Councilwoman Margaret McAustin Talks About Leadership

“True leaders are motivated by loving concern rather than a desire for personal gain,” Pasadena City Councilwoman Margaret McAustin quoted on Thursday.

McAustin spoke as part of a lecture series on leadership in the Pasadena City Council Chambers about how Pasadena needs to focus on coming alongside young leaders to provide a stable leadership base for the future.

McAustin says that the best types of leaders are involved in service because they deeply care about the common good. She has been a resident of Pasadena for 40 years and cares about preserving the good things Pasadena has today for tomorrow.

The leadership style McAustin most admires and tries to model her own after is Mayor Bill Bogaard’s.

“Our Mayor, he’s an inspiration to me. We are very fortunate to have him to show us how its done. I am not shy to say that the opportunity to serve with him was one of the attractions to run for city council because he is one of a kind,” McAustin said.

McAustin cautions that leadership does not come without challenges.

“The most challenging for me have been in that position of being in charge of a meeting and having an unhappy and unruly crowd. It’s been a challenge for me sometimes to maintain my poise sometimes,” McAustin said.

Leaders need to practice their skills. McAustin says it is about showing up time after time and creating constancy. Show up and then take the challenge to design outcomes.

“Challenge yourself. Of all the things I’ve done in my life, the things I am most proud of are the things I thought I couldn’t do and did.”

McAustin admitted later, “I told myself I could never run for City Council. Now I’m a City Councilwoman and I love it.”

“On Leadership” presentations offer opportunities to learn from leadership practitioners about contemporary leadership focused on leading by example, clear communication, keeping up morale, maintaining a positive attitude, passion and developing future leaders.
Pasadena Police Chief Phillip L. Sanchez will speak on leadership for the last presentation of the year on Thursday, November 14, at 6 p.m. The 2014 speaker schedule will be released soon.

Anyone interested in future presentations or anyone with questions should contact Commander Chris Russ at Pasadena Police Department (626)744-4547 or cruss@cityofpasadena.net.

McAustin left her crowd with this quote, “One person with courage is a majority.”