The Power of Gathering: Why We Started At The Table
Posted By Justin Ahrens in Blog
Read Time
1 minute
It started with a simple question between friends: what if leaders could sit down, not to network or pitch, but simply to be human together?
That question became the seed of At The Table, a collaboration between Rule29 and our friend Brian MacDonald of Wonderkind Studios. We didn’t set out to create another conference. We wanted something smaller. More honest. A space where conversation mattered as much as the people who showed up.
And what we’ve seen so far has confirmed what we hoped: when you invite people from different walks of life to leave titles at the door, something remarkable happens.
What We Saw Around the Table
The first gatherings were simple: no agenda, no slides, no introductions beyond names. Just a table and a question.
And people opened up. Not about quarterly targets or resumes, but about what keeps them up at night. The weight of responsibility. Parenting while leading. Burnout. The fear of starting over.
When one person risked honesty, the entire room shifted. Silence stopped being awkward and started feeling meaningful. Heads nodded. Shoulders relaxed. And laughter, real laughter, returned.
After the first gatherings, we asked participants what stayed with them. Almost none mentioned content or format. What they named instead was the feeling of being genuinely seen, the relief of discovering common ground with strangers, and the power of slowing down long enough to listen. Several told us they left carrying less than they arrived with, simply because they realized they weren’t alone.
Why It Matters for Leaders Today
We’re seeing this hunger everywhere. People want clarity, belonging, and purpose, yet many leaders feel they have nowhere safe to admit uncertainty. Research backs this up:
70% of employees say their leaders don’t communicate a clear vision (Harvard Business Review).
Belonging and purpose now outrank salary as reasons employees stay (Gallup, 2025).
Authentic storytelling performs 12x better on LinkedIn than polished corporate updates.
People aren’t asking for perfect leaders. They’re asking for real ones. Yet most leaders don’t have a safe place to practice being real. Too often leadership feels like carrying the weight alone, trying to look certain even when you’re not. That’s where trust erodes.
Gatherings like At The Table close that gap. They remind us that leadership is human work, and no one leads well in isolation.
Patterns We Keep Noticing
Across our first few gatherings, the same things happened again and again:
Vulnerability sparks connection. Once one person risks honesty, others follow.
Different voices reveal new clarity. Insights often come from people outside your industry.
Silence holds power. Some of the most meaningful moments are pauses that let words settle.
Community forms quickly. Strangers walk in. Allies walk out.
Founders, executives, and artists have shared the same fears. Conversations often continue long after the table clears.
Setting the Table. ON Purpose.
At Rule29, we’ve always believed creativity and purpose are about more than design. They’re about people, culture, and the conversations that shape them.
That’s why we created ON Purpose, a framework for moving from belief to action. At The Table is one way we live that out. We’re not the stars of the story. We’re the hosts, the guides who set the table so leaders can show up fully and honestly.
Purpose isn’t something you declare. It’s something you practice. And these gatherings are practice for leaders to be human first.
How Rule29 Guides These Conversations
We don’t see ourselves as the stars of At The Table. We see our role as creating the conditions.
Hosting with intention. We design gatherings where leaders can leave titles behind and connect as humans.
Shaping the space. We guide the flow so conversations move beyond surface-level networking into honesty and trust.
Connecting dots. We help participants take what they share at the table and apply it back to their teams, their brands, and their leadership.
Our work is to set the table so leaders can show up fully — and remember that leadership is human work.
How You Can Try This Yourself
You don’t need a program to start. All you need is a table, a group of people, and the courage to ask better questions.
Ask about values instead of metrics.
Ask about challenges instead of accomplishments.
Ask about legacy instead of short-term wins.
When you do, people stop posturing and start connecting. And when leaders connect like that, they lead differently.
An Invitation
If this resonates with you, we’d love for you to be part of what’s next.
You can start your own table, keep it simple, mix voices, and ask real questions. Or you can join one of ours.
Learn more and sign up for future gatherings at www.atthetable.is.
Pull up a chair. There’s room for you.