Colorado readers and other non-resident pols may know we have had a really good run in our state with our Governor Jared Polis. Jared (people call him that) has been great for our state in my view, with his understanding of business, his focus on progress, and his respect for the rule of law.
Due to term limits, Colorado will be voting in a new governor in 2026, and my friend Phil Weiser recently declared his candidacy. Phil is completing his second term as our state’s Attorney General, and he’s done great things. He’s protected consumers in the context of bad business practices, overreaching prospective business mergers, and more. He’s made meaningful strides on public safety, the environment, and the mental health challenges faced across the country.
Phil’s site states that he is a public servant who governs for the people. In my view, that is an accurate account of his work.
I learned last week that “the people” can actually get pretty specific.
Shortly after Phil announced his run, I made a donation, endorsed him on social media, and agreed to serve on the host committee for a Boulder fundraiser on January 23rd (let me know if you want more deets on that!).
Minutes... minutes!… later, my phone rang. It was Phil Weiser. I know Phil. I’m not just a fan of his governance, I’m an indebted friend. When I first moved to Boulder, he offered to meet with me, and he made it possible for me to co-teach (with him) a class on entrepreneurship at the law school.
But we’re not "pals." I’m honestly not sure we had ever spoken on the phone before that moment.
I saw his name pop up on my screen, and I figured he was calling to thank me for my donation. That was impressive enough. How can he possibly have time for that? But it would be a nice thing to do. I answered and learned I was wrong.
Phil said he had received an email from me saying I’d made my donation in response to his major outreach. Ok. He then said he was surprised to see there was some medical information – my date of birth and a report on a recent brain MRI – included in the text of my email. He reported that it didn’t make any sense, but since, as he said, “there are no accidents,” he wanted to call and see if I needed anything.
This mere mortal, two days after announcing a statewide gubernatorial run, saw an errant, nonsensical, worrisome copy-and-paste fragment and called to see if he could help. I apologized, I said everything was fine (the MRI was fine, thank goodness), and he went further to say that he values me, and that if I ever do need help that he could provide, he hopes I will let him know.
I’m tearing up for the ninth time as I type this, after doing the same during the few times I retold this story to friends.
I say all the time that people should support Phil because he has given up huge, more lucrative opportunities to be a public servant. I say he does this for the people he serves. I’ve believed it during the entire time I’ve known him. But that day, I truly understood how personal genuine leadership can be.
It’s quite a bar he has set. For me. And perhaps for you.
Thoughts, reactions, blurts? Share them here.
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Other Thing 1. If you or anyone you know wants to be a part of the 2025 Coaching Certification for Leader Coaches, an in-person, immersive opportunity that leverages the learnings in our new book Leader Coach, please take a look at the program details. You can apply online or let me know you’d like to be a part of another extraordinary cohort.
Other Thing 2. I along with legendary coaches and friends Grace Clayton and Leah Pearlman are co-creating our first one-of-a-kind weekend retreat for women, Alignment from the Inside Out in Asheville. North Carolina. It’s going to be … special. Want to come? Take a look at the deets and either sign up on the form on the site or let me know.
