“Inspirational leadership helps people see what is possible, brings them together around a shared purpose and empowers them to turn possibility into progress.” —Sybil Francis, Ph.D.
Why is honoring achievement important? How does it impact our business community?
Achievement is rarely an individual endeavor. It reflects the people who opened doors, offered ideas, took risks alongside us and shared a belief that something better was possible. Honoring achievement gives us an opportunity to not only recognize what has been accomplished but to illuminate the values, relationships and persistence that make progress possible.
For Arizona’s business community, that matters. The people and organizations we choose to recognize help signal what we value and what kind of future we want to build. When we celebrate leaders who collaborate, innovate, invest in others and contribute to the greater good, we encourage more of that leadership.
Arizona’s greatest opportunities will require all of us — business, civic, nonprofit, education and community leaders — working together. Recognition can inspire that collective ambition and reminds us that leadership is ultimately about what we make possible for others.
What is the single most important thing you have learned throughout your career that would inspire others/other women?
I have learned that meaningful change begins with believing in possibility, and then having the persistence to bring others together to make it real.
Working across sectors, disciplines and perspectives, I have seen that progress rarely comes from one person having all the answers. It comes from asking good questions, listening carefully, surrounding yourself with talented people, remaining open to ideas that challenge your own, and staying committed even when progress takes time.
I have also learned that some of the best ideas emerge when people with different experiences learn from one another and work toward a shared purpose.
My advice to anyone who wants to make a difference is to value your perspective, bring your full intellect and curiosity to the work and pursue ambitious ideas.
Leadership requires the courage to imagine what is possible and the recognition that lasting change is something we create in partnership with others.
What do you think we can do – now – to make a difference for young people/women in Arizona?
We should ensure young people see themselves not simply as beneficiaries of Arizona’s future but as participants in creating it.
That starts with listening, but it cannot end there. We need to engage young people in identifying challenges, developing solutions and shaping the communities and state they want to inherit. We should invest in their education and development; connect them with mentors and meaningful career pathways; and give them real opportunities to lead, contribute, experiment and learn.
I encourage young people to know that their ideas and perspectives matter, and that they have a role in shaping what comes next.
Arizona will be stronger when the next generation has both the opportunity and the agency to help create its future. We should not simply build the Arizona we want for them. We should build it with them.
In Few Words
- What was the last course, certification or training you took to improve yourself professionally? I learn from my team every day!
- What would you say is a single characteristic OTHERS might attribute to you that defines your success? Curiosity
- What is the one thing you feel you could work on professionally to be a greater success? Impatience
- What is the one professional skill you have that has gotten you where you are today? Listening
- What is the single greatest issue facing Arizona today? The gap between what Arizonans want for our state and the outcomes our political system delivers.
About Me
Sybil Francis, Ph.D., is co-founder, chair, president and CEO of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Center for the Future of Arizona. A scientist, public policy expert and visionary leader, Francis has built her career around a belief in the power of ideas and people to create positive change. Her love of Arizona drives CFA’s ambitious and positive agenda: understanding what Arizonans want, focusing on where they agree and creating opportunities to turn shared aspirations into action. Before helping found CFA, Francis shaped national policy in the U.S. Congress and White House. Throughout her career, she has remained focused on what is possible — and bringing people together to achieve it.
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