EARTH: THE ULTIMATE TERRORIST

Planet Responsible for Thousands of Deaths

It Could Happen Tomorrow is a popular show on the Weather Channel. The idea is to inform viewers how close we are to death and destruction with each passing season. Earthquakes, killer waves, hurricanes, tornadoes, heat waves, cold snaps, wind shears and lightning are just some of the weapons of mass destruction available in our eco-system. Add to that the global warming and what it may do to the temperature of the oceans or better yet, how about that rogue meteor that has its sights set on Montana?
For a fascinating look into the geology, physics, meteorology, astronomy and all other physical sciences of Earth, start reading A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. While this is not a book that can be read in one or two sessions, it is a great book to enjoy 30 or 40 minutes at a time. The stories and interviews are very enlightening and written without all the technical jargon.
Earth and our solar system is a constant threat to all of us. Just think about how many people have died in natural disasters since Christmas 2005, when the Tsunami swamped Indonesia. The devastating earthquakes, Hurricane Katrina and the recent typhoons that hit mainland China proves there are no countries immune to Earth’s wrath.
An interesting piece of learning in Bryson’s book has to do with mankind’s history on earth. It was stated that if you stretched both of your arms out to the side to form a human “T”, the straight line from the right middle fingertip to the left middle fingertip would represent the timeline of earth. Travel from the right fingertip across the shoulders and over the top of your head and all the way to the end of the left middle fingertip. At the very end of that tip would be the history of mankind! In fact, it is best represented by taking a nail file and taking one stroke of the file to the end of the fingernail. Those tiny specs of dust are the history of mankind.
Four main points gleaned from Bryson’s book regarding the future of mankind are:
1) All life wants to be
2) Life doesn’t always want to be much
3) Life from time to time goes extinct
4) Life goes on
Looking at that list, my ideas for the lessons from Earth that can be applied to education and the workplace are:
1) Life is a struggle; get over it there are no easy shortcuts; everyone fights to survive
2) If you are in position of leadership or teaching, help those around you find meaning in work or school and reinforce the value of their efforts
3) Even though workplace is ever-changing, there’s always reasons to be hopeful for the future; we can learn new things and have a quality life
4) Teach patience and investing for the long-term (investing means more than money, for example, education)
Just like Earth, people are dynamic. Change is inevitable so adjust and look for new opportunities. If you are a coach, mentor or leader, help those around you understand change and how it may benefit them. Take the FEAR out of situations by being open and empathetic.
Did you see the wonderful movie Chicken Little? It’s not a bad idea to keep your eye on the sky. Something may be heading our way!

GROWTH <> LEADERSHIP <> EXCELLENCE