“Leaders should stand for something larger than themselves.”
What is your connection with Coro?
Fellows Program in Public Affairs, San Francisco, Class of 1990-1991
Director of the Fellows Program in Public Affairs, San Francisco, 2000-2001
What is a memory from your Coro experience and training that you still think about today?
My first internship was with the San Francisco Police Department, where I examined the impact of a recently passed California proposition on police report-writing. Before then, I had had minimal interactions with the police, and my study had me doing ride-alongs and interviewing members of the department from front-line police officers to detectives to the chief of police. I even had my own bullet-proof vest to wear while accompanying officers out in the field! It was an extremely eye-opening experience, where I gained tremendous respect for the many hard-working and community-minded police officers I encountered. That experience has significantly impacted the lens through which I view current issues involving the police, such as claims of police brutality or racial profiling, questions of law enforcement funding, and efforts to reform policing in local communities.
What is one of Coro’s leadership principles, frameworks, or tools you continue to apply to your leadership practice today? For what reasons does this particular one stand out for you?
More than 30 years later, I’m still very conscious of asking, “Why?” I do ask it, but when I do, I am aware that I am doing it, and I pay attention to whether the response is based on facts or is an opinion. I find it a useful way of checking the quality of the information I am receiving and in the development of my own viewpoints.
What are the two most important leadership qualities that people need to create our shared future?
Integrity and respect. Leaders should stand for something larger than themselves, and for community-oriented principles (rather than personal gain or political expediency) that guide their decisions and actions. Respect is also a key ingredient of leadership – respect for the community and key stakeholders, respect for institutions, respect for adversaries, and respect for oneself. Respect means showing humility and being responsive, thereby fostering cooperation and enabling us to achieve common goals.