Author, speaker, and agent for social change Kevin Carroll used a red rubber ball to discuss the power of play today at the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Governmental Affairs Conference (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,’” Carroll said. “It’s what you’re chasing. Me, I’m chasing sports, play, and fun on the daily.”
Carroll drew inspiration from his difficult childhood to challenge attendees 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, citing the book Wonderland by Steven Johnson.
Carroll believes that creative confidence in the workplace allows employees to be passionate about the work that they do.
“Play is serious in the business of innovation, ingenuity, and disruption,” Caroll 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 his “Katalyst” nickname.
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.” Carroll founded The Katalyst Consultancy and is the author of four books, which build on these life-affirming themes.
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