Did 50 companies really just tell one or more of their team to just drop everything for a day and go learn about how to improve our company culture and social capital?  Once again, this is as sign of a drastic shift in business mindset.  Maybe even a new bottom line.  When you’re running a business, how much time can you take for an entire day of white space?  How can that improve your growth and cash flow?  Isn’t that time traditionally filled with drilling on mission, vision and values at a corporate lunch with the CEO, while listing views of problems from within your own well-worn box?  I’d always rather replace that old model with future vision, exciting teamwork and game-changers like fun and inspiring new ideas.   After some insightful back and forth with a life-hacker and giver like Donavon Roberson at Dyn’s Culture-Con, my guess is several task-masters left as leaders and leaders left trying to clear their next week schedules to rework their culture like never before.  And, this time with a better map.  Rather than a lecture of “experts” talking at you, Dyn brought together a crowd committed to asking great questions and sharing stories that resonated.  (Donavon loves time with his family and kids, sports and … loving and serving other humans … hmmm, anybody else connect with that?)  It was amazing to feel the vibration of doing the right thing for others, while bypassing the common (and way wrong) corporate argument that culture is a luxury that doesn’t improve growth and revenue.  At Culture-Con, we all agreed on the value of a new culture driven bottom line.  How cool is that?

Hey! Donavon Roberson and Gray Chynoweth and all the great mojo-makers and panelists at Dyn’s Culture-Con event…  Big thanks for inviting me to speak and answer questions on your “Creating Social Capital in the Workforce” panel.  Chris Widner (Dyn Director of Culture and Talent Development) – way to tie it up in a bow.  Brilliantly Played!   We’re adding that title to our team shortly and when we’ve made the hire, I’ll introduce you.

Clearly Dyn lives what we learned on Tuesday and with all the great talent milling around at their events, getting things done, they are always up to the task.  If you read this, join us in shouting out to Dyn CEO, Jeremy Hitchcock for the leadership he’s shown and also fostered.   Just knowing how central our culture is at Innerspire and how finding and sharing your GIFTS™ is such fulfilling new perspective for most business owners, managers and the talented workforces out there – I’m psyched to have had a few minutes to tell a bit of my turning point story.  To all of you who approached me after the panel discussion with your inspirations, ideas and kudos, it was an honor and I’m grateful.  If the fire-hose of ideas from this week was too much to digest, I’ll share this message.  In any scenario where you need to make a choice surrounding culture, sales, growth, business or life in general – just ask, “how may I serve?”  Focus on their quotas and not yours.  It’s amazing how it all comes back around.