Over fall break, a group of Luther Hodges Scholars visited Charleston, South Carolina through the Explorations trip initiative. Just before leaving the Holy City, we had the privilege of meeting with Erin Fisher, Senior Manager of Global Engagement for Boeing in South Carolina. In getting to know her, we learned that Fisher has a diverse range of experiences working in nonprofits, startups, and major corporations. The conversation provided the opportunity to learn from an accomplished leader whose career spans both the private and public sectors.
Throughout our discussion, Fisher shared a wealth of insights drawn from her professional journey. Moving from the nonprofit space to corporate work, she explained, gave her the opportunity to specialize and develop more depth within her niche. She encouraged us to remember that our own differentiated experiences are valuable and what makes us unique also makes us useful.
The importance of soft skills was another focal point of the conversation. Communication, Fisher reminded us, is at the heart of effective leadership. Fisher is someone who naturally brings people together, and she spoke about the importance of authenticity in building relationships. “Be yourself,” she told us. “Ask curious questions.” Fisher also emphasized that understanding what motivates the people you work with, being predictable and respectful of their time, and choosing your timing carefully are crucial to maintaining trust and credibility.
To conclude this impactful discussion, we had a final question for Fisher that we all wanted her perspective on: “Knowing what you know now, what would you tell your 21-year-old self?” She gave not one, but two phenomenal answers:
This conversation was incredibly enlightening as Fisher is an excellent example of a cross-sector leader. Thank you to the Luther Hodges Scholars program for making this meeting possible and thank you to Erin Fisher for offering us your time and insight.
