As my two youngest children get ready for college in the fall and we look at their lists of required textbooks, I’ve been reflecting on self-guided learning, both in my family and at Automattic. There are quite a lot of similarities between how my husband and I encouraged our kids to learn independently during their homeschooling journey and the culture of learning at Automattic.

While I’m sure my kids would argue that it hasn’t been without some pain points, I have watched them grow into independent learners over the years, figuring things out on their own instead of just following along. Which has also not been without its pain points for me as they can be quite stubborn sometimes! That all said, I believe this kind of learning is what will help them in today’s world, where knowing how to learn new stuff matters more than knowing specific things.

At Automattic, self-learning isn’t just allowed, it’s encouraged and it is a core part of who we are as a company. It’s in our creed. In my years at Automattic, certain books have really shaped how I think and work. I have filled my own bookshelf with leadership, talent, coaching, and feedback related books. “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield really stands out because it helped me understand creativity and how we sometimes (all the time) get in our own way. Titles like “Radical Candor” by Kim Scott, “Hire with Your Head” by Lou Adler, “The Coaching Habit” by Michael Bungay Stanier, and “Becoming a Conflict Competent Leader” have given me practical leadership tools I use almost every day. Our company library embodies our culture of learning, with resources for a wide range of interests, from technical to leadership to design, and more. Just like my husband and I helped our boys find their own way to learn, Automattic helps each of us grow professionally in a place where being curious is a good thing.