WASHINGTON–Can credit union leaders learn something from a red rubber ball? According to Kevin Carroll they can.
Carroll, an author who also describes himself as an “agent for social change,” told CUNA’s GAC “The red rubber ball represents the chase, what you’re pursuing each day, and what inspires you to get out of bed in the morning, but you need to know the ‘why.’ It’s what you’re chasing. Me, I’m chasing sports, play, and fun on the daily.”
Carroll told the audience he has drawn inspiration in his life from his difficult childhood, and he challenged those virtually attending the GAC to consider how play is at the root of building community, fostering innovation, and solving problems.
"You’ll find the future wherever people are having the most fun,” he added, urging credit unions to read the book Wonderland by Steven Johnson.
Carroll said he believes creative confidence in the workplace allows employees to be passionate about the work that they do.
‘Play is Serious’
“Play is serious in the business of innovation, ingenuity, and disruption,” Carroll said. “When it comes to creating a culture of play, you have to be purposeful about it.”
Carroll’s background includes a decade in the Air Force, time as a trainer with the Philadelphia 76ers, and a seven-year stint with Nike, which created a position specifically for him and where Carroll earned the nickname “Katalyst.”
Carroll said he has dedicated his life to advancing play as a vehicle for social change and to show others how to chase their own “red rubber ball.”