The Themes

How do you find the Fast Track - you begin with People, Performance and Purpose. United under the umbrella of New Economy thinking, our Models and Mentors challenged participants to not only return with new ideas, but act on them.

People

No company can be better than the quality of the people in it. The most important form of competition today isn't the battle for new markets, or even for new customers. It is the battle for new talent: finding great people, holding onto the ones you have, helping standout performers become even better. But how many companies are as creative and rigorious about the people dimension of their business as they are about product development, finance, and manufacturing - just about any business dicipline you can name? We explored what makes great people tick, how leading edge companies recruit and retain top-notch talent, how "free agents" develop their skills and market themselves more efficiently.

Performace

Fast Companies compete on ideas. They understand that if you want to win big, you have to think different. But fast companies also compete on execution. They understand "how we do things around here" is just as important as "what we stand for." What good is a big idea if you don't have an organization with the tenacity and drive to deliver results? We explored the hard work of getting things done: how to promote democracy and accountability, open-minded innovation and tough-minded performance.

Purpose

People today expect more from their work than they ever have - in part because we have seen that work, at its best, doesn't have to feel like "work." People don't just want to make a living. They want to make a difference. And what goes for employees goes for customers. People don't just want to buy products. They want to "buy into" the companies that make them. We explored the power of purpose: Is your job calling? Are you selling products - or are you selling a world view? What is the value of values?