Workplace Culture at Fibernetics has always been important, especially over the last five years.
Earlier last week, Fibernetics hosted a Company Huddle, which welcomed guest speaker Mark Tewksbury. During the morning, our office was abuzz with excitement for the upcoming event. The energy of the room was amplified by the addition of brand new company t-shirts and a reminder that there’s a superhero in all of us.
A Sea of Superheros
The event kicked off with an inspiring message from our president, Francisco Dominguez. His words encouraged the team to reflect on our shared success and inspired us to continue growing together as a team.
With those words fresh in our minds, our guest speaker, Mark Tewksbury, was introduced.
The Olympian
As soon as Mark stepped up to speak, he filled the room with his enthusiastic spirit. Between his big smile and larger than life demeanour, Mark demonstrated a unique authenticity. Mark began his speech by explaining how he first came to prominence as a star athlete at the Barcelona Olympics, and how he’s taken his vast Olympic experience and distilled that into high-performance traits for the corporate world.
Throughout his career, Mark thought he was authentic. He thought he was reaching his full potential at work, hiding who he was, but he was kidding himself – Mark was hiding a secret.
Becoming a Hero
Moments before his gold medal win in Barcelona in 1992, Mark was in a room with his competitors from around the world, and at that moment, he realized that the one thing that had made him a liability throughout his career – the secret he had been hiding – turned out to be his superpower. He looked at his competitors and asked himself, “What makes me different?”
“I’m the gay one!” And that’s what made him special.
What Makes You Unique
Mark didn’t come out publicly until 1998, but at the time of the Barcelona Olympics, he knew it was his superpower, and he knew that it made him unique. He was the first Canadian sports hero to take this revolutionary step, one that helped pave the way for athletes around the world to show their true colours. He has used his power for good, parlaying the influence he earned as a sports hero to become a true humanitarian.
During his talk, Mark taught us all a valuable lesson: what makes you different, makes you unique.
Mark’s talk reaffirmed that there is a superhero in all of us. Mark exemplified how staying true to your authentic self can allow you to soar to great heights. It’s a reminder that we will all be challenged to believe in ourselves, our teammates and the superhero that lies within.
Thank you to Mark Tewksbury for speaking to the Fibernetics Family.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and empowering the entire team. It was an honour to have you here!
To learn more about Mark and his company Great Traits, visit thegreattraits.com.
Photos from the Company Huddle
