Interview: Rosilyn Houston

Propel Interviews Rosilyn Houston

Q. What does leadership look like in your life?

A. Leadership looks like total responsibility and accountability for the things that God has ordained for me to govern. It looks like the perfect will of God, the gentle grace of God, and the protected peace of God colliding in my life and exploding outwardly to be an ultimate blessing to my family, those I lead, and those who lead me in this life.

Q.  How did you come to think of yourself as a leader? Was it natural or did one day you realized you were already leading, even though you didn't view yourself as a leader?

A. It just happened! But when I think about the boldness I possessed at a very early age it now makes sense. My older brother once told me I had no problem telling all of my older siblings what to do, even if I could barely talk at the age of two.

I was the youngest of seven siblings but was never intimidated by their age or statue over me. I have always stood firm on fairness, equal opportunity,  personal responsibility, and excellence.  I have managed my life by these principles and have been found to be trustworthy and diligent. So, I can honestly say I didn't set out to be a leader, it just happened! One day I realized that others were looking to me.

Q. What has surprised you about leadership?

A. What has surprised me about leadership is that it is not the strong who make the greatest leaders, it is the once broken. It is the ones who know the strength obtained in weakness and the passion for living, creating, and nurturing that comes from pushing through the pains of life.

Also, I have found that the higher responsibility in leadership the more God requires of us. The more we seek Him to lead and direct us, His peace shall be with us, as we follow His footsteps in leadership. We don't have to push or force our way into leadership because those He called, those He foreordained. I am comforted by His word that our gifts will make room for us.

Isaiah 30:15 sums it up for me, "In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.”

Q. What do you wish you knew about viewing yourself as a leader ten years ago?

A. I wish I knew that to whom much is given, from him much is required. I knew the scripture by words but I didn't have personal experience with it by context. I was not prepared for the pruning and the molding that would reshape my thoughts, ideas, emotions, and desires. If I knew then what I know now, I would have rejoiced in my infirmities and leaped for joy through adversity.  

I always thought leaders were supposed to be invincible, powerful, and have all of the answers.  Now I understand that true leaders agree that everything they are, everything they have to give, and everything they will ever be comes from God. It was because of His love and His preordained purpose in their lives that He chose them to be the salt and a light unto this world.  His hand of protection, deliverance, and sanctification has made me the leader I am today. Everything I had to endure to become the leader He wanted me to be; I count it all joy and it is well with my soul. My life's desire is to be pleasing in His sight and to allow Him to get the glory out of my story.

Rosilyn E. Houston

Regional Retail Executive-East Region, BBVA Compass

Rosilyn is a California native who relocated to Birmingham, Alabama with her husband Ron to assume responsibility for BBVA Compass East Retail Region.  BBVA encompasses 133 branches and 1,100 retail employees in the Alabama and Florida markets. She is a veteran banker with over 20 years in the retail banking industry. She has served in the non-profit sector previously spending five years as Chief Executive Coordinator for Bishop T.D. Jakes, General Manager for The Potter’s House of Dallas and T.D. Jakes International Ministries.