Workshop on the Gift Economy
(B3) The Gift Economy: Discovering the Hidden Wealth in our Organizations
Co-presenters:  Michael Jones and Judi Neal
Throughout the ages, we have uneasily accommodated two economies: the economy of the market and the community of gift exchange. The former is what we do for money; the latter for love.
The market economy offers too narrow a bandwidth on which to base a life, so we must look to the gifted community for deeper values. Purpose, meaning and beauty have always found their roots in the communities of gift exchange, which draw our attention to values and dreams, to destiny, to the imagination.
This workshop illustrates what our organizations could be like if we cultivated the gift economy. We will provide four windows for seeing the framework of your organization in deeper and more imaginative ways -- allowing you to experience the hidden wealth of the gift economy:
1. The Inquiry Culture
2. The Language Culture
3. The Sensing/Listening Culture
4. The Storied Culture.
The Process
We will use music -- a metaphor for a larger life journey -- to help create an experience that focuses on deep questions. This will be done through facilitated dialogue; working in a circle; facilitated experiences using music and story; creating a community of dialogue.
More about Judi Neal and the Center for Spirit at Work
As founder and Director of the Center for Spirit at Work, Judi helps provide resources, information and community to those who are seeking greater integration of spirituality and work. The Center offers workshops, publications, research and consulting to individuals and organizations.
She has spoken at various conferences on spirituality in the workplace as well as at countless universities, colleges and other organizations. Judi has been filmed by BBC and PBS television, and has been quoted widely in business and other publications. A tenured faculty member of the University of New Haven, she is also on the Boards of Directors of several professional, community and academic organizations. She has provided consulting services to clients such as Hewlett-Packard, General Electric, Rodale Press, Anthem/Blue Cross, Reebok Shoes and Rockport Co.