EMERGE 2013 Session V Takeaways

Guest post from recent EMERGE 2013 graduate Jessica Sager, reflecting on the December 5 EMERGE program day on community engagement. Jessica is an account manager with the International Matrix Management Institute.
-----

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 Session III. It was during that class when, having learned about and identified our core energies (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 Cookie Ruiz (ESSENTIAL 1995), Kelly White (Honorary Alumni 2007), Kirk Watson (ESSENTIAL 1984) and many other passionate leaders connected with Leadership Austin who are a large part of what makes Austin so great.

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 Clarke Heidrick (ESSENTIAL 1982), "Be Humble, Be Merciful, Do Justice," to the good humored humility offered by Sam Planta (ESSENTIAL 1991), encouraging us to "Do a daily gut check," to self inquiry, such as Suzanna Caballero (ESSENTIAL 1993) asking "What do you want to be known for?" and Pastor Joe Parker’s (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 Eugene Sepulveda (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.

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.

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 Kerry Tate (ESSENTIAL 1995) shared with her group, "You have to collaborate… you cannot stay in silos."

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."

For other highlights from this EMERGE session, check out my classmate Ethan Brisby's summary of quotes.

-----
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.

EMERGE 2013 Session IV Takeaways

Guest post from EMERGE 2013 participant Andrea Genevieve Michnik, reflecting on the November 21 EMERGE program day on teaming with others. Andrea is a social media consultant and blogger at AndreaGenevieve.com.
-----

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.

However, for the fourth Leadership Austin EMERGE class—as we moved away from learning about ourselves (the "I") to learning about working in a group (the "we")—our activity did involve toys and watching part of the movie Apollo 13.

Guest lecturer Keith Lewis of VeraSpark opened the class with the following clip to get us thinking about teamwork:

Failure Is Not an Option
Apollo 13 at MOVIECLIPS.com

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!"

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?

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.

Enterprise Simulation
Next we moved on to the activity portion of the class, which meant time for toys!

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.

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.

Chaos! Yelling! Confusion! Rushing! Competition at its finest!

It was awesome.

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:

• An unclear mission
• Confusion over the end result or goals
• Mixed signals when integrating with other teams
• Responsibilities of the individual versus the executives
• Finger pointing and lack of accountability
• Lack of education and context
• Poor planning

Sound a little familiar?

The STOP Technique
When this starts to happen in groups, remember to take a minute and practice the STOP technique:

S: Step Back
T: Think
O: Organize
P: Proceed

This will help you learn from mistakes and better prepare you to work with others in a truly collaborative manner the next time around.

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.

You'll be guaranteed to learn a thing or two about leadership and life.

-----
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.

EMERGE 2013 Session III Takeways

Guest post from EMERGE 2013 participant Patti Fore, reflecting on the November 7 EMERGE program day (led by Keith Lewis) on values and principles. Patti is Senior Manager of Client Services at Hahn Public Communications.
-----

The Power of Being Vulnerable
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.

Then we were told to turn to the two people next to us and share what we had written.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

-----
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 this free Siminar on "The Human Fabric" from author and facilitator Bijoy Goswami.

EMERGE 2013 Session II Takeaways

Guest post from EMERGE 2013 participant Nicole Beckley, reflecting on the October 24 EMERGE program day on discovering your core energy. Nicole is Marketing Director for Merlot Skin Care and a freelance writer for TRIBEZA.
-----

Consider The Dog: What Our Core Energies Say About Us
"Redesign the dog kennel. You have 10 minutes." These were our instructions. Our complete instructions. “A dog kennel like the place or the object?” someone wanted to know. “For what size dog?” someone else asked. “Indoors or outdoors?” “Should it be moveable? Durable? Lightweight?”

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.

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 Bijoy Goswami, author of The Human Fabric, 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.

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.

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.

-----
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.

Another Big Fall Season for Leadership Austin

A message from 2013-14 Leadership Austin Board Chair Brian Dolezal (ESSENTIAL 2001).
-----

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:

ESSENTIAL
The 60-member ESSENTIAL Class participated in a stellar opening retreat September 6-7 at T Bar M Resort in New Braunfels. Thanks to the leadership of Ashley Phillips, Christopher Kennedy (ESSENTIAL 1995), Sam Planta (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 Shoal Crossing was equally impressive. You can view the current class roster here. A big thanks, once again, to Seton Healthcare Family for underwriting the ESSENTIAL Class for the sixth consecutive year. Thanks also to H-E-B for their ongoing support of our Healthy Living for Leaders initiative throughout the season.

ENGAGE
Led by Julie Smith (EMERGE 2011), we've gathered a diverse group of community leaders who have been very active in the ENGAGE Breakfast Series 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 Long Center for the Performing Arts - with a topic that’s on everyone’s mind: water. Once again, KXAN News is on board to help promote and facilitate our conversations. And, as you may have recently seen, the Austin Board of REALTORS® is our new presenting sponsor. Our next ENGAGE breakfast about the growing international community in Austin is Wednesday, November 6. Be sure to register now because they sell out fast.

EXPERIENCE AUSTIN
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 EXPERIENCE AUSTIN, which launched Friday, October 18. Presented by Bank of America, 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.

EMERGE
Our next class of 55 emerging leaders (check out the roster here) are now participating in the 7th annual EMERGE program. Thanks to underwriting from St. David’s Foundation, the six-week course at Jackson Walker 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!

…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 Seth Sather, 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 contact me or our interim CEO Christopher Kennedy to discuss the possibilities.

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 Jeff Olmeda for keeping us moving forward at a critical time for the organization.

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 Shoal Crossing (Mopac just north of Steck, where Harold’s Outlet Barn used to be) and the Best Party Ever - presented by H-E-B - is scheduled for Friday, May 9 (not the same weekend as the ROT Rally!) back at the W Hotel.

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.

With much appreciation to everyone who helps lead this great community,

Brian Dolezal
Chair, Leadership Austin Board of Directors

Announcing 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 55 individuals selected this year and welcome them to the Leadership Austin family!

See the complete list of EMERGE 2013 participants

See the complete list of EMERGE 2013 participants

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.

Special thanks to our EMERGE presenting sponsor, St. David's Foundation.

EMERGE Is...

Guest post from EMERGE 2011 alum Allison Daskam.
-----

What is EMERGE? It’s a question that I’ve been asked often, and the answer depends on the person asking. When I started the EMERGE Program in 2011, I wanted to hone my leadership skills. It turns out I was in the perfect place to accomplish that goal, but not in the way I expected.

A key component to EMERGE is defining your core energy. It’s akin to a personality test, and the answer was clear for me. I’m highly analytical and hence defined as a Maven. I expected my analytical skills to be the foundation for my growth as a leader, but the relationships I formed in EMERGE have proven to be equally (if not more) influential. Being in the midst of people who are pursuing excellence is contagious. The people I met through EMERGE have motivated me to challenge my definition of professional success, put my values into action, and become more active in my community.

EMERGE 2011 alums Brandon Wollerson and Allison Daskam

At a recent EMERGE event, there was a photographer handing out whiteboards with the phrase “EMERGE is…” for guests to fill out and hold for a photo. My friend Brandon and I grabbed the boards, and I thought for a moment before writing, “EMERGE is... Brandon.” Personally, I can’t think of a better answer. Brandon is passionate about making Austin a better place, he works tirelessly in our community, and he inspires others to do the same. He is EMERGE.

Brandon is just one of many dear friends who have become the most important part of my EMERGE experience. And coming from someone who prefers data analysis to a networking event, that’s saying a lot.

EMERGE is finding your passion.
EMERGE is understanding your values.
EMERGE is becoming part of a family.
EMERGE is me.
EMERGE is Brandon.
EMERGE is you.

-----
Allison Daskam is Chief Communications Officer at Any Baby Can and a graduate of Texas A&M University and the Communications Leadership SPIN Academy. Leadership Austin is currently accepting applications for the EMERGE 2013 program through Thursday, August 15.

My EMERGE Experience: Katie Vitale

Guest post from EMERGE 2009 and ESSENTIAL 2013 alum Katie Vitale. Here, Katie shares her experiences learning about Leadership Austin and applying for the EMERGE program. 
-----

Having no expectations is a mindful and challenging practice, unless you pair that with having little to no experience of the situation you worked hard to thrust yourself into. I had no idea what to expect when I first walked into that downtown law firm conference room for my first Leadership Austin EMERGE class session. I had no idea who any of the faces around those tables belonged to. Of the dozens of people in the room, I knew not a one. I had no idea what sort of activities we would engage in to boost our leadership skills. In the midst of all these known unknowns was just where I needed to be.

The year before, one of my candidate clients at work gushed about the classmates she had in ESSENTIAL, and I became curious. When I saw these same classmates rally around her bid for office and offer the kind of support you would expect from life-long friends, my interest mounted. I can still remember attending my first ESSENTIAL recruiting reception. It seemed like everyone knew everyone else, and the conversations flowed freely echoing against the walls into the impassioned din of a pre-revolutionary salon. I was initially intimidated by it, and despite my extensive volunteer service, did not feel like I belonged in ESSENTIAL and decided to apply for EMERGE as further research - a way to determine if the further commitments and expense of ESSENTIAL were really what I wanted.

When I applied for EMERGE, it had been less than a year since I learned of Leadership Austin and its bevy of programs. I had thought of EMERGE as the junior ESSENTIAL program. Both are selective entry, both require not insignificant commitments of time, and both are enhanced by the synergy of the cohort’s composition. That was a cognitive shortcut I did not shake until my first EMERGE class.

It was that night - that first class - when I realized how two dimensional my understanding of Austin truly was. Even though I had been very active in the community, I knew zero of my classmates. At that moment I was sure that the novelty of the experience wouldn’t end there. I was really excited to see how dozens of strangers could become as close as that candidate and her classmates.

For months we met every other week, growing closer as we worked and reflected and reflected on our work. We spent the whole fall that way, sharing meals, happy hours and embarking on challenges together. Participating in the EMERGE program expanded my understanding of my city, my work, and myself. It also solidified my interest in ESSENTIAL. Today I am still in regular communication with many of those EMERGE classmates. Joining the Alumni Association fostered those bonds, but I can say that the curriculum, content, and camaraderie we generated those evenings that fall will stay with me for a long time. I expect that you will find what you are looking for in EMERGE, and it will stay with you too. Even if you have no expectations and no idea of what you will do.

In fact, in that case it’s easy, easy as walking into a conference room.

-----
Katie Vitale is Giving Manager and Webmaster at People's Community Clinic in Austin. Leadership Austin is currently accepting applications for the EMERGE 2013 program through Thursday, August 15.

EMERGE 2012 Takeaways

Guest post from new EMERGE 2012 graduate Rand Zumwalt.
-----

Everyone who participates in the Leadership Austin EMERGE Program does so for a different reason. For some, it is a way to network with like-minded professionals. For others, it is to seek guidance as to which philanthropic efforts best match their skills. For me, it was mainly to sharpen my leadership skills and, perhaps, expand the reach of my business along the way.

What I discovered through my time with the group, however, is that Leadership Austin is about so much more than one might assume at first glance. From day one, it becomes obvious that the EMERGE staff cares deeply about each individual in the program and carefully crafts every session with a cohesive intentionality focused on self-discovery and equipping people to make a societal impact.

Heather, our group’s fearless leader, announced during our first session that her goal was to get us out of our comfort zone. Well, she certainly did! From impromptu speeches to the group summarizing our lives in a handful of words to competitions that involved constructing “satellites” out of children’s toys, I think it is safe to say that every person in this year’s class found themselves challenged beyond their usual capacity on a regular basis.

Each session of the Emerge program builds on its predecessor, but is flush with fresh material and organized in a distinct manner uniquely selected to best present the topic at hand. The ever-changing format kept me on my toes and excited about what was coming next. This is not your typical lecture-based, sleep-inducing program. That said, the meetings are heavy on content and time spent outside of class unpacking lessons learned is encouraged.

One of the greatest pleasures for me, as a class participant, was getting the opportunity to meet talented and bright individuals that I would not necessarily have come across in my daily life. The Leadership Austin folks clearly prioritize diversity of experience and perspective in choosing program members. At the same time, however, the standards for entry are high. Distinct points of view were a welcome feature of our class, but the integrity and shared trusteeship we all felt for the Austin community was a key factor that bound our group from the start.

Though I entered the EMERGE program with a desire to build my leadership skills – which I accomplished – I left the program with a new understanding of myself and a strong desire to dig deeper. My journey as a Leadership Austin class participant may have come to a close, but my voyage into self-discovery and empowerment have only begun. For those considering applying to the EMERGE program, all I can say is make haste and prepare for life-changing insights that will serve you well for years to come in both your professional and personal life!

Rand Zumwalt is an attorney and Principal at Zumwalt Law Group, PLLC

Sweatin' the Small Stuff: New EMERGE Participant Heather Black on the Call to Serve

Our EMERGE 2012 program launched last Thursday, and earlier this week new class participant and blogger Heather Black shared her thoughts on that first program evening. Here's a sample of the full post from her site:  

...I think we think that discovering our life’s purpose is just supposed to happen one idle Sunday while drinking a cup of coffee and looking out over Lake Austin (or a parking lot if you live in an apartment complex like me) – a thought comes to us, we pursue our passion, we can die happy, all is well. But what Heather proposed was something entirely different and it made me have a small aha moment myself. What if you don’t have one passion? What if you don’t pick one thing?

Read the original post from Heather on her blog un-Charted.

[Sponsor] Take on Your World with St. Edward's University Graduate Programs

Guest post from St. Edward's University, presenting sponsor of the Leadership Austin EMERGE 2012 Program.
-----

Graduate Programs in the School of Management and Business at St. Edward’s University all focus on helping prepare students to think critically and creatively, to analyze problems, propose solutions, and make responsible decisions (and to be aware of the ethical implications of those decisions!), to have an international perspective, and to help make the world a better place. That’s why St. Edward’s University is a natural partner with Leadership Austin!

St. Edward's University campus

Whether you are seeking advanced traditional business education (like through our MBA or a Master of Accounting degrees), or one of our specialized graduate programs (Computer Information Systems, Digital Media Management, Environmental Management and Sustainability, Organization Development, or Organizational Leadership and Ethics), an education at St. Edward’s University incorporates elements that start with the individual and move outward through circles of influence including family, community, profession, and world. These multiple perspectives share a lot in common: values, vision, focus, purpose, collaboration, dialogue, and action. As you consider how best to invest your “time, talent, and treasure,” always remember it is YOU who is making that investment! A solid advanced education that effectively prepares you for career opportunities in business, nonprofit organizations, social service agencies, government institutions, faith-based groups, or as a business or social entrepreneur can provide the leverage you need to further your potential.

During the EMERGE Program this fall, participants will hear from a representative from each Graduate Program in the School of Management and Business at St. Edward’s University at every one of the EMERGE sessions. Admission Counselors will also be at each session to answer questions about the admission process. Marsha Kelliher, Dean of the School, will attend the final class day in December to validate that partnering with EMERGE participants can be realized through collaboration and interaction. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions, learn about the rich history of St. Edward’s University, our mission, and our sincere desire to pursue a more just world through the power of education - beginning right here in Central Texas.

I Am A Leader: Ana-Cristina González

Guest post from Emerge 2007 graduate Ana-Cristina González. Cross-posted from the SOS Leadership Blog and their "I Am A Leader" blog series. View the original post.
-----

I am told that anyone who speaks to me for more than 10 minutes will quickly learn that my faith and my family are the most important things in my life. When I was asked to reflect on the most important leadership roles at this time in my life, those are the themes that popped up again. I work for the Catholic Church. This was not a lifelong goal; it was never a career that had entered the long list of things I wanted to be when I grew up, but when you are called, you are called, and you must answer. My Catholic faith has shaped the servant leader in me, inside and outside of work. It's leading people through serving. It's getting your hands dirty and experiencing the situation along with your co-workers, those you supervise, your boss. To put it simply, you're walking the walk not just talking the talk. This helps build collaboration, creates a strong team, helps form a vision, and it shows those around you that you are willing to put in the hard work instead of ordering it out to others and sitting back for the results to come in. It's challenging, but it is rewarding in so many ways.

This leadership role heavily influences what I see as being one of the most important roles of my life, being a Tía (Spanish for aunt). I am blessed to be the Tía of my 7-year-old niece who is the love of my life. I have been a mentor to youth before through non-profit organizations, but this is so different and so much more! There is no doubt that we adore each other, but I want to be an example to my niece of what it means to be a strong, smart, successful, kind, generous woman in this world. I want her to see that anything is truly possible and that there are people in her life who will be there to support, guide, and love her all along her leadership journey. This holds me accountable in my role as a leader and as an important person in her life because I know she is watching me. I know she is listening. I know that she trusts me. Everyday I am working hard to be the person that my niece thinks I am.

Being the oldest in my family, I was always put in charge of things. That didn't translate into leadership roles in my life until I went to college. I went on a mission trip one year during Spring Break, and the friendships made on that trip literally changed my outlook on life but my also my role in the organization. I was sought out to be a speaker on retreats, sit on planning committees, and eventually lead 30+ college students on a mission trip. This mission trip is where I learned the best and hardest lessons of leadership. Being the official leader of your peers puts the spotlight on you in so many different ways.

• I learned how scrutiny increases, how your motives are questioned, how people tend to treat you differently (in good and bad ways), and how you lose your anonymity.
• I learned you have to have people you trust to go to so that you can just be yourself, away from the crowd. I learned that staying calm, cool, and collected (even when you aren't) will keep those around you calm.
• I learned that even though you can address every doubt that people have about your decision-making, it's sometimes best to take a deep breath and keep moving forward.
• I learned that communication is essential, that hard conversations have to happen, and how you treat people in those difficult times will address people's concerns and they will learn to trust you.
• I also learned that innovation is a must. New ideas bring about creativity that could catapult your organization to the next level or it could fail and you go back to the drawing board. Either way, you're learning and that in itself is successful.

The lessons learned from this leadership role have impacted every position I have held and every organization I have given my time to. I learned how to use my role as a leader to advocate for those who didn't have a voice when I mentored and tutored at-risk youth at an Eastside elementary school, managed a child abuse prevention program, and spoke to the community about the importance of children and education. I knew I had this passion, this desire to do more in the community but wasn't sure what to do with it. That's when I applied for Leadership Austin's inaugural Emerge class. There I met people just like me, wanting to accomplish the same things I did (in different ways), gathered together wanting to become better leaders so that we can create an even better community. This involvement led me to leadership roles within the Emerge program and friendships that introduced me to great causes that I have become involved in. It is so important to surround yourself with good people who will push you to be better and do more.

I hope the legacy that I leave behind is one of perseverance and hope. I would hope that people would say that I was someone who always stood up for what she believed in, that I was a woman of my word, and was always there for those who needed her. I want to leave behind a legacy of the importance of education, discussion, and debate but within all those the importance of listening to one another. I hope people would remember that I truly wanted to make the world, at least my little slice of it, a better place. And of course, the legacy of being the best Tía in the world!

Ana-Cristina González is Director of Stewardship and Development for Saint William’s Catholic Church in Round Rock.