“One is nearer God’s heart in a garden”, an apropos quote that has been used to refer to the beautiful Garden of the Gods Park, one of the most impressive and gorgeous natural attractions in Colorado Springs in Colorado. It is simply a magical paradise that is free for all and is just pure magic to visit and explore. It is a stunning landscape, with hundreds of towering sandstone rock formations set against the picturesque backdrop of the majestic snow-capped Pike’s Peak. According to Carol Dominguez, our President and CEO, “It is just so beautiful and my favorite place in the world to be.” So, when Carol organized a Rocky Mountain High Renewal and Rejuvenation Leadership Conference in alluring Colorado Springs, I jumped at the amazing opportunity.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major disruption in our lives and to the liberties we once enjoyed and took for granted. We experienced challenges, sadness, uncertainties, and frustrations in both our personal and professional lives. Many of us lost loved ones and friends. This event couldn’t have come at a better time. Several John Clements colleagues descended to Colorado Springs in the week of May 29 to July 4 to partake in this wonderful event facilitated by our managing partner, Tully Moss, who has recently made Colorado Springs his home. The conference not only focused on our core business, which is leadership development, sustainability, and deep purpose, but also offered us a much-needed respite and rejuvenation experience for our mind, body, and soul. Every morning, we engaged in case study discussions of organizations with sustainability missions and purpose-driven, authentic leadership.
We studied companies like Aspen Skiing, Danone, JetBlue, Best Buy, IKEA, and Whole Foods. The overwhelming theme was sustainability and the environment, and that companies who established their sustainability missions as their core deep purpose at its inception were more likely to succeed financially than for long-established companies to pivot and be successful at it. To have deep purpose is a noble cause, but it must go hand in hand with strong financial performance to make a long-term impact.
We studied authentic leaders such as Corrie Barry of Best Buy and David Neeleman of JetBlue, and we learned that authentic leadership is the only way to create sustainable long-term results. Leadership has many voices, and you need to be who you truly are and not emulate somebody else. Authentic leaders demonstrate a passion for their purpose, practice their values consistently, and lead with their hearts as well as their minds.
We also learned that the journey to authentic leadership begins with understanding the story of your life. You must learn how to turn your life’s crucibles into a positive purpose to discover your passion to lead. The most important capability for leaders to develop is self-awareness and self-exploration. I particularly enjoyed the workshop where we had to reflect on and select the top 5 values that are most important to us and why.
After each case study session, we were able to enjoy and partake in the many outdoor activities the Garden of the Gods had to offer. Some of us enjoyed hiking the beautiful trails, playing golf in the first-class golf courses, shopping at the Garden of the God’s Trading Post and fashion outlets nearby, as well as admiring the beauty of the mountains and Pike’s Peak during happy-hour drinks at the 5-star Garden of the Gods Resort.
We visited a few museums, including the Pioneers Museum, where we learned a lot about the history of Colorado Springs, and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum. We even got to enjoy and experience the Old West come alive in majestic rocks at the Flying W Ranch Chuckwagon. We were spoiled with an extensive Western-style barbeque buffet spread with all the trimmings, followed by a Western stage show performed by a world-renowned and talented country band, the Flying W Wranglers, singing old-country music and time-honored tunes, which was uniquely Colorado.
Overall, the John Clements Renewal and Rejuvenation Leadership Conference was one of the highlight events of the year, where we were able to revitalize our leadership practice, discuss and explore sustainability initiatives within John Clements, and develop a program to contribute, in our own little way, to saving the planet. And we did all this surrounded by the most awesome, breathtaking environment.
To learn more about our leadership programs and services, come visit the JC Leadership Institute!
