Mark Broste
Eventually, Smart penned one of the most widely acclaimed books on government — Leadocracy. Its message is simple — hire more great leaders into government.
Hickenlooper confides that it was the mountains that drew him here from his college town of Middletown, Conn. But it was the people of Colorado, he says, that made him fall in love with the state.“There is something about the people attracted to Colorado,” Hickenlooper says. “They’re different than anyone else. They don’t come here
Hickenlooper looks over the devastation of the Royal Gorge Fire. The June 2013 blaze burned 3,218 acres of land and destroyed nearly 50 buildings in one of Colorado’s once-majestic parks.
MAKING COLORADO The day Hickenlooper moved into the State Capitol building, he found a painting of a fisherman laying on the sprawling desk of his new office. A note was stuck to it with the words “I will “Great leaders tackle challenges head on. Great leaders are be easy to find.” Next to the handwriting, an talent magnets. And great leaders deliver great results for arrow pointed to the stakeholders, sometimes against long odds. We need great back of the fisherman. The note was from leaders in government now more than ever.” Bill Ritter, Colorado’s — Geoff Smart, Leadocracy previous governor. Years later, a new picture adorns Hickenlooper’s because of a promotion. They office, a photo of Lost Dollar come because they want to be Ranch, taken by prolific here, and that creates a different photographer John Fielder. The type of community.” 8-by-14-foot photo spans the Hickenlooper says that wall, showing Sneffels Range Colorado is unique because the dusted in snow. At the base of the state offers so much opportunity. mountain, an autumn-colored “You can have the Colorado horizon casts its reflection into a lifestyle without compromising glassy pond. your career,” he says. DENVER HOTEL MAGAZINE
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