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

Tempered Radicals--they may not sound like the type of people who will start revolutions or topple corrupt governments, but in the corporate world it is often these quiet change advocates that get the ball rolling and the policies changing. In her thoughtful study of employees whose differences place them outside the mainstream organisational culture, Meyerson uses this term for those who want to succeed in their organisations without compromising their ideological beliefs and personal lives. People who hope to "fit in without selling out" operate on a fault line, says Meyerson. While contributing to their companies' success, they represent agendas or differences that are often at odds with the dominant culture. This can involve their social identities, such as race, gender, or sexual orientation, or their philosophical values and beliefs, such as a concern for social justice, environmental sustainability or family-friendly working conditions. They are not radicals in the sense that they want to enact a marked departure from the traditional, but tempered radicals in that they both challenge and uphold the status quo, working "within systems, not against them". Seeking to map out the space between conformity and extreme radicalism, Meyerson conducted in-depth interviews with almost 200 people in three very different organisations. The result is an insightful look at the way these people bring about change, how to leverage small wins and how to organise collective action. Tempered Radicals is sure to be a beacon of encouraging light for those who want to make a difference from within and an inspiration to those who might have assumed that changing one's environment meant changing one's job. --S KetchumRead More