Thomas Huxley was perhaps the first student of evolution to propose that humans were thinly covered by the behavioral web we call civilization, underneath which beat the heart of animal barbarism. As a supporter of Darwin, Huxley thought that we could learn about humans by watching what other primates do in the wild, with the view that the socially polite world of “civilized” humans would probably wash way when faced with existential threat.
Our organization, WD-40 Company, is like many others—trying to take advantage of the developing technologies that claim to be able to offer learning experiences remotely, online, in digitized content that supposedly increases the efficiency and effectiveness of education. We’ve employed some of the tools available to good effect, but we don’t rely on the digital, remote learning mode as our primary method. There are limitations that don’t address our core objectives for such programs. The issue boils down to the fact that humans are a critical ingredient to the process.
Please enjoy this wonderful guest article by Roxanne Casebier:
I experienced something incredible over the past decade of my life. I have grown a family, grown in my career and grown in my personal life as a wife, friend, daughter, neighbor and citizen of the world. Many painful and beautiful lessons learned have brought me to a poignant cuesta where I now observe a simple truth: I am my greatest influence. Forget about the supporters, the naysayers and everyone in between. It’s just me…and my strength to recognize and fend off the forward marching army of ANTS: automatic negative thoughts.
At the Corporate Directors Forum conference in January here in San Diego, we heard from John Carreyrou, the author of Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup. I picked up the book from the gift table, and took it home to read.
