Leadership Austin EMERGE: 20 Snippets of Advice for Young Leaders

In September, I was accepted into the Leadership Austin EMERGE program. EMERGE 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. 

Our second to last session, before joining the Leadership Austin Alumni Network, allowed 19 different groups of my peers to share insight they’d learned about leadership while conversing with Leadership Austin alumni. Some of the city's most decorated civic, business, and non-profit leaders. 

The following are 20 snippets of advice for young leaders I took away from this experience.

1. Focusing on the possibilities makes it easier to get to the opportunities

Kelly White, CEO, The Austin Children’s Shelter

2. God works in mysterious ways

Steve Benesh, Managing Partner, Bracewell & Giuliani, LLP

3. Stubbornly hold on to your vision

Lee Thompson, Leadership Austin Board, 1989-1994

4. How can we make change, if we are not civically engaged?

Cookie Ruiz, Executive Director, Ballet Austin

5. There is an infinite number of good causes, but only a finite number of resources

Eugene Sepulveda, CEO Entrepreneurs Foundation

6. Be a good steward of influence

Eugene Sepulveda, CEO, Entrepreneurs Foundation

7. Be humble, be merciful, do justice

Clarke Heidrick, Shareholder, Graves, Dougherty, Hearon, and Moody

8. Find a mentor

George Cofer, Executive Director, Hill Country Conservancy

9. Young people rise to the top quickly by getting into a hard situation and winning

Kerry Tate, Principal, Moore-Tate

10. We have to collaborate, we have to cooperate, we can not stay in silos

Kerry Tate, Principal, Moore-Tate

11. Short term focus, long term vision

State Senator Kirk Watson

12. Community needs more people looking out for the common good

Susan Dawson, Executive Director, E3 Alliance

13. You have to be able to go 100 feet deep on every major issue facing your constituents, your city

Susan Dawson, Executive Director, E3 Alliance

14. What do you want to be known for?

Suzanna Caballero, President, Texas Certified Development Co, Inc.

15. Use your skills selectively, and use them where you can have the greatest impact

Suzanna Caballero, President, Texas Certified Development Co, Inc.

16. It’s amazing what happens to people when they feel safe

Sam Planta, Chief Culture Officer, Touchstone Communities

17. Do a daily gut check

Sam Planta, Chief Culture Officer, Touchstone Communities

18. You have to be good at transitioning

Gerry Tucker, Associate VP of Human Resources, ACC

19. Encourage people, mentor people, and be smaller than yourself

Judge Eric Shepperd

20. Seek to understand and then to be understood

Judge Eric Shepperd

Leadership Austin has been a phenomenal experience for me. Each session creates a safe place for young leaders to synthesize, build relationships, and learn qualities of sustainable leadership.   

Ethan Brisby 

Change Agent

@ethanbrisby 

Youtube: Ethan Brisby 

Author: "5 Proven Strategies on How to Pay for College"