Meet Julie Tereshchuk, Leadership Award Winner

Written by Victoria Williams.

What exactly makes someone a good leader? Julie Tereshchuk knows. The Editor-in-Chief of Texas Lifestyle Magazine will be honored by the Women Communicators of Austin (WCA) as its Leadership Award Winner on Saturday, May 2 at this year’s Banner Brunch, now in its 42^nd year.

Given only to WCA members, the Leadership Award recognizes those who have far exceeded what is expected of them in terms of leadership to an organization. It is awarded in recognition of years of outstanding service and intended to honor members who have made a lasting and fundamental impact over time. Winners of the award from years past include Pam Baggett, Amy Hufford, Cory Leahy, Lisa Maxwell and Christina Walsh.

Get better acquainted with Tereshchuk through this Q&A:

Q: What is a typical work day like for you?
A: I have no such thing as a typical day—given the variety of projects I’m involved with. However, I do my best to ensure that the day includes time to workout—either early in the morning or early evenings. Since moving downtown, my favorite thing is to go to the hike and bike trail at Lady Bird Lake. I also welcome the days that I have no outside appointments and can spend all day working at my home office. Right now, writing this in early spring, I have a couple of songbirds on the balcony outside my window who definitely deserve the Seranader of the Year award. I should also say that I’m an early riser—shockingly early sometimes. But there’s something about those early morning hours that I love—the day seems limitless and it’s easy to imagine accomplishing great things in the hours ahead.

Q: In your opinion, what qualities make a good leader and why?
A: Empathy, vision, organization, self-knowledge, perception, nerve/courage, humility.

The empathy to put herself in someone else’s shoes and to see the world from their point of view.
The vision to see a goal, combined with the ability to set the goal, to chart a course to the goal, and to know how to follow the course to the goal. Oh yes, and to know when it’s time to change the course and also to recognize when they’ve reached the goal.
The ability to recruit, inspire and organize a team. Often the hardest part of recruiting is finding the courage to ask someone to help you.
Putting a great team together also means knowing what skills and qualities you need around you. And being able to recognize those in others. Often it’s a case of recognizing the potential in the person you’re recruiting.
Most importantly, have the humility to admit when you’re wrong; or when someone else’s idea is better than yours.

Q: Why did you join the WCA?
A: Initially to look for clients. I stayed because of the friends I made, who have generously supported me in so many aspects of my life, both personal and professional.

Q: How do you feel about receiving the Leadership Award?
A: Shocked. Thrilled. Humbled.

Q: In your opinion, at this point, what has been the single-most crowning achievement for you while working in the field of communications?
A: As a writer and editor, I’m typically behind the scenes, telling other people’s stories and shining the spotlight on their accomplishments so I just do not think of myself as having “crowning achievements.” I am very proud of what others in WCA have achieved, however—particularly as I look back over the 15 years or so that I’ve been involved with the organization and see how women I knew as recent graduates or new hires have grown their businesses, have developed their skills, and have matured into professional communicators that are role models for our industry.

Join WCA on May 2, 2015 at our 42^nd Annual Banner Brunch to celebrate Julie Tereshchuk and our other award winners. Learn more and get your tickets here.