King Arthur’s Roundtable

The story of the Roundtable is that Arthur’s most trusted knights sat with him around this table making decisions, having fun and sharing their lives with one another. It’s a good way to think about business even today. A book, written by David Perkins, entitled King Arthur's Round Table: How Collaborative Conversations Create Smart Organizations talks about how this method of business management creates a better decision-making process and therefore a more effective business. How do you do this if you’re a one person organization? Well, there’s help on the horizon.

The Work Place Initiative is just such a Roundtable: the members become your “Board of Advisors”, sharing goals and ideas, different perspectives, and learning and networking with those who will become your trusted friends and colleagues.

The purpose and mission of the Initiative is to provide effective business growth strategies to small and medium sized businesses through networking, educational forums and peer support. The focus is on owners and managers of businesses that have been in business for more than one year and have reached a level of growth where they need help getting to the next level.

One aspect of the Initiative, Insight, is an Advisory Board -- a group of professionals specifically targeted for their knowledge, skills and/or influence in the industry, who are convened by an organization to offer input and advice pertaining to a specific goal or objective. The Board offers “guidance” and functions as an operational Board of Directors, minus legal liability and statutory responsibility.

Through the sharing of thoughts and goals with a small group of respected advisors, businesses involved in Insight learn how to put first things first, optimize their capability and widen their circle of influence. They find win/win situations while developing an abundance mentality.

The other part of the Initiative is monthly networking and educational forums where experts in their field present information on topics of interest to small business owners and managers. Areas such as health insurance, marketing, management and more are all envisioned to be on the agenda in the coming months.

Roundtable Discussions (Insight):
Groups of no more than 6 members gather on a weekly basis to discuss issues of concern to themselves and other members of the group.

Shared Office Space:
Use of The Work Place conference room and computer/printer/Internet access (no rental on room; reduced charges on equipment)

Monthly Networking Meetings:
Provide a business networking environment where members and non-members can meet and greet each other (non-members pay entrance fees).

Access to Member Forums, Blogs and Articles