By Edith Mariscal
Passion, humility, confidence, respect for people at all levels and a servant’s heart are some of the qualities of a great leader, speakers told NE students Oct. 5.
The Community Leader Panel shared stories about achieving success in their professional and personal lives and answered questions from audience members.
“A leader is someone who inspires you,” Tarrant County Clerk Mary Louise Garcia said. “Always have a positive attitude because there is a difference between leadership and management.”
Garcia said people in leadership positions are encouraged to have mentors.
“When you have a mentor, make it very specific and be strategic,” she said.
Hurst-Euless-Bedford board of trustees member Fred Campos stressed the importance of being an example to others.
“Who you are is who you are when no one is looking,” he said. “You have to be an example.”
Grapevine police chief Eddie Salame told students to never quit learning, study successful people in their professions and teach those coming behind them.
“If you walk and no one is following you, then you are just having a walk,” he said.
Leadership is not a position but character and contribution, NW Campus president Elva LeBlanc said.
“As leaders, we want things to be better than when we started,” she said.
The panel also talked about the importance of staying humble.
“The higher you are in the food chain, the more humble you need to be,” Garcia said.
