out. As I learned from our December ESSENTIAL class day, being the only one in the room is not a unique feeling. I learned that others seem to have the same feelings, and this shift in my perception is like jumping into Barton Springs on a hot Texas night—surprising and refreshing.<br />
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The day had a lot of great content and reflection. Some of the information was new and unexpected. And some of it was really hard to hear. In my mind, I have been the only one for so long, it was great to get a different perspective from others who where the only one in their demographic or culture.<br />
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We each seem to have our own boxes, which shape how we are perceived and how we see the world. Ms. <b>Joyce James</b> explained during our session that this begins at a very early age as we learn to socialize with others. Think back to the last time you filled out the required paperwork for the U.S. Census. The form asks very specific information about what box you see yourself and your household fitting into. Needless to say, I have spent a lifetime of having people (including myself), advertisers, and others putting me into some type of labeled box.<br />
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There are over 170 of these types of categories (culture codes), which shape our opinions and beliefs. Culture codes are not monolithic and cannot be applied or assumed to the only people in a particular group, economic background or zip code.<br />
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Perceptions and assumptions about groups of people can be changed; however, there are many challenges such as institutionalized thinking, lack of resources, and historical policies and procedures, which prevent change or make it difficult at best.<br />
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In order to make positive changes within our community, we need to have honest and difficult conversations regarding race, diversity and inclusion. Stepping out of our own comfort zones and taking the time to listen to others who are different. As the demographic makeup of Central Texas <a href="http://leadaustin.blogspot.com/search/label/Demographics" target="_blank">continues to change</a>, diversity and inclusion must work together in creating a cultural competency.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/essential/current" target="_blank">ESSENTIAL Class of 2014</a> is comprised of sixty amazing and diverse individuals, who want to continue to make Austin and Central Texas a great place for everyone to live, work and play.<br />
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I cannot wait to see what The Best Class Ever will do this year.<br />
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<i>NOTE: The opinions of Leadership Austin alumni, faculty members, and guest bloggers are their own, and do not represent an official position of the organization.</i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-24092228213921431352014-01-02T15:05:00.000-06:002014-01-02T15:05:14.397-06:00Leadership Starts by Asking the Big Questions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Guest post from <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/engage/upcoming/" target="_blank">January ENGAGE</a> panelist <b>Jeremi Suri</b>. Jeremi is the <a href="http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/directory/faculty/jeremi-suri" target="_blank">Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs</a> at The University of Texas at Austin. You can read more of his writing on his website: <a href="http://jeremisuri.net/">jeremisuri.net</a>.</i><br />
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Successful leaders do not believe that they have the correct answers. They do not have set plans. Policy-making in a period of rapid change and multiplying uncertainties offers few clear paths forward. The role of leadership, especially in a city like Austin, is to make sure diverse stakeholders are energized to explore the big questions: What kind of city do we want to live in? How can we grow while preserving the qualities that have made Austin so livable and attractive?<br />
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The model for the leadership we need today in Austin is neither charismatic nor technocratic. Charismatic figures are eloquent and persuasive, but they encourage simple choices and polarized opinions. We have enough of that already. Technocratic leaders have detailed knowledge about key issues, but they have trouble seeing the connections that matter most for life, economy, and community. Too much obsession with the details can make inspiring change impossible.<br />
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The most successful cities in the United States are governed today by figures who see themselves as brokers with a vision. Urban officials must speak to different groups and take their interests seriously. They must manage diverse revenue flows from taxpaying families, local businesses, tourists, and state and federal agencies. They must also oversee complex spending flows through school districts, police and fire departments, municipal transportation units, housing agencies, and other services of last resort.<br />
There are no consistent formulas for reconciling these different interests. The revenues and expenditures are often unpredictable, especially when the local economy is growing quickly but unevenly. City leaders must constantly adjust to bring different groups into balance, serving many masters and re-defining the common ground that addresses the broadest set of urban needs. This is the fundamental brokering function of city leaders—the core of urban politics.<br />
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Vision, however, is essential to making urban politics serve a higher purpose. Successful cities have leaders who continually remind negotiating groups that they should work toward something larger than just their immediate interests. Skilled leaders do not dictate a vision, but they motivate stakeholders to see personal value in looking forward toward a larger image of what their city should be like, and what role they should play. A city is, after all, as much an idea as a reality. Urban groups must see themselves as part of something more than themselves—a community—and leaders must help them articulate this vision and its service to each stakeholder’s long-term goals.<br />
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No one person or group can impose a vision on another one, especially in a large and decentralized city like Austin. A common idea of what Austin is about must emerge from continual engagement among diverse stakeholders. The common idea will constantly evolve, building on a venerable past as it adjusts to the opportunities and demands of the present.<br />
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City leaders are not the dictators or even deciders for the governing vision of Austin. They are the facilitators of the process, insuring its depth, fairness, and representativeness. City leaders must keep the engine of the city running as they push citizens to steer together to a mutually beneficial destination. City leaders cannot presume to know the precise coordinates or the exact route for the destination. Their job is to ask, time and again: Where are we going? How will we get there? How can we keep everyone on board?<br />
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<i>NOTE: The opinions of Leadership Austin alumni, faculty members, and guest bloggers are their own, and do not represent an official position of the organization. To purchase tickets to the January 8 ENGAGE breakfast featuring Jeremi Suri, please visit the <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/engage/upcoming/" target="_blank">Leadership Austin website</a>.</i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-75473771723963663042013-12-20T14:08:00.000-06:002013-12-20T14:08:15.926-06:00December 2013 ENGAGE Recap<i>Guest post from 2013-14 ENGAGE Breakfast Series guest blogger <b><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/alicia-dietrich/5/b40/598" target="_blank">Alicia Dietrich</a></b>. Alicia is a public affairs representative at the Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin. See the end of this post for the podcast from the breakfast.</i><br />
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As panelists gathered for the December installment of Leadership Austin’s ENGAGE breakfast series, everyone agreed that the issue of affordability in Austin is complicated and all but impossible to solve in the short-term.<br />
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Panelists <b>Brian Kelsey</b> (<a href="http://civicanalytics.com/" target="_blank">Civic Analytics</a>), <b>Frances Ferguson</b> (<a href="http://www.housingworksaustin.org/" target="_blank">HousingWorks Austin</a>), and <b>Chris Bradford</b> (<a href="http://austintexas.gov/content/land-development-code-advisory-group" target="_blank">Land Development Code Advisory Group</a>) discussed ways that Austin can work to keep the city affordable amid very rapid growth that shows no signs of slowing down. The discussion was moderated by KXAN anchor <b>Robert Hadlock</b>.<br />
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Kelsey pointed out that Austin is a <a href="http://civicanalytics.com/austins-growth" target="_blank">much wealthier city than it was 12 years ago</a>. In 2000, one in seven households had an income of $100,000 or more. Today, it’s one in four, and that statistic is a reflection of the fundamental demographic changes that are happening in a city that's gaining 60,000 residents a year.<br />
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"We constantly need to figure out—with land economics going this way, which tends to really throw up housing costs—how we keep both the low end and the low-middle end served in our housing stock," said Ferguson. "And that’s going to take some very creative policies."<br />
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Panelists discussed multiple ways to address housing affordability, including facilitating new construction, preserving existing housing stock, using creative loan programs to create and sustain an affordable stock of homes, raising wages, and improving education and workforce training for high-wage jobs.<br />
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But probably the most effective solution is one of the most tedious and complicated pieces of the puzzle: the re-write of the Land Development Code in Austin.<br />
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<a href="http://www.austintexas.gov/CodeNEXT" target="_blank">CodeNEXT</a> is an initiative to revise the Land Development Code, which determines how land can be used throughout the city—including <i>what</i> can be built, <i>where</i> it can be built, and <i>how much</i> can (and cannot) be built. The process is a collaboration between Austin's residents, business community, and civic institutions to align land use standards and regulations with what is important to the community.<br />
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Bradford noted that the housing stock in Austin must increase to meet rising demand as 150 people move here each day who need a place to live. However, the current code in Austin was written 30 years ago and has been amended many, many times since to become a complicated document that severely restricts the types of housing that can be built in the city.<br />
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Notice how many enormous new apartment complexes are going up on Lamar and Congress and Burnet? Bradford pointed out that the code is written in such a way that these are often the only types of projects allowed for those areas. The current code makes it <a href="http://www.austincontrarian.com/austincontrarian/2013/12/the-missing-middle.html" target="_blank">very difficult to build all types of housing for all types of people</a> needed in a city with diverse incomes and needs.<br />
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"There's no breathing room to build small, multi-family buildings," said Bradford. "It’s very difficult—unnecessarily difficult—to even build things like garage apartments in central neighborhoods. One of the things we should be focusing on is making it easier to build small infill projects: garage apartments, making it easier to build duplexes, making it easier to build small multifamily buildings, to build four-plexes or six-plexes. Those can be added all over the place and provide a kind of invisible density that will be an important source of new supply."<br />
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Bradford and Ferguson both also advocated for policies that preserve existing multifamily properties. Housing units built in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s <a href="http://www.austincontrarian.com/austincontrarian/2013/12/comparing-rents.html" target="_blank">are a lot more expensive in Austin</a> than in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio. While that should be where affordable housing exists, demand is high enough to keep prices high.<br />
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As part of HousingWorks Austin, Ferguson has worked on projects that create affordable housing in central neighborhoods through shared appreciation programs. Homeowners who buy an affordable home can't just flip it to sell it at market value and pocket the profit, and this approach allows a stock of affordable homes to stay in the market through multiple sales in the future.<br />
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She pointed to the Mueller redevelopment as a great example of this type of housing, and she encourages all city leaders and policy makers to take tours of these homes that are integrated into central neighborhoods.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LpwVDzlmwWc/UrSdViPEVfI/AAAAAAAAAgw/_k1dU_r9hvc/s1600/mueller.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LpwVDzlmwWc/UrSdViPEVfI/AAAAAAAAAgw/_k1dU_r9hvc/s1600/mueller.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mueller Illustrative Plan (<a href="http://www.muelleraustin.com/uploads/MuellerIllustrativeLow05-13-13_sec.pdf" target="_blank">click here for a larger version</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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"When people see the solutions that Austin has, they change their mind," said Ferguson. "Because the picture that they have in their mind is something they built in the '70s. And the solutions Austin has are remarkable, are effective, are well-managed, and when they see that, the other thing they understand is that they can put this kind of housing in every part of town and not have a problem at all. In fact, it becomes an asset in their communities in terms of being able to have a mix of homes to serve their workforce. And the third thing they begin to understand is this notion of <i>all kinds of homes in all parts of town</i>."<br />
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But beyond finding ways to lower housing costs, Kelsey pointed out the need to address ways to increase wages for residents. He advocated raising the minimum wage and noted that improving schools goes beyond more funding.<br />
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"We need a different mindset in how we educate and train future workers," said Kelsey. "I would like to see a different conversation about the role of career and technical education to prepare people for high-wage job opportunities here. We need to figure out ways to make education and workforce training work better for more of our residents."<br />
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Though the panelists approach the issue of affordability through different lenses and with different solutions, all agree that the housing issue must be addressed now if the city wants to maintain its character.<br />
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"Housing is the only way you have an integrated city," said Ferguson. "It is the only way. Busing people around is not an integrated and diverse city."<br />
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<b>Full Audio from the Event</b><br />
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<i>Guest post from EMERGE 2013 participant <b>Andrea Genevieve Michnik</b>, reflecting on the November 21 EMERGE program day on teaming with others. Andrea is a social media consultant and blogger at <a href="http://andreagenevieve.com/">AndreaGenevieve.com</a>.</i><br />
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If you would have told me a month ago that as part of Leadership Austin I would get to play with toys and watch movies, I would have thought you were joking.<br />
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However, for the fourth Leadership Austin EMERGE class—as we moved away from <a href="http://leadaustin.blogspot.com/2013/11/emerge-2013-session-iii-takeways.html" target="_blank">learning about ourselves</a> (the "I") to learning about working in a group (the "we")—our activity did involve toys and watching part of the movie Apollo 13.<br />
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Guest lecturer <b>Keith Lewis</b> of <a href="http://veraspark.com/about-keith/" target="_blank">VeraSpark</a> opened the class with the following clip to get us thinking about teamwork:<br />
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<object data="http://movieclips.com/e/SB5z/" height="354" style="background: #000000; display: block; overflow: hidden;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560"> <param name="movie" value="http://movieclips.com/e/SB5z/" /><param name=FlashVars VALUE="autoPlay=false"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /> <param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /> <param name="wmode" value="transparent" /> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /> <embed src="http://movieclips.com/e/SB5z/" FlashVars="autoPlay=false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" movie="http://movieclips.com/e/SB5z/" wmode="transparent" allowscriptaccess="always" ></embed> </object> <br />
<div style="-moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 4px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 4px; -webkit-border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; background: #000000; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; height: 27px; line-height: 11px; margin: 0; padding: 1px 0 0 0; text-align: center; width: 560px;">
<a href="http://movieclips.com/SB5z-apollo-13-movie-failure-is-not-an-option/" style="color: #00aeff; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Failure Is Not an Option</a><br />
<a href="http://movieclips.com/NSoUC-apollo-13-movie-videos/" style="color: white; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Apollo 13</a> <a href="http://movieclips.com/" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">at MOVIECLIPS.com</a></div>
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We each wrote down a list of the challenges, character responses and leadership styles presented in the clip. Then we compared this scenario to the workplace and surprisingly found many similarities!
For example, there is always one person driven by fact and concrete absolutes. They are the data guys. Then you have your naysayers piping up with, "It can't be done!"<br />
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You may also experience pressure to work quickly and deliver perfection from managers or executives above. Leaders frequently boast, "Failure is not an option!" Right?<br />
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Think about your own workplace for a minute and see if you agree. Have you been in situations similar to the clip? What role did you play? Remember that clip the next time you are in a project meeting and use it to help determine your role for success.<br />
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<b>Enterprise Simulation</b><br />
Next we moved on to the activity portion of the class, which meant time for toys!<br />
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To begin, Keith split the room into two equal departments. Each department was then divided into four different teams and one executive level leadership group.<br />
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Teams were tasked with building five small components that would later be combined with the other teams to build a larger full scale toy. This was to be done as quickly as possible with 100% accuracy and quality. You can only imagine what happened once the countdown started.<br />
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Chaos! Yelling! Confusion! Rushing! Competition at its finest!<br />
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It was awesome.<br />
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After this inaugural round (and yes we did have the chance to fix our organizational issues and redeem ourselves in two more rounds) it was very clear how the exercise mimicked the challenges faced with teamwork in the workplace. This included things such as:<br />
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<li>An unclear mission</li>
<li>Confusion over the end result or goals</li>
<li>Mixed signals when integrating with other teams</li>
<li>Responsibilities of the individual versus the executives</li>
<li>Finger pointing and lack of accountability</li>
<li>Lack of education and context</li>
<li>Poor planning</li>
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Sound a little familiar?<br />
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<b>The STOP Technique</b><br />
When this starts to happen in groups, remember to take a minute and practice the STOP technique:<br />
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<b>S:</b> Step Back<br />
<b>T:</b> Think<br />
<b>O:</b> Organize<br />
<b>P:</b> Proceed<br />
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This will help you learn from mistakes and better prepare you to work with others in a truly collaborative manner the next time around.<br />
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So what did playing with toys and watching movies teach us? Well, for one it was a great way to learn how teams work together and see firsthand the importance of understanding roles. It also helped us dig deeper into our core values and individual habits when working collaboratively. Finally, when in doubt, bring out the toys to break the ice with a team project... even if it’s with a group of adults.<br />
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You'll be guaranteed to learn a thing or two about leadership and life.<br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">NOTE: The opinions of Leadership Austin alumni, faculty members, and guest bloggers are their own, and do not represent an official position of the organization.</i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-76833259671365978662013-12-06T09:33:00.000-06:002013-12-06T09:33:01.712-06:00November 2013 ESSENTIAL Class Day Takeaways<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Guest post from ESSENTIAL Class of 2014 participant <b>Mike Grable</b>, reflecting on the November class day on Austin's natural environment. Mike is president at <a href="http://www.lonestar-transmission.com/" target="_blank">Lone Star Transmission, LLC</a>.</i><br />
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In preparing for our November session on the natural environment, we read about <b>Robert Gifford</b>'s seven <a href="http://www.scp-knowledge.eu/knowledge/dragons-inaction-psychological-barriers-limit-climate-change-mitigation-and-adaptation" target="_blank">"Dragons of Inaction"</a> that can hinder pro-environmental action. Dr. Gifford wrote of the Dragons in terms of climate issues, but with apologies to him I'd like to apply a few of them to the drought that continues to threaten Central Texas, and the ways in which our class discussions provided insights to tangible actions to protect Austin's water future.<br />
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<b>1. It's not really affecting me here and now and it's really uncertain, so I'm not going to act.</b><br />
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Think of how much rain has fallen recently in Austin, as we've seen the final day of ACL Music Fest canceled due to "Zilker Lake" and then Halloween floods destroy low-lying neighborhoods. It can cause cognitive dissonance to see the Stevie Ray Vaughan statue underwater, and yet still understand that a lack of rain in the Highland Lakes watersheds means we are still very water-deficient. <b>Andy Sansom</b> of <a href="http://www.meadowscenter.txstate.edu/" target="_blank">The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment</a> at Texas State spoke of the fact that no new Texas reservoirs have been created in 25 years, a "drought" that hopefully will end with Proposition 6 and the funds it provides for the state water plan. The needs and the opportunities are both enormous when we look beyond the ends of our noses.<br />
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<b>2. I'll take development over "environmentalism," please; why should we hinder economic growth when nature will do what it will do anyway?</b><br />
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A zero-sum choice between economic growth and water protection is often a false choice. Take a fact noted separately both by Andy Sansom and later by <b>Laura Huffman</b> of <a href="http://www.nature.org/" target="_blank">The Nature Conservancy</a>: the average Texas municipal water system loses approximately thirty percent of the water due to aging pipes and poor system maintenance. Reinvesting in this infrastructure is both a development and a water benefit. Similarly, Andy pointed out that the $400 million that Prop 6 earmarks for conservation and reuse is an enormous opportunity for public-private partnerships and innovative financing: we can't finance conservation and reuse the way we do the construction of reservoirs (by selling the water), so entrepreneurial thinking is needed!<br />
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<b>3. I don't use more resources than the average Austinite, so why should I change my behavior if the neighbors aren't?</b><br />
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This is a tough one, and requires a high degree of motivation and education to overcome basic human nature and feelings of fairness. In some commercial contexts, it can even be a competitive advantage: just ask <b>Natasha Madison</b> of <a href="http://ecochicfloral.com/" target="_blank">Ecochic Floral</a>, who is doing well by doing good: her focus on sustainable floral design includes the re-purposing of all gray water and enormous energy and water savings by using local plants. Others of us can look to the savings over time on our bills when we convert to dual-flush toilets and efficient shower heads (both standard in the <a href="http://www.whotelaustin.com/" target="_blank">W Hotel</a>, as explained by General Manager <b>Drew McQuade</b>) or to a little less St. Augustine and a few more native plants.<br />
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<b>4. I am not convinced that I should trust the "experts" who are telling me there is a problem.</b><br />
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This one is easy in the context of drought. Just go look at how the Sometimes Islands in Lake Travis have become the Permanent Peninsula. Andy Sansom also reminded us that the 1947-57 "Drought of Record"—which we are in the process of passing—included one 15-hour storm in 1952 during which Fredericksburg recorded 26 inches of rain. Lake Travis re-filled instantly. Think about what 1953-57 would have been like without that one freak storm, and then think about where Austin might be in 2014-18 if the drought continues and we don't get a similar lucky day upstream.<br />
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<b>5. I've made a few changes, surely that's enough.</b><br />
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The final "Dragon" is one of the biggest challenges, and the education required to overcome it is one of our biggest civic leadership opportunities. This is also where I'd again emphasize that economics and the environment are not entirely at odds, a theme that ran through Laura Huffman’s remarks; for example, government and civic leaders outside of Texas use water concerns and the drought to warn businesses against investing in the Lone Star State. The good news is there is plenty of low-hanging fruit in the form of some of the initiatives described here, and I look forward to working with the <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/essential/current" target="_blank">Best Class Ever</a> to help move them forward!<br />
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<i>NOTE: The opinions of Leadership Austin alumni, faculty members, and guest bloggers are their own, and do not represent an official position of the organization.</i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-2355773918095172352013-11-26T12:18:00.000-06:002013-11-26T12:18:43.885-06:00Austin's Affordability Conundrum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Guest blogger <b>Paul Hilgers</b> (ESSENTIAL 1987) with a look at affordability in advance of Leadership Austin's <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/engage/upcoming/" target="_blank">December 18 ENGAGE breakfast</a> on the same topic. Paul is CEO at the <a href="http://www.abor.com/" target="_blank">Austin Board of REALTORS®</a>.</i><br />
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It's an exciting time to live in Austin. Our economy and our housing market are stronger than ever, fueled by new jobs and new residents... 150 people each day, according to the Austin Chamber of Commerce. However, every rose has its thorns and, for Austin, that thorn has become decreasing housing affordability requiring decisive and positive action.<br />
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Austin is quickly becoming one of the most expensive housing markets in Texas. If that trend continues, there will be much less opportunity of homeownership for Austinites who fill our workforce needs and maintain the diversity of our city. One key factor in responding to this challenge is the impending overhaul of the <a href="http://austintexas.gov/department/austin-city-code-land-development-code" target="_blank">City of Austin's Land Development Code</a>. We must tackle that challenge in a way that fits with Austin's vision and makes development more practical and less costly.<br />
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Currently, Austin's Land Development Code is a complicated set of rules and regulations that are notoriously difficult to navigate and interpreted inconsistently. As a result, the LDC creates uncertainty in the development process and takes significantly more time and fees to build a new home in Austin than it does in other Texas cities. In theory, that is intended to prevent development that falls outside of the city’s growth plan. In practice, the inefficiencies of the code work to unnecessarily delay development that is good for communities and cause the cost of homeownership to rise.<br />
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The Austin Board of REALTORS® advocates for a development process that is efficient, consistent and does not pose ineffective barriers to healthy and controlled growth. The code should be condensed to have less negotiated solutions to individual problems and more consistent application of agreed upon planning principles. With a more streamlined product, the Planning, Development and Review Department will be more efficient and thus able to expedite their review of applications and bring down the overall cost of development.<br />
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In addition, the new Land Development Code should have a framework that is supported by our community and designed to meet its future needs, protecting the credibility of Austin's neighborhoods and encouraging density where it's needed to create a more balanced housing market.<br />
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That approach is clearly outlined by the <a href="http://www.austintexas.gov/imagineaustin" target="_blank">Imagine Austin</a> plan, which puts forth a vision of Austin that is more compact and connected. Policymakers agree that Austin must begin changing development patterns now in order to make progress toward the goals of Imagine Austin over the next several years.<br />
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As a stakeholder in the revision of the City's Land Development Code, the Austin Board of REALTORS® will be engaged in the process, and I encourage you to do the same by getting involved with the City's <a href="http://www.austintexas.gov/codenext" target="_blank">CodeNext</a> initiative. Let’s ensure that Austin remains a place that residents of all types can call home.<br />
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<i>NOTE: The opinions of Leadership Austin alumni, faculty members, and guest bloggers are their own, and do not represent an official position of the organization.</i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-75432733766857760132013-11-25T15:28:00.000-06:002013-11-25T15:28:03.772-06:00[Partner Feature] The Three R’s of Effective Board Leadership<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Guest post from <b>Bergan Casey</b> and <b>Stacy Ehrlich</b> of <a href="http://www.seedsforchangeconsulting.com/" target="_blank">Seeds for Change Consulting, LLC</a>. Seeds for Change is an Austin-based customized consulting firm serving nonprofit organizations.</i><br />
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Many organizations fail to maximize the full potential of their boards of directors. Instead of cultivating hands-on, constructive boards, many organizations choose members in haphazard fashion without giving consideration to the attributes and experiences of potential candidates.<br />
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As a result of poor choices, nonprofit organizations sometimes find themselves unable to meet their mission. Absent are board members who meet all of the necessary criteria: experience with strategic planning, communications and marketing, strong financial management, development, events and resource management. For instance, while some boards may be comprised of talented party planners, they may lack strategic vision or industry best practices. The opposite is also true, an overemphasis on new programming is detrimental to an organization if the board has not identified appropriate revenue streams.<br />
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As a result of limited capacity, boards will laser focus on the one or two objectives instead of multiple. Or they capitalize on a handful of board members to the exclusion of the rest. And in many cases, underutilized board members withdraw or quit. No wonder nine out of 10 Austin area nonprofit organizations claim multiple board vacancies.<br />
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The best board members come from being personally cultivated and asked to serve, and not because they revolve in similar circles but because they revolve in different ones.<br />
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<ul>
<li><b><u>RECRUIT</u></b> by networking with spheres of influence beyond your own. Take a risk. Find potential candidates and engage in conversations about expectations and mission-based strategies, and precisely what added values these board members can bring to the table.</li>
</ul>
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Once you recruit strong board members, you must be able to <b><u>RETAIN</u></b> them. The best board members will move mountains, finding creative solutions to issues and generating new strategies.<br />
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<ul>
<li>Create expectations that all board members will do their homework ahead of time and come to meetings prepared. As a result, board members will focus less time on reporting what they already know and more time on collective collaboration.</li>
</ul>
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Lastly, board members should always be searching for their <b><u>REPLACE</u></b>ment during their tenure, not waiting until the final hour.<br />
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<ul>
<li>Identify someone who fits your profile if that is what is needed, or identify someone who will fill gaps in knowledge. Organizational planning evolves during the three to six years of a board member's service, and it is important to anticipate the next chapter of your organization.</li>
</ul>
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Nonprofits who practice the three R's—<b>Recruit, Retain and Replace</b>—will empower their volunteer leadership and propel their organizations to new heights.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-50863022496812114752013-11-19T11:29:00.000-06:002013-11-19T11:29:27.452-06:00EMERGE 2013 Session III Takeways<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Guest post from EMERGE 2013 participant <b>Patti Fore</b>, reflecting on the November 7 EMERGE program day (led by <a href="http://veraspark.com/about-keith/" target="_blank"><b>Keith Lewis</b></a>) on values and principles. Patti is Senior Manager of Client Services at <a href="https://www.hahnpublic.com/" target="_blank">Hahn Public Communications</a>.</i><br />
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<b>The Power of Being Vulnerable</b><br />
In our most recent EMERGE class we engaged in one of the best exercises I've ever experienced: we were told to write our top ten core values—what is most enduringly important to us. Then we were told to prioritize our core values. Then, to take our top five and write guiding principles that encapsulated how we embody those values.<br />
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Then we were told to turn to the two people next to us and share what we had written.<br />
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It was unnerving to say the least. In each EMERGE class my boundaries have been pushed a bit further and I've been urged to think about who I am and what drives me, and how those underlying motivations affect my daily life and the way I approach any situation. This particular exercise was especially challenging because we got really personal. Really fast.<br />
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After being told that we had to share our ten core values and five guiding principles, there was a noticeable pause in the room. We all felt vulnerable. But we shared what we had written, and afterward the consistent feedback was we were happy we had not known we'd be sharing what we wrote until after we wrote it. The safety in thinking it was for our eyes only kept us honest, but then sharing something so personal with classmates we've only known a few short weeks was enlightening and motivating.<br />
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The exercise of discovering what beliefs guide me—my core values—showed me the connection between my personality and my priorities. I realized that while my core energy does drive my approach to life, my values shape my intentions. We all have the choice to move through life aimlessly, but if we want to be truly effective leaders, we must be intentional.<br />
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After discovering I’m an Evangelist—someone always guided by a cause and focused on action—I started to notice my core energy being expressed in situations where previously I never would have given a second thought to why I responded the way I did. It almost felt empowering in a negative manner, because suddenly I had justification for always wanting to focus on deliverables rather than "wasting time" on small talk with coworkers or clients. But building relationships with coworkers and colleagues, along with several other priorities of the Relater core energy, is important (I keep reminding myself, even though my core energy would have me think otherwise), and it’s an area where I now realize I need to make more of an effort.<br />
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Knowing our own strengths and weaknesses based on our core energy allows us to recognize them and use them both to be more effective. Identifying our core values and using them to guide our decisions allows us to find our individual purpose and become leaders who create meaningful impact. And sometimes all it takes to get started is the willingness to be vulnerable.<br />
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<i>NOTE: The opinions of Leadership Austin alumni, faculty members, and guest bloggers are their own, and do not represent an official position of the organization. If you would like to learn more about the Evangelist and Relater core energy concepts mentioned above, please take a look at <a href="http://siminars.com/135932945388447337118098/summary/signup.sv" target="_blank">this free Siminar</a> on "The Human Fabric" from author and facilitator <a href="https://twitter.com/bijoy" target="_blank"><b>Bijoy Goswami</b></a>.</i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-90116842891207633982013-11-18T12:13:00.000-06:002013-11-18T12:13:37.974-06:00Leadership Austin CEO Position Posted<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>A message from 2013-14 Leadership Austin Board Chair <b>Brian Dolezal</b> (ESSENTIAL 2001).</i><br />
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If you are interested in, know someone who is interested in or simply curious about Leadership Austin’s CEO position, we’ve just posted the <a href="http://baconlee.com/jobs/Joblisting1118.pdf" target="_blank">job description and application instructions</a> online. The deadline to submit a cover letter, résumé and references is Friday, December 6, 2013 at 5:00 pm.<br />
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Please take a moment to review the job description, and thank you to everyone who participated in our survey that helped in shaping this effort.<br />
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Also, be sure to note our next ENGAGE breakfast on "Austin’s Affordability X-Factor" is Wednesday, December 18 at the Long Center. These breakfasts sell out each month, so <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/engage/upcoming/" target="_blank">sign up here</a> soon.<br />
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Sincerely,<br />
Brian Dolezal<br />
Chair, Leadership Austin Board of DirectorsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-45077926565349009842013-11-11T11:53:00.000-06:002013-11-15T13:09:43.240-06:00November 2013 ENGAGE Wrap-Up<i>Guest post from 2013-14 ENGAGE Breakfast Series guest blogger <b><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/alicia-dietrich/5/b40/598" target="_blank">Alicia Dietrich</a></b>. Alicia is a public affairs representative at the Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin. See the end of this post for the podcast from the breakfast.</i><br />
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Everyone knows that Austin is <a href="http://gallery.mailchimp.com/bc96d256e1face47230702995/files/13_10_16_msa_growth.pdf" target="_blank">growing at a rapid pace</a>, but did you know that <a href="http://gallery.mailchimp.com/bc96d256e1face47230702995/files/13_10_16_intl_growth.pdf" target="_blank">23 percent</a> of new residents moving here are international?<br />
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With this growing global population and rapidly rising cost of living, what does it mean to <i>Keep Austin Weird</i>?<br />
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This was the question explored in the November installment of Leadership Austin’s ENGAGE breakfast series last week with panelists <b>Kevin Johns</b> (City of Austin Economic Development Department), <b>Jakes Srinivasan</b> (WobeonFest Austin World Music Festival), and <b>Jim Swift</b> (retired KXAN journalist). The discussion was moderated by <b>Shannon Wolfson</b> (KXAN News).<br />
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The City of Austin’s Economic Development Department has played a crucial role in shaping the impact that this influx has on our region, and the city’s efforts earned the 2013 Gold Award from the International Economic Development Council for their Global Commerce Strategy earlier this year.<br />
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Kevin Johns noted that the city has launched many programs to support small businesses owned by international residents. The city has a program that awards small business loans to merchants that agree to hire hard-to-employ people. The city tapped contacts in various ethnic groups as they conducted outreach to other countries with similar ethnic makeups for F-1 promotion. Johns also supported the idea of working with local merchants associations to create ethnic commercial pockets around the town so that Austin could have its own versions of Chinatown, Little Saigon, or perhaps a Hispanic downtown.<br />
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"If we are able to use the cultural diversity we have, we have a way to revitalize our city over and over again," said Johns. "Our economic strategy is to embrace diversity as one of our building blocks."<br />
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But everyone on the panel agreed that top-down solutions cannot sustain the growth and support the new populations on their own. For Austin to embrace this diverse new crowd and make it an asset for the city, people with leadership abilities must step up and take action on the ground, and folks must step outside their comfort zone and explore the unfamiliar.<br />
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Jakes Srinivasan is exactly that type of person. He plays with six different bands around Austin, and he’s used those connections to help promote the international music scene in Austin by launching a blog and keeping track of world music events around the city. He encourages everyone to join a band because music has united diverse crowds in Austin for many decades already. But if you can’t join a band, he encourages you to explore and take advantage of the diverse cultural scene that Austin now has to offer, because those personal relationships are the best way to fight back against cultural stereotypes.<br />
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Jim Swift has seen firsthand the evolution of the city. He moved here in 1965 at age 17 and witnessed how the music scene brought together a diverse crowd at the now-defunct music venue <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armadillo_World_Headquarters" target="_blank">Armadillo World Headquarters</a> - with performers like Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. He saw how the savings and loan industry boom fueled downtown growth in the 1980s and how the tech boom of the 1990s powered further growth and development that drew the ire of environmental groups.<br />
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"Through it all, a powerful sense of tolerance and acceptance coursed through the town’s veins," said Swift. "The city grew because people heard about this place, and what they heard sounded good."<br />
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But Swift pointed out that the city must continue to adapt and address affordability issues as ethnic groups and artists and creative types are priced out of their central neighborhoods. "I believe that without a vigorous and sustained campaign to infuse the city center with affordable housing options, the heart of Austin is destined to atrophy."<br />
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Swift recalled a <a href="http://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/farewell-from-the-porch-million" target="_blank">TV report</a> he did back in 1995 when the area’s population hit 1 million, and there was a quote from then-Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle in the piece that is just as relevant today: "We can’t build a wall around the city. There’s lots of us who would love to do that, but we can’t do it. So what we have to do is shore up our wall of the spirit so that people who come here get affected by the magic of this place."<br />
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<b>Full Audio from the Event</b><br />
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<a href="http://leadershipaustin.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/146_13-11-06_engage.mp3" target="_blank">Download this audio file (MP3)</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-66106390559702202952013-11-04T13:33:00.000-06:002013-11-04T13:33:12.099-06:00EMERGE 2013 Session II Takeaways<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Guest post from EMERGE 2013 participant <b>Nicole Beckley</b>, reflecting on the October 24 EMERGE program day on discovering your core energy. Nicole is Marketing Director for <a href="http://www.merlotskincare.com/" target="_blank">Merlot Skin Care</a> and a freelance writer for <a href="http://www.tribeza.com/" target="_blank">TRIBEZA</a>.</i><br />
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<b>Consider The Dog: What Our Core Energies Say About Us</b><br />
"Redesign the dog kennel. You have 10 minutes." These were our instructions. Our complete instructions. “A dog kennel like the <i>place</i> or the <i>object</i>?” someone wanted to know. “For what size dog?” someone else asked. “Indoors or outdoors?” “Should it be moveable? Durable? Lightweight?”<br />
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All of a sudden my mind was flashing back to Mechanical Engineering 101, where we were given, say, a rubber band and a PVC pipe and told to create a device that would launch a baseball into the air. Trying to find a solution with very few materials.<br />
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Unlike ME 101 however, this design exercise was built to expose how we approach process, and what that says about our leadership styles. In our second EMERGE session, the class was divided into three groups. Thanks to a presentation from <b><a href="https://twitter.com/bijoy" target="_blank">Bijoy Goswami</a></b>, author of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Human-Fabric-Unleashing-Everyone/dp/0976057409" target="_blank">The Human Fabric</a></i>, my group of fellow questioners learned we were “Mavens” – knowledge-seekers looking for optimal answers. The group to our right had another set of priorities – they were determined to make a sale no matter what, with a product that promised to be a vision of the future, and would be available at two price points. These were the future-looking “Evangelists.” And to the left, split into two sections, were folks who most wanted to know, “what does the dog want?” These were the “Relators,” empathetically putting themselves into the dog’s shoes (er, paws) to answer the question.<br />
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While one of the sections of Relaters presented a picture they’d collaboratively drawn of “Doggie Heaven” – a full-service spa-like kennel complete with petting stations – the Mavens admitted they’d never even considered the dog. The Evangelists chimed in that no matter what the kennel looked like, they’d figure out a way to convince you you wanted it.<br />
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Bijoy’s notion of the Maven/Evangelist/Relater (MRE) types spring from his “Core Energy” model – that we all have a natural energy that helps define us and how we process knowledge and relate to others. When it comes to leadership, having a deeper awareness of our type of core energy can help us better connect to colleagues and collaborators. Tuning into others’ energies can help focus and drive our own. Then, when we’re faced with needing to redesign a dog kennel (or build a better mousetrap), we’ll know that while some of us may prioritize acquiring the best materials or emphasizing the best price, others will be thoughtfully considering the dog.<br />
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<i>NOTE: The opinions of Leadership Austin alumni, faculty members, and guest bloggers are their own, and do not represent an official position of the organization.</i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-19723278704731414442013-10-30T11:13:00.000-05:002013-10-30T11:13:20.866-05:00October 2013 ESSENTIAL Class Day Takeaways<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Guest post from ESSENTIAL Class of 2014 participant <b>Blair Dancy</b>, reflecting on the October 2013 class day on Greater Austin's demographics and growth. Blair is a partner with <a href="http://www.vbllp.com/" target="_blank">Van Osselaer & Buchanan</a> and a trial lawyer in Austin.</i><br />
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<b>Common Interest; Uncommon Passion.</b><br />
Personal family lore has it that Placida Cantu Villarreal encouraged her daughters to marry the palest of men. The story goes that, after the Civil War, the color of one's skin dictated quality of life in the Rio Grande valley. Placida wanted better for her daughters.<br />
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Placida's daughter Josephine—my great, great grandmother who never learned to speak English—relented, marrying an Irishman almost twice her age. He had immigrated to the U.S., changed his name, joined the Union Army, and after the fighting was done, stayed in New Orleans to run a bar. Something happened (perhaps a repeat of something in Ireland?), and he fled Louisiana, winding up in Hidalgo County, working another bar.<br />
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A real catch for a young, Spanish-speaking girl.<br />
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The price for non-whites to buy opportunity has changed considerably since the 1800s. But even today, with so many barriers removed, disparity remains.<br />
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At our first ESSENTIAL Class Day last Wednesday on demographics and growth, we heard Hispanics will soon be the majority in Austin. Yet, 46% of Hispanics under age five are in poverty in the city, 35% in the Austin MSA. Problems persist for the African-American population as well, with its own unique history. The city itself remains balkanized politically, economically, and racially, despite some level of integration.<br />
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One easy link to be made is between education and poverty. The high school dropout rate was 2.9% for whites; 7.9% for African-Americans; and 9.6% for Hispanics <a href="http://austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/City_Manager/aahtf_Report_Final_Complete.pdf" target="_blank">in AISD as of 2003-04</a>. Poverty rates are also higher for African-Americans and Hispanics. But education is only the tip of the iceberg.<br />
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There is no single solution. It's been decades since AISD first put magnet programs in underperforming high and middle schools, but the degree to which those programs help alleviate disparity remains subject to debate. Next year, we will see a city council morph from at-large seats dominated by voters in central Austin to districts more representative of our diversity. Hopefully that step will help beyond the mere politics of city hall.<br />
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Then there are the individual stories. Our guest speaker, <b>Geronimo Rodriguez</b> (ESSENTIAL 2004) of Seton, persuaded his migrant-farmer parents to put down roots for four years so he could graduate high school, eventually becoming the lawyer he is today. Not a typical story; not a typical inspiration.<br />
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As for Josephine marrying an undesirable man for the paleness of his skin, I can only hope that is no more than a remnant of the 1800s. But one thing she and Geronimo have in common, separated by more than a hundred years, is the desire for a better life—for themselves and those around them.<br />
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There are sixty of us in this Leadership Austin class who share this same passion, and we benefit from our diverse backgrounds. What an impact <i><u>sixty</u></i> of us can have on a better Austin, for everyone. I'm looking forward to our remaining classes and our group project, to see what the Best Class Ever can do.<br />
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Until next time...<br />
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<i>NOTE: The opinions of Leadership Austin alumni, faculty members, and guest bloggers are their own, and do not represent an official position of the organization.</i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-65646549231421651182013-10-28T12:59:00.000-05:002013-10-28T12:59:13.674-05:00Another Big Fall Season for Leadership Austin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2cIcKgqFBLc/Um6SczPjjeI/AAAAAAAAAb0/VeS0lFCG7Dg/s1600/dolezal_brian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2cIcKgqFBLc/Um6SczPjjeI/AAAAAAAAAb0/VeS0lFCG7Dg/s1600/dolezal_brian.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>A message from 2013-14 Leadership Austin Board Chair <b>Brian Dolezal</b> (ESSENTIAL 2001).</i><br />
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Outside, it’s finally beginning to feel like fall - well, Austin’s version of it - but inside Leadership Austin, the season is heating up. This is Leadership Austin’s busiest time of year and for good reason: we've kicked off all four of our programs in the past six weeks, and, as you might imagine, there is a lot of terrific, behind-the-scenes work that goes into them thanks to professional staff members and committed board members and volunteers. Here’s a brief update:<br />
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<b>ESSENTIAL</b><br />
The 60-member <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/essential" target="_blank">ESSENTIAL Class</a> participated in a stellar opening retreat September 6-7 at <a href="http://www.tbarm.com/" target="_blank">T Bar M Resort</a> in New Braunfels. Thanks to the leadership of <b>Ashley Phillips</b>, <b>Christopher Kennedy </b>(ESSENTIAL 1995), <b>Sam Planta</b> (ESSENTIAL 1991) and a number of CREW volunteers, the kick-off event to this in-depth, nine-month course on regional issues and leadership skills was spectacular, and their first class at <a href="http://shoalcrossing.com/" target="_blank">Shoal Crossing</a> was equally impressive. You can <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/essential/current" target="_blank">view the current class roster here</a>. A big thanks, once again, to <a href="http://www.seton.net/" target="_blank">Seton Healthcare Family</a> for underwriting the ESSENTIAL Class for the sixth consecutive year. Thanks also to <a href="http://www.heb.com/index.jsp" target="_blank">H-E-B</a> for their ongoing support of our Healthy Living for Leaders initiative throughout the season.<br />
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<b>ENGAGE</b><br />
Led by <b>Julie Smith</b> (EMERGE 2011), we've gathered a diverse group of community leaders who have been very active in the <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/engage" target="_blank">ENGAGE Breakfast Series</a> to gain their insight on topics and speakers for this season's programs. The 2013-14 series began earlier this month at the Kodosky Lounge - thanks to our partnership with the <a href="http://thelongcenter.org/" target="_blank">Long Center for the Performing Arts</a> - with a topic that’s on everyone’s mind: <a href="http://leadaustin.blogspot.com/2013/10/october-2013-engage-wrap-up.html" target="_blank">water</a>. Once again, <a href="http://www.kxan.com/" target="_blank">KXAN News</a> is on board to help promote and facilitate our conversations. And, as you may have recently seen, the <a href="http://www.abor.com/" target="_blank">Austin Board of REALTORS®</a> is our new presenting sponsor. Our next ENGAGE breakfast about the growing international community in Austin is Wednesday, November 6. Be sure to <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/engage/upcoming" target="_blank">register now</a> because they sell out fast.<br />
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<b>EXPERIENCE AUSTIN</b><br />
A new group of new Central Texans (or those who are newly re-engaging with Austin) are now gaining a crash course in the region’s issues through <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/experience" target="_blank">EXPERIENCE AUSTIN</a>, which launched Friday, October 18. Presented by <a href="https://www.bankofamerica.com/" target="_blank">Bank of America</a>, the program began with a daylong session to give participants a broad overview of our region’s key issues, and will continue with four weeks of deeper-dive conversations with experts on a variety of topics.<br />
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<b>EMERGE</b><br />
Our next class of 55 emerging leaders (<a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/emerge/current" target="_blank">check out the roster here</a>) are now participating in the 7th annual <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/emerge" target="_blank">EMERGE</a> program. Thanks to underwriting from <a href="http://www.stdavidsfoundation.org/" target="_blank">St. David’s Foundation</a>, the six-week course at <a href="http://www.jw.com/" target="_blank">Jackson Walker</a> is in full swing. We're so thrilled to welcome this and previous classes into our alumni network, now about 3,500 members strong… fitting since this is Leadership Austin’s 35th anniversary!<br />
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…and that’s just the programs. Additionally, we've begun the formal search process for Leadership Austin’s next CEO and for a new development director. Despite officially being down two positions, our team, facilitated by <b>Seth Sather</b>, is doing a phenomenal job raising the critical funds to keep our programs so essential, engaging, experienced and emerging for our community. There are still plenty of ways to lend your individual or organization’s financial support to Leadership Austin, so feel free to <a href="mailto:bdolezal@hahnpublic.com" target="_blank">contact me</a> or our interim CEO <a href="mailto:ckennedy@leadershipaustin.org" target="_blank">Christopher Kennedy</a> to discuss the possibilities.<br />
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Furthermore, our active board is having some productive conversations on everything from celebrating our 35th anniversary to making our programs even more effective for all of our alumni. Thanks to <b>Jeff Olmeda</b> for keeping us moving forward at a critical time for the organization.<br />
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Last but not least, make sure you get these important milestones on your calendar now: our annual alumni holiday party is Tuesday, December 10 at <a href="http://shoalcrossing.com/" target="_blank">Shoal Crossing</a> (Mopac just north of Steck, where Harold’s Outlet Barn used to be) and the <i>Best Party Ever</i> - presented by H-E-B - is scheduled for Friday, May 9 (not the same weekend as the ROT Rally!) back at the <a href="http://www.whotelaustin.com/" target="_blank">W Hotel</a>.<br />
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So yes, it’s a busy fall around here. And as you enjoy a crisp morning and mild afternoon, we hope you’ll take a moment to recall your experiences with Leadership Austin, and perhaps schedule a Walk and Talk with a fellow leader.<br />
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With much appreciation to everyone who helps lead this great community,<br />
<br />
Brian Dolezal<br />
Chair, Leadership Austin Board of DirectorsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-57383672222543629382013-10-15T15:45:00.002-05:002013-10-15T15:45:59.293-05:00More on the Central Texas Drought: CultureMap Editorial Series Continued<i>NOTE: Leadership Austin partners with <a href="http://austin.culturemap.com/" target="_blank">CultureMap Austin</a> on an on-going series of editorial columns meant to inform Austinites about issues facing our city.</i><br />
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Today's column is from <a href="http://leadaustin.blogspot.com/2013/10/october-2013-engage-wrap-up.html" target="_blank">October 2013 ENGAGE</a> panelist <b>Becky Motal</b> and follows up on that event's discussion of the Central Texas drought. Becky Motal is general manager at the <a href="http://www.lcra.org/" target="_blank">Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA)</a>. Head over to CultureMap to <a href="http://austin.culturemap.com/news/innovation/10-14-13-drought-texas-natural-disaster/" target="_blank">read the full post</a>.<br />
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<b><a href="http://austin.culturemap.com/news/innovation/10-14-13-drought-texas-natural-disaster/" target="_blank">LCRA general manager on Texas drought and making it through our slow-moving natural disaster</a></b><br />
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<i>The opinions of Leadership Austin alumni, faculty members, and guest bloggers are their own, and do not represent an official position of the organization.</i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-92182741813627694342013-10-11T11:58:00.000-05:002013-10-28T14:52:27.682-05:00Announcing the EMERGE 2013 Participants!On the heels of their first official gathering last night, today we are excited to announce the participants of the 2013 Leadership Austin EMERGE Program! This is the seventh EMERGE class since the program's inception in 2007. Please help us congratulate the <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/emerge/current" target="_blank">55 individuals</a> selected this year and welcome them to the Leadership Austin family!<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/emerge/current" target="_blank">See the complete list of EMERGE 2013 participants</a></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/emerge/current"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yM5tBiosnQg/UlgrWdJyu2I/AAAAAAAAAaw/xPvpnwpqavs/s1600/emerge_2013.png" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/emerge/current" target="_blank">See the complete list of EMERGE 2013 participants</a></b></div>
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The EMERGE program is a gathering of community-minded, high-potential young professionals who want to build relationships and gain leadership skills to make a difference in the Austin community. EMERGE provides an exceptional opportunity to connect with other young leaders and strengthen the critical skills necessary for community leadership roles.</div>
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<i>Special thanks to our EMERGE presenting sponsor, St. David's Foundation.</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.stdavidsfoundation.org/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m8vKK2HQfy4/Um6__PQzccI/AAAAAAAAAcE/PYbxnvT83r8/s1600/St_Davids_Foundation.png" /></a></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-56150878424996168412013-10-09T10:53:00.000-05:002013-10-09T10:53:07.920-05:00October 2013 ENGAGE Wrap-UpThe 2013-14 season of our <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/engage" target="_blank">ENGAGE Breakfast Series</a> launched last week to a sold out crowd at the <a href="http://thelongcenter.org/" target="_blank">Long Center for the Performing Arts</a>. The first discussion focused on the impending "drought of record" in Central Texas, our region's water supply, and the implications of next month's election and the water-related constitutional amendment on the ballot - Proposition 6. Speakers included <b>Heather Harward</b> (H2O4TEXAS Coalition), <b>Greg Meszaros</b> (Austin Water), and <b>Becky Motal</b> (LCRA). The panel was moderated by <b>Leslie Rhode</b> of KXAN-TV.<br />
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See below for the audio podcast, detailed recaps and media coverage, and a few resources mentioned during the discussion.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-opz2MvrAh8s/UlRcAS7JWkI/AAAAAAAAAag/0IEI5eBLXeg/s1600/131002engage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-opz2MvrAh8s/UlRcAS7JWkI/AAAAAAAAAag/0IEI5eBLXeg/s1600/131002engage.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">October 2013 ENGAGE at the Long Center</td></tr>
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<b>Audio Podcast</b><br />
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<source src="http://leadershipaustin.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/145_13-10-02_engage.mp3" type="audio/mpeg"></source>
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<a href="http://leadershipaustin.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/145_13-10-02_engage.mp3" target="_blank">Download this audio file (MP3)</a><br />
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<b>Media Coverage</b>
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<li><a href="http://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/experts-droughts-effect-will-linger-on" target="_blank">KXAN News - Experts: Drought's effects will linger on</a></li>
<li><a href="http://impactnews.com/austin-metro/central-austin/austin-continues-to-stare-down-drought-conditions/" target="_blank">Community Impact News - Austin continues to stare down drought conditions</a></li>
<li><a href="http://austin.culturemap.com/series/atx-breakfast-series-2013/" target="_blank">CultureMap Austin - ENGAGE Breakfast Special Editorial Series</a></li>
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<b>List of Resources</b>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://austintexas.gov/department/water" target="_blank">City of Austin Water Department</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.h2o4texas.org/" target="_blank">H2O4TEXAS Coalition</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.lcra.org/" target="_blank">Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.wildflower.org/drought-resource-center/" target="_blank">The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center's Drought Resource Center</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.lwvtexas.org/Voters%20Guide/2013CAVG/2013CAVG_English.pdf" target="_blank">League of Women Voters of Texas - 2013 Constitutional Amendment Election (Proposition 6) Voters Guide</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.waterwiseaustin.org/" target="_blank">WaterWise Austin</a></li>
</ul>
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Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, the <a href="http://www.abor.com/" target="_blank">Austin Board or REALTORS</a>, and to the other <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/engage/sponsors" target="_blank">generous supporters</a> of the 2013-14 ENGAGE Breakfast Series. Our next breakfast will be Wednesday, November 6 back at the Long Center. <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/engage/upcoming/" target="_blank">Click here for more details and ticket information.</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-71073908035672248232013-09-30T15:30:00.000-05:002013-10-01T11:50:14.091-05:00Some Stage Setting for the 2013-14 ENGAGE Breakfast Series<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fVHifhfruSs/Ukna8TxVsWI/AAAAAAAAAaI/QZJLYxXsVvw/s1600/mccullough_chelsea_h150.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fVHifhfruSs/Ukna8TxVsWI/AAAAAAAAAaI/QZJLYxXsVvw/s1600/mccullough_chelsea_h150.png" /></a></div>
<i>Guest post from ESSENTIAL 2010 alum and 2013-14 ENGAGE Advisory Committee member <b>Chelsea McCullough</b>.</i><br />
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The <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/engage/series" target="_blank">2013-14 ENGAGE Breakfast Series</a> will begin this Wednesday, October 2. As in previous seasons. this year we will examine key topics with top community leaders in Austin and the surrounding areas. Before diving into each individual issue, we should first have a shared understanding of who we are as a region and how this can shape our conversations moving forward.<br />
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Central Texas is a dynamic place that is enjoying incredible growth and expansion. According to a <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2013/08/07/austin-heads-list-of-best-cities-for-job-growth/" target="_blank">recent analysis by Moody Analytics</a>, economic growth in the Austin metropolitan region is expected to proceed at more than twice the national average through 2015. But our community extends beyond Austin and includes a six-county region of Travis, Williamson, Burnet, Hays, Bastrop, and Caldwell, each with their own unique benefits and challenges. Below are a few points of data that may be helpful in framing some of our ENGAGE conversations this year.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DKRTgB_gQ5E/UknWW8OSKoI/AAAAAAAAAZU/jRIjtD7jgJ0/s1600/population.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DKRTgB_gQ5E/UknWW8OSKoI/AAAAAAAAAZU/jRIjtD7jgJ0/s1600/population.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: U.S. Census Bureau</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hLbirTfOiP8/UknWjnYj4PI/AAAAAAAAAZk/DqZo0oTG93k/s1600/popgrowth.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hLbirTfOiP8/UknWjnYj4PI/AAAAAAAAAZk/DqZo0oTG93k/s1600/popgrowth.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Texas State Data Center, CAPCOG</td></tr>
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As you can see from the chart above, the Austin MSA is growing rapidly and the highest densities of that growth are in areas outside of the Austin city limits.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rA_n5vsT_rc/UknW2eF-6WI/AAAAAAAAAZs/mKcS3VU8xE4/s1600/jobs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rA_n5vsT_rc/UknW2eF-6WI/AAAAAAAAAZs/mKcS3VU8xE4/s1600/jobs.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CAPCOG</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iVoG2JbyXdI/UknXAjZoHjI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/Z1Dn8PktRPg/s1600/popedu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iVoG2JbyXdI/UknXAjZoHjI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/Z1Dn8PktRPg/s1600/popedu.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Central Texas State of the Region, CAPCOG</td></tr>
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Of note on the above chart: the fastest growing portion of our population has the lowest levels of education.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kVOBIIvmGmU/UknXSWOg-1I/AAAAAAAAAZ8/vrqHOCe52II/s1600/incomes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kVOBIIvmGmU/UknXSWOg-1I/AAAAAAAAAZ8/vrqHOCe52II/s1600/incomes.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: U.S. Census Bureau</td></tr>
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We'll present more information like this as the ENGAGE season continues, to provide some context for our discussions. In the meantime, we're looking forward to the new ENGAGE series launching this Wednesday with our panel on water and the impending "drought of record" for our region. <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/engage/upcoming" target="_blank">Get your tickets here</a> if you haven't already.<br />
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<i>Chelsea McCullough is Executive Director for <a href="http://www.texasprogress.com/" target="_blank">Texans for Economic Progress</a> and Principal at <a href="http://www.intercambiogroup.com/" target="_blank">Intercambio</a>.</i></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-71196932083439639002013-09-06T14:12:00.002-05:002013-09-06T15:03:30.907-05:00Announcing the ESSENTIAL Class of 2014!We are very pleased to announce the participants of the Leadership Austin ESSENTIAL Class of 2014! This year marks the 35th anniversary of Leadership Austin and our flagship ESSENTIAL program. Congratulations to the <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/essential/current" target="_blank">60 individuals</a> selected for their community involvement, service, and diversity.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/essential/current" target="_blank">See the complete list of ESSENTIAL Class of 2014 participants</a></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/essential/current" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RN_Uz9Y67Hk/Uin2EerJr_I/AAAAAAAAAXQ/ekqQC8LP_EA/s1600/9d00b84f-4b0b-4ad6-84b7-293bd6fd8fa0wallpaper.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/essential/current" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-66ePOtveCtE/Uin2Kz_zTuI/AAAAAAAAAXY/EikBVUKR6O4/s1600/6ecfb8ea-5b61-4c5a-9234-7b02006ce06cwallpaper.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/essential/current" target="_blank">See the complete list of ESSENTIAL Class of 2014 participants</a></b></div>
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During the year, the ESSENTIAL Class will meet monthly in various locations around Austin to discuss regional issues, enhance their community leadership skills, and develop strong relationships to encourage innovative, collaborative solutions to the challenges facing Central Texas. Stay tuned to the Leadership Austin blog as we have participants share some of their class experiences along the way.</div>
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For now, please join us in welcoming them into the Leadership Austin family. We look forward to helping them become the <b>Best Class Ever!</b></div>
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<i>Special thanks to our ESSENTIAL Class presenting sponsor, Seton Healthcare Family.</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.seton.net/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1lE_uxUQiN0/Uin4NCdVnNI/AAAAAAAAAXk/fGb1Gd-e7eY/s1600/seton.png" /></a></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4557428945948825984.post-63933168457844079812013-08-21T10:05:00.000-05:002013-08-21T10:05:15.416-05:00Board Chair Update: CEO Search<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u49V1nK5NQw/Ug6L6QGGFgI/AAAAAAAAAWk/bRXylWrjeic/s1600/dolezal_brian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u49V1nK5NQw/Ug6L6QGGFgI/AAAAAAAAAWk/bRXylWrjeic/s1600/dolezal_brian.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>A message from 2013-14 Board Chair <b>Brian Dolezal</b>.</i><br />
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Dear Friends,<br />
<br />
I wanted to send a brief note to let you know the status of the CEO search for Leadership Austin. The board is pursuing a search process that we anticipate will take several months to complete so we may find the best person to take on this important role. We are currently identifying our search committee with a goal to post the position in September, subject to a number of timing factors. We'll share more details as they become available.<br />
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In the meantime, <b>Christopher Kennedy</b>, 2012-13 Board Chair, graciously agreed to serve as interim CEO during this transition. He is leading a professional and dedicated team who are all very busy launching our <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/essential" target="_blank">ESSENTIAL</a>, <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/emerge" target="_blank">EMERGE</a>, <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/engage" target="_blank">ENGAGE</a> and <a href="http://www.leadershipaustin.org/programs/experience" target="_blank">EXPERIENCE AUSTIN</a> programs this year. There's a great deal going on right now thanks to very capable staff, board members and volunteers. We'll continue to keep the trains moving while we search for our next conductor.<br />
<br />
Starting in September we will be re-launching our monthly Pipeline e-newsletter, where I will provide regular updates on our CEO search. As we celebrate our 35th Anniversary year, I again want to thank each of you for your support of Leadership Austin.<br />
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Sincerely,<br />
Brian Dolezal<br />
2013-14 Board ChairAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com0