Because this conference isn't just about inbound marketing like you may think, this year's conference taught me more than just marketing, it taught me how to become a stronger leader and showed me ways I could interact with my team for the better. As a whole, it really helped everyone in our team fully understand our goals as a group, what we are doing, and most importantly WHY we are doing it.
In the weeks leading up to Inbound 2014, I was starting to have doubts about even going. Being a developer, I was concerned that I wouldn't get much out of the Inbound 2014 Conference... boy was I wrong! From the moment Guy Kawasaki began talking about what he learned while working with Steve Jobs, I knew I was in for a treat. There was some amazing experiences shared by him, Malcolm Gladwell (who I have read all of his books, and seen talk once at an Exact Target conference years ago), as well as Simon Sinek. I'm only naming a few of the keynotes that spoke to me, but there were many more amazing speakers throughout the conference that are worthy of their own blog posts.
I could easily say motivation and we could agree and then move on to the next point I want to make, but that would be wrong. These speakers inspired. They dared me to be bold. They made me reflect on everything I've ever thought before and made me change my way of thinking. They confirmed that I have the potential to be a great leader -- and that leading takes a lot of work, and everyone is capable of being a leader. These great speakers have been all over the world, listening to other people's experiences and delivering to us what they have learned in that process. The amount of experience you hear is amazing. There is no way I have the time to work and take care of my family -- and have the time to travel this planet speaking to great people and analyzing what happened to them, and then taking actionable ideas from there and implement them into my life. I was able to sit in the audience and just absorb what they were saying. Of course I will buy their book.
Everything they said made sense and I wanted more. I could see it in everyone's face around me, also. They wanted more. The entire crowd of 10,400 people could sit there and listen to Simon Sinek all day. The stories that were told helped everyone look inside their selves and see the greatness inside them.
Okay, maybe that isn't enough to empty your wallets to bring your entire organization with you to the next Inbound Conference. The dose of HubSpot Culture is breathtaking. HubSpot does such an amazing job empowering the 700 plus people that work for them. These HubSpotters are walking around facing all these 10k+ people all day long answering questions and being rock stars. You can learn a lot from a group of people that love their job. How does HubSpot do it? Don't worry, you learn a lot about culture at Inbound. HubSpot employees bleed orange as we do here at Impulse Creative -- your team will feel this and be infected with the positivity that these people have. The speakers talk about successful organizations, you hear from leaders at successful organizations and your entire team will just absorb this. Who doesn't want to enjoy their work? Probably people you shouldn't employ, but that is for another day's blog. The amount of time your team can spend together will also bring them closer. Challenge your team members to discuss what they learned, what they liked, and what they didn't. Organize team dinners. People watch as a group. Don't work. Check your email once a day and make sure there are no fires, and enjoy the time with your team... you will learn a lot about them!
Have open discussions with your team and I mean open. If you want the kind of culture that you witness at Inbound, you will want to start drinking the kool-aid as soon as you get there. Book your hotel rooms and your airplane seats -- And I advise going up a few days early to explore an amazing city with your team, and some time to tour HubSpot.