Kurt Johnson – Host
David Sloan Wilson
Michele Hunt
Richard Barrett
Tamsin Woolley-Barker
Friday 10:00 – 11:20 am Pacific
There is a widespread assumption that while cooperation is to be encouraged in some aspects of life, the unbridled pursuit of self-interest reigns in the business world. This assumption is an illusion, based on the “greed is good” ideology of orthodox economic theory. An alternative view is provided by evolutionary science, which far from justifying unbridled competition, shows how cooperation can be a winning business strategy. Special conditions are required, however, and knowledge of evolutionary science is required to structure the business social environment so that nice individuals and nice firms finish first.
David Sloan Wilson has made foundational contributions to evolutionary science and its applications to human affairs. He is SUNY Distinguished Professor of Biology and Anthropology at Binghamton University and president of the Evolution Institute, the first think tank to formulate public policy from a modern evolutionary perspective. His study of religion and spirituality extends back to Darwin’s Cathedral: Evolution, Religion, and the Nature of Society, published in 2002. Economics and business has been a focus of the Evolution Institute since the great economic recession of 2008, including a collaboration with Nobel laureate Elinor Ostrom resulting in a practical method for working with groups of all sorts, including but not restricted to business groups (www.prosocial.world). Other notable outputs include Doing Well By Doing Good: An Evolution Institute Report on Socially Responsible Businesses and This View of Business: How Evolutionary Thinking Can Transform the Workplace. David was introduced to the Interspiritual Community by Kurt Johnson, who helped to organize a number of roundtables around his 2015 book Does Altruism Exist? Culture, Genes, and the Welfare of Others? He was elected to the Evolutionary Leadersi n 2017. The main import of David’s work is to provide a modern scientific foundation for holistic concepts of ecology (e.g, Gaia) and evolution (i.e., Omega Point), which are already embraced by those who want to re-imagine business as a force for the common good. The best single source to learn about David’s work is his new book, This View of Life: Completing the Darwinian Revolution.
Michele Hunt is a Transformation Catalyst and Strategic Advisor on leadership and organizational development, organizational transformation and strategic communications. She is known internationally for her work helping leaders to unleash the creative genius of their people to create the culture and conditions for people, organizations and the planet to flourish.
In 1995, she was appointed by President Bill Clinton’s administration to serve as Director of the Federal Quality Institute, the key resource for the Reinventing Government initiative led by Vice President Al Gore. Michele previously served on the executive leadership team of Herman Miller, a Fortune 500 global office furniture company as, Corporate Vice President For People responsible for “human resources”, quality management, learning and development, corporate communications, change management, government, community and shareholder relations. In this capacity, she also facilitated Herman Miller’s whole company transformation processes, called Renewal.
She is the author of DreamMakers: Innovating for the Greater Good and DreamMakers: Putting Vision & Values To Work and DreamMakers: Agents of Transformation She is a collaborator and inspiration for the documentary, DreamMakers
Michele currently serves on the Boards of Directors of Millenia Music, Earth’s Call LLC and EARTH’S CALL Foundation. She serves on the advisory boards of the Fowler Center for Business as an Agent for World Benefit, at the Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University, the David Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry at the Stiller School of Business, Champlain College, Images and Voices of Hope and the Junior Enterprise Global Council
Richard Barrett is an author, speaker, coach and internationally recognised thought leader on the evolution of human values in business and society. He is the President of the Barrett Academy for the Advancement of Human Values, the Founder of the Barrett Values Centre, a Fellow of the World Business Academy and Former Values Coordinator at the World Bank.
Richard Barrett is the author of The Evolutionary Human: How Darwin Got It Wrong (2019), Everything I Have Learned About Values (2018), The Values-driven Organization: Cultural Health and Employee Well-being as a Pathway to Sustainable Performance (2017), A New Psychology of Human Well-Being: An Exploration of the influence of Ego-Soul Dynamics on Mental and Physical Health (2016), The Metrics of Human Consciousness (2015), Evolutionary Coaching: A Values-based Approach to Unleashing Human Potential (2014), The Values-Driven Organisation: Unleashing Human Potential for Performance and Profit (2013), What My Soul Told Me: A Practical Guide to Soul Activation (2012), Love, Fear and the Destiny of Nations: The Impact of the Evolution of Human Consciousness on World Affairs (2011), The New Leadership Paradigm (2010), Building a Values-Driven Organization: A Whole System Approach to Cultural Transformation (2006), Liberating the Corporate Soul: Building a Visionary Organization (1998), and he is a contributing author to Psychometrics in Coaching (2012).
Dr. Tamsin Woolley-Barker is the founder and CEO of TEEM Innovation Group, an Innovation and Organizational Development Consultancy, and the Author of TEEMING: How Superorganisms Work to Build Infinite Wealth in a Finite World––a #1 Amazon bestseller in Organizational Learning, Environmental Economics, Ecology, and Animal Behavior––testament to her uniquely cross-disciplinary perspective.
An Evolutionary Biologist and Biological Anthropologist by education, she is known for her genetic research on the social structure of hybridizing baboons in Ethiopia’s Awash National Park––the longest running and most complete genetic study of primates in the wild.
Since 2008, she has worked as a “Biologist at the Design Table,” working with Biomimicry 3.8 and the Biomimicry Institute to provide bio-inspired innovation to a Global 500 clientele––everything from aerospace and automotive design, material science and consumer products, business models, resilient cities, green build and circular economy, leadership and organizational design.
Dr. Kurt Johnson (www.unity.earth, www.thecominginterspiritualage.com) has worked in professional science and comparative religion over 40 years. A prominent figure on international committees, particularly at the United Nations, he is author of the influential book The Coming Interspiritual Age (2013) and two award-winning books in science: Nabokov’s Blues (2000) and Fine Lines (2015).
Kurt has served on the faculty of New York’s Interfaith Seminary for 12 years and, for 25 years was associated there with the American Museum of Natural History. He is host for UNITY EARTH’s Convergence radio series at VoiceAmerica, a series featuring global change-makers, and an editor of UE’s two magazines: The Convergence and Light on Light.
Kurt has a PhD in Evolution and Ecology and is author of over 200 scientific articles and seven books, along with further articles at Kosmos Journal, The Contemplative Journal, Evolution Institute, Integral Life with Ken Wilber and peace studies with Philip Hellmich of the SHIFT Network.
Kurt, a former monastic, is a member or founder of The Evolutionary Leaders, The Association of Transformational Leaders, the international Contemplative Alliance, the Gaiafield and Subtle Activism Networks, the Self Care to Earth Care network, the UN NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns, the NGO Forum 21 Institute, and the UN Committee for International Yoga Day, and is President of the Friends of the Institute of Noetic Sciences.
