Meet Today’s 2019 Leadership Trailblazer Finalist:
Shana Yelverton, City Manager, Southlake, TX
The League caught up with Top 10 Finalist Shana Yelverton to talk about being named a Leadership Trailblazer and having a career in public service:
Q: Congratulations on being named a finalist for the Leadership Trailblazer Award. What does it mean to you to be nominated?
First of all, it’s important to acknowledge the work of the League – the founders, board, and members – who have done so much on behalf of women in public service. I’m very proud and excited to be nominated for an award created by the League, counting myself fortunate to be highlighted in a group of accomplished and committed professionals. We don’t enter this profession for accolades, but I’m sure we are all grateful that our work has been recognized.
Q: What led you to a career in public service?
As a student, I saw public service as a noble and fulfilling career option because I had been exposed to its value through internships. As I continued my studies it became clear to me that city management was an exciting possibility where the strong business principles I found so interesting could be applied to the work of a community. It’s a choice I’ve never regretted.
Q: Who were your mentor(s) or advocate(s) in your career?
There are so many people to thank for their help. An early mentor named Mike Gilmore was my supervisor at the North Texas Council of Governments. He would take the time to immediately provide feedback to me as I worked through difficult issues, and I learned so much from him. My former City Manager, Curtis Hawk, was a tremendous mentor who helped me grow exponentially by having faith in me and giving me experience. This profession is brimming with caring people who are happy to help you make your way, and I’m appreciative of them all.
Q: What is the most important lesson you learned while coming up in your career?
We all have natural empathetic tendencies, but this profession has helped me enhance my ability to see things from the point of view of others. Everyone has a perspective rooted in their personality traits, belief systems, experiences, or emotion. Over the years it’s become easier for me to read and understand where people are coming from and to find creative ways to help them achieve their goal(s). I make fewer snap judgements or assumptions these days which has aided me in my decision-making and problem-solving skills.
Q: What advice do you have for women just beginning their careers who would like to be an executive in local government some day?
The first step is to know yourself. Develop a deep understanding of your strengths, preferences, decision-making style, and your blind spots so that you’re able to lead and serve productively. It’s critical to courageously take the initiative to seek out opportunities and mentors, even peer mentors, who can provide the guidance needed for continual growth. Watch and listen to role models. Perform at a high level, never compromising the quality of your work, or punting it to others. The technical skills are important, but those are going to be present for all candidates once you get to a point. You have to find ways to differentiate yourself and have a rock solid professional reputation.
Q: What do you hope to leave as your legacy in local government when your career comes to an end?
Of course I would hope that people would remember me as someone who worked hard, performed exceptionally, and made a real difference in my community. But the real measure is whether the organization moves forward successfully without you because you’ve built a strong framework and have helped prepare people to continue to build upon the organization’s success. It would be great to be sitting in front of a fireplace as an old lady, reading about the brilliant success of the young people who were my teammates!
