On April 13th, the Center for Leadership partnered with the Conference on World Affairs (CWA) and the Leo Hill Leadership Speaker Series to host Rose Marcario at Macky Auditorium. Marcario, the former CEO and President of Patagonia Inc., now serves as a founding partner with ReGen Ventures, a board member, and an advisor to environmental impact companies. She currently chairs Rivian's Forever Foundation for Nature. During the event, Chancellor Phil DiStefano joined Marcario on stage to ask questions submitted by CU Boulder students.
The program began with an emphasis on the responsibility of businesses and individuals in addressing environmental and climate-related issues. When a question was raised regarding the actions that individuals can take in their daily lives to bring about change, Marcario advised students to consider their current circles of influence such as family, friends, and workplace, and how they can inspire positive change in those groups. The most crucial step is to exercise your right to vote. Moreover, it is essential to be aware of the concerns prevailing in your community and take action by supporting, donating, and volunteering in those areas.
During the conversation, the topic of leadership was brought up. When asked to share her definition of leadership, Marcario responded,
“I define leadership as love. Love that creates outcomes of purpose. When I say love, I mean you can't get incredible results without creating this feeling of love and excitement for an aspirational vision of our future.”
During the conversation with DiStefano, Marcario was asked about the difficulties she faced as a woman and a member of the LGBTQ community in a leadership role. In response, she candidly responded, “What challenges haven’t I faced?”. One of the biggest challenges she faced was being the only woman in the room and never having a female boss, but this sometimes worked in her favor as she was seen as a wild card. As a leader who represents both the LGBTQ and female communities, Marcario feels a great sense of responsibility to set an example and positively represent these identities.
When asked how to handle ethical dilemmas as a leader, Marcario wisely advised to be prepared by understanding your own beliefs. This way, you can always respond in a way that is true to yourself and your values.
As the event drew to a close, the audience was reminded of the key traits of a successful leader - having a visionary outlook and a sense of purpose beyond oneself.
The Center for Leadership was proud to share Marcario's crucial message on leadership and climate change with a live audience of 850 people and a large virtual audience.