Celeste Returns to CC to Talk Leadership

On Wednesday, April 24, former CC President Dick Celeste visited campus to speak with the students of BU329 Business Organization and Management. Class professor and CC Executive in Residence, Lora Louise Broady ’83, invited Celeste to her class to speak about his career, his legacy, and leadership.

“Leadership is not how you handle what’s in the job description,” Celeste told the class. “It’s how you handle what no one expects to happen.”

Celeste was the twelfth president of CC, serving in the role from 2002 to 2011. During his tenure, he oversaw the installation of the Cornerstone Arts Center, raised $200M for capital improvements and scholarships for minority students, and worked to bring the Colorado Springs community and the college together. He served as the president of the Colorado Springs Downtown Partnership and worked with the Colorado Economics Future Panel, the NCAA Presidential Task Force on the Future of Intercollegiate Athletics, and the Colorado Forum.

Before coming to CC, he served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, Lt. Governor of Ohio, Director of the Peace Corps, two-term Governor of Ohio, and the U.S. Ambassador to India.

In his talk with the 24 business students, Celeste spoke about situational leadership and how he handled his multiple roles throughout his career. He also spoke to economic development, the intersection of business and public policy, and global diplomacy.

Celeste began by reflecting on his career, telling his story of working an entry role with the Peace Corps to becoming Governor to his presidency at CC. “In almost every position I held, except for my time at Colorado College, I started on the ground floor and ended up on the seventh or eighth floor,” he says. “The biggest challenge when you come into a leadership position in an organization is getting everyone on the same page. Figuring out where we’re going and how we are going to get there. You have to be clear with where you want to go.”

After Celeste finished sharing his experiences, Broady opened the session up to a Q&A between her students and Celeste. He answered questions about sustainable business practices, cultural understanding in global business interactions, and the development of socially responsible leaders. Celeste spoke in depth about true leaders broadening their scope beyond the organization they lead and creating an impact on the community they’re in.

In the end, the former president left these future leaders with some tried and true advice. “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again,” he says. “It’s a simple thought, but it works.”

After Celeste’s visit, the student’s discussed with Broady their key take-aways from their time with him: