Tempered Radicals: How People Use Difference to Inspire Change at Work

Many of us work in places where we have a vision for how things could be better -- how we could work differently, treat people more respectfully, act on our values. If only, we think -- we could do something different--then we would really feel good about ourselves and proud about the places we work. This book inspires you to lead that change, to act on your vision. In these times when the impulse is to hunker down and just do our jobs, Meyerson gives us role models of people who have been everyday heroes, leading change that made their organizations better for everybody.

Meyerson's wonderful book has many virtues, it is well-written, it is well-researched, and it has diverse and lively examples. Best of all, it shows that leadership is not something that is reserved for the most senior managers in an organization, but rather something that can be done by anyone. Another great virtue is that it shows how to make a difference in a company without selling out or faking it. It should be required reading for everyone before they enter the workforce. Companies would make more money, treat their people better, and be filled with more joy and less fear if leaders at all levels followed her wise advice, and adopted the spirited, but constructive, attituide that exudes from this fine book.

In the opening pages of Tempered Radicals, it is easy to see that Professor Meyerson has hit upon some very important issues in the workplace. As you read on, she also provides interesting and effective solutions. This book is well researched and thought out. It represents a very creative perspective on the modern organization. A definite read for all!

I bought this book because of it's universal applicability to business and Corporate America. What I found was that Debra Meyerson's book provided insight and a template on how to successfully effect change in any established group dyanic or organization from businesses to schools to non-profits to a small circle of friends. She effectively shows how a person can be true to their belief system and values, yet be a strong contributor in an organization that may not share the same beliefs...resulting in small but positive changes that pave the way for others.

Tempered Radicals will appeal to all those who feel uncomfortable at work. Professor Meyerson draws on over 200 interviews in 3 companies and with many change agents to provide role models for how to shift the world of work to more closely match your own values, preferences, and background. The examples include people of different social identity groups, lifestyle preferences, values, and beliefs from the majority in their work units or companies. A tempered radical is someone who responds to an inappropriate circumstance at work in a measured and thoughtful way, that leads to improving the situation for themselves and everyone else. They want change, but do not pursue a radical way of achieving that change. You and your spouse have busy careers. Your spouse is away overnight, and the kids are home with the baby sitter. Your boss asks you to fly to New York to negotiate a last-minute deal. What do you do? In this case, the husband politely declines to go, and asks his boss to give him more warning in the future. In a hard-driving technology company, people gently point out that 5:30 staff meetings mean missing dinner with the kids and gradually the meetings shift to earlier in the day. A gay man hears another executive complaining about how gay people are always showing off their sexuality. The gay man points out that he doesn’t have pictures of his partner in his office, but the man who is complaining has pictures with his wife and children. Now, who’s advertising his sexuality? Your company makes it hard to recycle. You arrange for appropriate containers to be placed at every desk, and people use them. The cleaning staff empties them at night. Your company says it wants to hire African-Americans, but only recruits at top-level colleges where your company is not competitive. You quietly put up notices in churches with African-American worshippers to let people know that they should apply at your company. You want to do a social audit of your company’s performance, but no one else knows what that is. You use your training program experiences to educate others and come up with a unanimous recommendation of your group’s task force that such an audit be held. The CEO agrees to let you go ahead. By reacting to misperceptions, oversights, and intolerance, individuals can help others to improve their perspective on what needs to be done. The environment improves, and at the right time greater gains can follow. That’s the main message of this book. It is all about leading from wherever you are in the organization, rather than a book for CEOs (although they will learn a lot about how to create and nurture a diverse workplace).In all the environments that Professor Meyerson investigated over 15 years, she found the following process at work:(1) People resist quietly in ways that let them stay true to themselves.(2) Personal threats are turned into opportunities to teach and improve the situation.(3) Focus shifts to broadening