Q&A: with Veronica Carrillo, Fiscal Administrator for the City of San Antonio, Texas.

• Author: Carrillo, Veronica
• Position: IN PRACTICE: INTERVIEW

Let's start out by talking about a conversation you had with your dad.

I have shared this story with leaders and people I mentor because 1 think it's important. As leaders, we should make an effort to understand people's perspective "windows" and then look for ways to help open those windows to new opportunities.

I remember cleaning offices with my father and one night when we were emptying trash, he told me I should study accounting. When I asked why, he said he'd noticed a few things. We were working in the accounting area, and he had noticed that a lot of ladies worked there, they seemed to have reasonable hours, and they wore suits. I don't know if I would tell a young woman that today, but my father envisioned a better life for his daughter that included a better work environment and a position of respect. That was my dad's perspective window.

So, with my first job at the City of San Antonio, as a fiscal officer in the Finance Department, I thought that I had made it. My father's guidance got me there, but it could only take me so far. Thankfully, I have been fortunate to also have other mentors that have shared other "windows" that have helped guide me and further my career.

When you were in college, what were you thinking about the future? A lot of college students don't know what they want to do with their lives.

In my junior year of college, my father sat me down and told me his insurance would only cover me until I turned 21. He made sure I understood that I needed to find a job with insurance. That's a real "dad" piece of advice!

I remember realizing that I needed to stay on task and on schedule, and that's what I did. When I graduated, I set out to find a job with good benefits and the opportunity for growth.

After college, you spent six years at Kroger. Were you in a corporate office or in a store?

At the time, I worked in-store operations, where I managed people on the front lines. I had just turned 21 and was responsible for about $15 million in inventory, much of which was perishable. As part of a six-month training program, I learned about customer service, inventory management, cash controls, and how to manage and lead a team. At any given time, I had between 150 and 200 employees and between six and eight division managers.

What did you learn from that experience?

One of the most valuable lessons I learned during my experience at Kroger was the power of my words.

My first year on the job was not my shining moment. As a...