Practical Support for the Changing World at Work
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Resources
New additions will be made to this list monthly. If you would like to suggest resources that should be added to this list, please contact us.
This Month's Pick:
Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011. How do individuals process information to make decisions? How valid is intuition in decision making? How useful are experts? These are just a few of the topics tackled in this fascinating and complex book. By no means an easy read, this book is worth the time and attention it demands.
Resource ArchiveLeadership
and Change Management
Conflict
Resolution
Diversity
Issues
Internet Resources
Video Resources
Leadership and Change Management
The Leadership Moment: Nine True Stories of Triumph and Disaster and their Lessons for Us All by Michael Useem. Three Rivers Press, 1998. This book tells nine very different stories of leadership, from Civil War battles to the fight against river blindness in Africa. Specific leadership lessons are drawn from each case study. The chapter profiling Gene Krantz, mission control leader for Apollo 13, was a new and compelling take on a familiar story.
Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization by Dave Logan, John King, and Halee Fischer-Wright. HarperCollins 2008. This book not only has a clear and important message about understanding and managing organizational culture, but its 'tell it like it is' style is both engaging and refreshing. Any book that references the movie "Office Space" (among many other examples) when discussing organizational pitfalls is worth looking at, in my opinion.
Emotional Intelligence: Why it Can Matter More than IQ by Daniel Goleman. Bantam Books, 1995, new edition 2005. This book, written more than 10 years ago, has become a classic work in determining the factors that lead to success beyond standard measurements. There are many spin-offs to this book, but the original is still worth reading.
Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces that Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely. Harper-Collins, 2008. This fascinating and highly readable book discusses some of the specific factors that can lead to irrational or bad decisions. Of particular interest was the section dealing with the distinction between social norms and market norms-- unstated rules that will often make people work harder for free than they will for low pay. Many of the concepts are worth close consideration by anyone in a leadership position.
The Brilliant Disaster: JFK, Castro, and America's Doomed Invasion of Cuba's Bay of Pigs by Jim Rasenberger. Scribner, 2011. The 1961 invasion of Cuba by expatriots under the leadership of the United States has been used often as an example of groupthink, and how decision making among very smart people can go very wrong. The facts of the events were more nuanced and complicated than most accounts recognize. This new book tells the story in rich and compelling detail, and is a great case study for anyone interested in making better group decisions.
Island of the Lost: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World by Joan Druett. Algonquin Books, 2007. In desperate conditions, leadership really matters. In 1864, two different ships wrecked on opposite shores of the Auckland Islands, but because they were separated by an uninhabited and forbidding wilderness, the survivors from each wreck never knew about the existence of the other. One party of five thrived and ended up self-rescuing after surviving for more than 18 months. The other party of 19 quickly died off until only three remained, and they barely hung on for a year before being picked up by a passing ship. This book tells the story of both groups in a straightforward way that includes many leadership lessons for groups in any circumstances.
Alive by Piers Paul Read. Harper Perennial 1974, 2002. In 1972, a chartered plane crashed in the Andes carrying a young rugby team on its way to a competition in Chile. Expecting an uneventful short flight over the mountains, the passengers carried minimal clothing and personal items and almost no emergency supplies. What transpired for the survivors of the crash over the next 72 days is both horrifying and deeply inspiring, and a true case study in leadership under the most dire circumstances.
The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty by Caroline Alexander. Viking 2003. Most people have heard of the Mutiny on the Bounty, if only from old movies, but it is likely few understand the subtleties of the event and its historical significance. This book is a study in the failure of leadership, the importance of team, and the critical role of common mission.
Why We Make Mistakes by Joseph T. Hallinan. Broadway Books, 2009. This well researched yet highly readable book describes the many ways human beings make avoidable errors, from overestimating their abilities to multitasking. The author gives current (and often entertaining) examples that illustrate the many ways individuals go wrong while trying to do the right thing.
Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security by Christopher Cooper and Robert Block. Times Books, 2006. This is a well researched account of what went wrong and what could have happened differently in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The book references many primary sources and interviews with key figures as well as telling a number of stories not widely known. A very interesting book for anyone concerned with interagency response and organizational culture.
The Memory Jogger: A Pocket Guide of Tools for Continuous Improvement and Effective Planning by Michael Brassard and Diane Ritter. GOAL/QPC 1994. This small spiral bound book includes dozens of examples of planning and management tools, each with a clear explanation and tips for success. No theory here, just practical application. An incredible amount of useful information in a very small space.
Tough Training Topics: A Presenter's Survival Guide by Steve Albrecht. Pfeiffer/John Wiley Publishers, 2006. This book contains a wealth of practical information for presenters in any format, but is especially focused on the challenges associated with the tough training topics such as harassment prevention, conflict resolution, workplace violence prevention, and performance evaluation, among others. The first part of the book clearly outlines key points for good presentations and would be useful for all presenters, regardless of their topic or experience.
Mission-Based Management: Leading Your Not-For-Profit in the 21st Century by Peter C. Brinckerhoff. 2nd Edition. John Wiley & Sons, 2000. Although the focus of this book is not-for-profit organizations, it has plenty to offer to organizations of all types. The chapter on marketing is particularly useful. The emphasis on clear mission and accountability is critical to the success of any organization.
Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision-Making by Sam Kaner et. al. New Society Publishers, 1996. This is a very accessible book that is full of practical tips for better management of decision making processes. The book includes charts, diagrams, check lists, case studies, and specific activities.
The Speed of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything by Stephen M. R. Covey. Free Press, 2006. "Leadership is getting results in a way that inspires trust." This statement summarizes the focus of this book which looks at the various levels of trust and credibility as critical aspects of leadership. If you have read any of the author's father's work (Seven Habits of Highly Effective People etc.), much about this book will seem familiar. But it is always worth hearing again.
The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz. Harper Collins Publishers, 2004. Does having more options in our lives make us happier? Can having too many choices actually make people unhappier or less effective in decision making? What strategies do people use when their choices seem to expand nearly infinitely? These questions are addressed with wit and insight in this accessible and well researched book.
Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil by Hannah Arendt. Penguin Books, 1963, 1977. How is that ordinary people come to do extraordinarily horrible things? This book, based on original reporting at Adolf Eichmann's 1961 trial, is a harrowing and important study of good and evil, and the often fine line between the two. Especially interesting are the accounts of what people did or did not do to resist the Nazi "Final Solution" against the Jews in Europe.
Leading at the Edge: Leadership Lessons from the Extraordinary Saga of Shackleton’s Antarctic Expedition by Dennis N.T. Perkins with Margaret P. Holtman, Paul R. Kessler and Catherine McCarthy. Amacom Press, 2000. This book uses the amazing survival story of Ernest Shackleton’s failed 1914 Antarctic expedition as the basis for forming ten essential lessons about leadership. The book includes many details from the original accounts of the expedition, as well as making some interesting comparisons with other similar expeditions that had much less favorable outcomes.
The Ethics Edge edited by Evan M. Berman, Jonathan P. West & Stephen J. Bonczek. ICMA Practical Management Series, 1998. This book consists of twenty different articles and essays about workplace ethical challenges. There is a wide variety of approaches and styles, and the writing is both academically sound and accessible.
The Best and the Brightest by David Halberstam. Fawcett Publications, 1972. This is a classic and incredibly detailed study of the circumstances and leadership decisions that led the U.S. into involvement in the Vietnam War. Fascinating, readable, and all too timely.
102 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn. Times Books, 2005. This harrowing and riveting narrative describes the choices and many acts of heroism among those who were trapped in the World Trade Center as well as those who came to rescue them. There are countless lessons about leadership at its most essential level. You won't be able to put it down.
Grassroots and Nonprofit Leadership: A Guide for Organizations in Changing Times by Berit Lakey, George Lakey, Rod Napier and Janice Robinson. New Society Publishers, 1995. Although written with nonprofit organizations in mind, this book has much to offer organizations that are trying to clarify their missions, manage staff and volunteers, and deal with change.
Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future by Margaret J. Wheatley. Berrett-Koehler Publishers 2002. Meg Wheatley is one of this country's leading voices on management theory, but this is not your typical management book. Instead, Dr. Wheatley combines short essays, poetry, queries and stories to promote conversations about what kind of future we want to create.
Making Meetings Work: Achieving High Quality Group Decisions by John E. Tropman, Sage Publications, 1996. This book goes well beyond common wisdom and feel-good rhetoric and takes a scientific approach to designing and running meetings that actually accomplish their goals, while at the same time creating increased opportunities for member involvement.
Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History selected and introduced by William Safire. W.W. Norton and Co. 2004. This updated version of a previous book provides historical context and original texts for hundreds of famous and not-so-famous speeches from ancient Greece to the present. It's a great reference for those in positions of influencing others.
Four Hours in My Lai by Michael Bilton and Kevin Sim. Penguin Books, 1992. This detailed and harrowing account of the massacre at My Lai includes extensive research into the prelude and follow up to the event. This is a critically important study of the role that leadership plays when ordinary people do terrible things.
It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff. Warner Books, 2002. Captain Abrashoff's methods for transforming one of the worst ships in the Navy to one of the best are simple, but no less important because of that. Trust people and empower them to make decisions. Get to know the people who work for you. Be accessible. Take calculated risks. Create an underlying sense of purpose. Give credit where credit is due. Advocate for those who look to you for leadership.
The Abilene Paradox and Other Meditations on Management by Jerry B. Harvey. Lexington Books, 1988. Although published over 15 years ago, this book still has much to offer in the discussion of leadership and management. In addition to the title essay which discusses the problem of "managing agreement," other excellent chapters include "Captain Asoh and the Concept of Grace," and "Eichmann in the Organization."
The 9/11 Commission Report W.W. Norton and Co., 2004. Compelling, thorough and remarkably well written, this report should be read by every American. At the very least, all emergency service providers should read the chapter entitled "Heroism and Horror."
The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki. Doubleday, 2004. After reading this book, you will never think the same again about how groups make decisions. The book is well researched, fascinating, and ultimately readable.
Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions by Gary Klein. The MIT Press, 1998. This fascinating book about decision making uses examples from the emergency services, including specific fire service scenarios.
Job Feedback: Giving, Seeking and Using Feedback for Performance Improvement by Manuel London. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers, 1997. This book takes researched yet accessible approach to a topic that doesn't get nearly enough attention. The text is well organized and contains many good points for better feedback.
TeamWork: What Must Go Right, What Can Go Wrong by Carl E. Larson and Frank. M. J. LaFasto (Sage Publications, 1989) is an excellent resource on principle-based leadership. The book is brief, focused and practical in its observations and suggestions.
Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading by Ronald A. Heifetz and Marty Linsky (Harvard Business School Press, 2002) offers a clear guide to the challenges and rewards of what the authors refer to as adaptive leadership.
The Logic of Failure: Why things go wrong and what we can do to make them right by Dietrich Dorner (Metropolitan Books) is a fascinating book about why good intentions and plans sometimes yield bad results. The book is both highly readable and well researched, using computer modeling to illustrate its concepts.
A Practical Guide to Organization Design by Margaret R. Davis and David A. Weckler. Crisp Publications, 1996. This slim book does a good job explaining the complex subject of business process reengineering. The format is clear and includes examples and workbook pages for each chapter.
The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr. W.W. Norton 2010. There is growing research that technology developments such as the Internet change not only how we learn but also how we think. This book takes a historical, scientific, and personal approach to this issue that may seem a bit ponderous to some, but utterly fascinating to many others. In particular, the author discusses the ramifications to society when people are no longer motivated to or even capable of "deep reading" and the thought processes that accompany it.
Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas by James L. Adams. Addison-Wesley Publishers. This fun, fascinating book challenges and instructs on the subject of learning how to think more creatively and effectively. Filled with exercises that illustrate the topics, and heavily (and often humorously) illustrated, this book has much to offer any manager who wants to foster a more resourceful and innovative workforce.
Organizational Culture and Leadership by Edgar H. Schein. Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1992. This academic but quite readable book is one of the best resources for understanding how organizational culture develops and how it affects performance and the ability to change. If you have interest in this topic, and you take the time needed for this book, you will be amply rewarded.
The Challenger Launch Decision: Risky Technology, Culture, and Deviance at NASA by Diane Vaughn. The University of Chicago Press, 1996. This book is an exhaustively researched, yet still remarkably readable account of how good people can make bad decisions. The book provides a detailed chronology and analysis of the events that led up to the space shuttle tragedy in 1986, focusing on how subtle aspects of organizational culture influenced the decisions along the way.
Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing. Carroll & Graf Publishers, New York: 1959, 1999. This is absolutely one of the best studies in leadership and team management you will ever read. This historical account recreates the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton, who sailed from England in 1914 for the purpose of launching an expedition across the interior of Antarctica. No one could have predicted the calamities that the team would encounter once underway, or the ultimate outcome of the voyage. If you are not familiar with this story, the book will keep you on the edge of your seat with its exciting, suspenseful narrative. Even if you know the story, pay attention to the actions of Shackleton as he leads his crew of 27 men through one disaster after another. Notice his attention to detail, and his total commitment to his men in every action and word. He is an inspiration to anyone who has ever led others under adverse conditions.
Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change by William Bridges. Addison-Wesley Publishing, 1991. Philosophical and practical at the same time, with exercises and checklists at the end of each chapter. Also by the same author: Transitions, an inquiry into personal change.
The Art of the Long View: Planning for the Future in an Uncertain World by Peter Schwartz. Doubleday, 1996. The basics of scenario-based planning.
The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization by Peter M. Senge. Doubleday, 1990. A fundamental text on creating positive organizational change.
101 Creative Problem Solving Techniques: The Handbook of New Ideas for Business by James M. Higgins. The New Management Publishing Company, 1994. This dense but user friendly book provides dozens of specific ideas for moving through the problem solving process. Exercises which enhance problem definition, brainstorming and implementation are included as well as case histories and extensive reference lists. This book is corporate focused in its examples, and does require some commitment to be useful, but it contains a wealth of great ideas all presented in one place. top
Conflict Resolution
Non-Adversarial Communication: Speaking and Listening from the Heart by Arlene Brownell with Thomas Bache-Wiig. Velvet Spring Press, 2007. This book provides a clear and widely applicable approach to difficult communication, including many practical exercises.
The Eight Essential Steps to Conflict Resolution by Dudley Weeks (Putnam, 1992) is a clearly written, practical guide to conflict resolution strategies at work, at home and in the community.
Conflict Resolution: Theory, Research, and Practice by James A. Schellenberg. State University of New York Press, 1996. This book is a fascinating combination of theory, some of it quite obscure, and the most practical case studies in conflict management. In addition, the history of conflict studies is well documented. Although academic in its purpose, the book is quite readable.
Workplace Wars and How to End Them: Turning Personal Conflict into Productive Teamwork by Kenneth Kaye. Amacom, 1994. This clearly written, focused book outlines a five step plan for improving workplace relationships. The approach is pragmatic and well illustrated with examples and graphics. The importance of creating an organizational Conflict Resolving System is a central principle of this author's message.
The Harvard Business Review on Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Collected papers, Harvard Business School Press, 2000. This book, part of a series for business leaders, collects previously published academic papers on the topics of negotiation and conflict resolution. Many of these papers are older, but their lessons are timeless. The first paper, "Management of Differences" is as applicable today as it was when first published in the 1960s.
Consensus Through Conversation: How to Achieve High-Commitment Decisions by Larry Dressler. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2006. This small book is a clear, concise guide to the process of consensus decision making. The bibliography and resources are particularly useful.
Mediating Dangerously: The Frontiers of Conflict Resolution by Kenneth Cloke (Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2001). This book gets away from more formulaic models of mediation and demands that those who resolve conflict look at themselves as well as the external situation. A fresh and challenging approach to the topic.
From Conflict to Cooperation: How to Mediate a Dispute by Beverly Potter. Ronin Publishing, 1996. This is a clear, practical guidebook for mediating common interpersonal disputes both in the workplace and at home. The book offers lots of examples which illustrate useful techniques for conflict resolution. The tips relating to logistics of difficult meetings are particularly valuable.
Working Relationships: The Simple Truth About Getting Along With Friends and Foes at Work by Bob Wall. Davies-Black Publishing, 1999. If you can get past the Wal-Mart style happy-face illustrations in this book, it has some basic but valuable information about interpersonal relations at work.
Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement without Giving In by Roger Fisher and William Ury. Penguin Books, 1991. THE essential reference on the principles of interest-based negotiation. Also by the same authors: Getting Past No and recently published Difficult Conversations.
The Mediator's Handbook by Jennifer E. Beer and Eileen Stief. New Society Publishers, 1997. A clear and practical guide to the mediation process, with lots of examples.
Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Shelia Heen. Penguin Books, 1999. This simple, straightforward book has much to offer those who dread the difficult conversations in their personal and work lives. The format is clear and the book offers many practical examples of the model it presents.
The Mediation Process: Practical Strategies for Resolving Conflict by Christopher W. Moore. Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1996. A thorough, textbook approach to the mediation process.
The Tao of Negotiation: How You Can Prevent, Resolve, and Transcend Conflict in Work and Everyday Life by Joel Edelman and Mary Beth Crain. HarperCollins Publishers, 1993. This book covers a wide range of conflict resolution issues and strategies in a readable format. top
Diversity Issues
I Have a Dream: Writings and Speeches that Changed the World by Martin Luther King Jr. HarperSanFrancisco 1992. It has been over 40 years since the death of Martin Luther King, yet his words are just as eloquent and pertinent today as they were then. This book includes all of Dr. King's major speeches and a number of lesser known presentations and essays, as well as the entire text of Letter From a Birmingham Jail.
On the Line: Women Firefighters Tell Their Stories by Linda Frances Willing. JTD Press, 2011. This is the first book to profile women firefighters from across North America as they tell their best fire department stories and talk about what it means to be a woman on the job. The book features profiles and interviews with over 35 women, some with over 30 years experience and some with less than two. The stories they tell are inspiring, realistic, and often funny, and clearly demonstrate women's commitment to the job of firefighting. NOW AVAILABLE from Amazon.com and other online vendors as well as through www.rwtraining.com.
Freedom's Daughters: The Unsung Heroines of the Civil Rights Movement from 1830 to 1970 by Lynne Olson. Scribner, 2001. When most people think of leaders from the Civil Rights Movement, they think of men: Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis, and Andrew Young among others. Yet many of the key organizers and strategists during that period were women who remain largely unknown even today. This book rectifies that oversight with fascinating and extremely well written stories of the women who were leaders in the fight against racism and injustice in this country. This book is must reading for anyone interested in the modern Civil Right Movement in the United States.
My Soul is Rested: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement in the Deep South by Howell Raines. Viking-Penguin, 1977, 1983. This book captures the voices of those who made history during the 1960s in the Deep South, for better and worse. The author, who grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, went on to become a nationally known journalist and publisher. In this superb oral history, a remarkable variety of people speak of their experiences, including activists, politicians, police officers, KKK members, Freedom Riders, and ordinary citizens swept up in the movement that changed this nation and the world.
The Thunder of Angels: The Montgomery Bus Boycott and the People who Broke the Back of Jim Crow by Donnie Williams with Wayne Greenhaw. Lawrence Hill Books, 2006. Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” This book details one example of the truth of this statement. In 1955, following the arrest of Rosa Parks, black citizens of Montgomery, Alabama organized a successful boycott of the bus system that ultimately led to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that undercut the constitutionality of segregation laws in general. This event was the beginning of Martin Luther King Jr as a leader of the modern civil rights movement, but the book highlights the contributions of many other lesser known and equally important figures in the story.
Breach of Peace: Portraits of the 1961 Mississippi Freedom Riders by Eric Etheridge. Atlas, 2008. A picture really is worth a thousand words. This beautiful and moving book starts with the police mug shots of Freedom Riders and follows up with portraits taken in 2006. The concise text is based on interviews with the surviving participants in the movement 50 years ago and tells the story of idealism, commitment, courage, and unwavering faith that individuals can make a real difference.
Carry Me Home: Birmingham, Alabama: The Climactic Battle of the Civil Rights Revolution by Diane McWhorter. Simon & Schuster, 2002. Many of the most indelible images of the civil rights movement came from Birmingham, Alabama in 1963: firehoses trained on protesters, children facing down police dogs, the bodies of four girls being carried from a bombed out church. This exhaustively researched book presents details of that year and the racial history of Birmingham on both a global and very local scale that are sure to inform even the most knowledgable person regarding that period of history. In particular, the role of Fred Shuttlesworth is well documented.
Freedom Summer: The Savage Season that Made Mississippi Burn and Made America a Democracy by Bruce Watson. Viking Press, 2010. In the summer of 1964, volunteers from around the United States went to Mississippi to participate in a project that would register African-American voters and establish "freedom schools" for poor black children. Before the end of the summer, three of those volunteers had been murdered by local law enforcement officers, and the history of Mississippi and of the United States had been forever changed. This new accounting of that fateful summer is told with extraordinary insight and clarity, and is recommended reading for any student of the Civil Rights movement.
Confederacy of Silence: A True Tale of the New Old South by Richard Rubin. Atria Books, 2002. When Richard Rubin was 21, he took a job for a year as a sports reporter for a small newspaper in Greenwood, Mississippi. As a native New Yorker and a Jew, he was most definitely a fish out of water. Seven years later, he returned to Greenwood to cover a murder trial. This book is full of insight and self-reflection on issues of race and culture, and the outcome will surprise you.
Building Cultural Intelligence: Nine Megaskills by Richard D. Bucher. Pearson-Prentice Hall, 2008. This book deals with contemporary cultural challenges in a style that is part textbook and part workbook. The chapters are clearly written and include many self-assessment tools, practical strategies, and current citations.
Report of the Comprehensive Review of the Issues Associated with a Repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" U.S. Department of Defense, November 30, 2010. You've heard from the newscasters, the columnists, and the pundits-- now read for yourself what the report really has to say. In over 200 pages, this report clearly describes the potential benefits and challenges associated with the open inclusion of gays and lesbians in the armed forces. The research is extensive, the writing is good, and the examples are clear and on point. This report is freely available online.
From the Outside In: Seven Strategies for Success When You're Not a Member of the Dominant Group in the Workplace by Renee Blank and Sandra Slipp Ph.D. Amacom Publishers, 2000. How can you achieve success and acceptance at work when you're the "only one?" This book offers some practical advice for those who may be perceived as being different in the workplace.
The Equal Opportunities Handbook: How to deal with everyday issues of unfairness By Phil Clements and Tony Spinks. 4th edition. Kogan Page Publishing, London 2006. Written for a British audience, some of the laws and language will not be applicable to the US audience, but the basic premises are sound. The book includes some interesting references to research related to discrimination and prejudice extending far beyond the workplace.
Investigating Sexual Harassment in Law Enforcement and Nontraditional Fields for Women by Penny E. Harrington and Kimberly A. Lonsway. Prentice Hall Publishers, 2006. This clear and comprehensive book addresses the problem of sexual harassment investigations in the context of law enforcement and other fields of work where women are a distinct minority. One of the authors is a former police chief and director of the National Center for Women and Policing.
Sexual Harassment in America: A Documentary History by Laura W. Stein. Greenwood Press, 1999. This edited collection of original documents related to sexual harassment includes articles, court decisions, government documents, and more. A very useful and well organized reference.
My Soul Looks Back in Wonder: Voices of the Civil Rights Experience by Juan Williams. AARP Sterling Publishing, 2004. This inspiring book recounts dozens of stories of individuals' involvement with the civil rights movement in this country, both historically and currently. Contributors include the famous as well as many little known people who made their mark.
What to Do When You Don't Want to Call the Cops: A Non-Adversarial Approach to Sexual Harassment by Joan Taylor Kennedy. New York University Press, 1999. It's not often that a book on sexual harassment really says something new. This book, written by a self-described libertarian feminist, is provocative, insightful, controversial, and ultimately, a worthy voice in the ongoing discussion of sexual harassment.
When Generations Collide: Who they are. Why they clash. How to solve the generational puzzle at work. By Lynne C. Lancaster and David Stillman. HarperBusiness, 2002. The chapters on feedback and training were particularly informative.
Motivating the “What’s In it for Me?” Workforce by Cam Marston. John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken NJ 2007. Generational diversity at work is a huge issue these days. This book addresses the topic with a conversational style, some good insights, and revealing interviews with representatives from each workplace generation.
Generations at Work: Managing the Clash of Veterans, Boomers, Xers, and Nexters in Your Workplace by Ron Zemke, Claire Raines and Bob Filipczak. Amacom, 2000. This book outlines differences among the four generations currently active in the workplace, and provides insight for improving inter-generational harmony.
Honoring Boundaries: Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace by Joyce Kaser, Human Resource Development Press, 1995. This book is outdated regarding recent legal decisions affecting harassment, but its pragmatic and clear approach to preventing workplace harassment is still useful to managers and leaders.
In the aftermath of last September 11th, little attention was given to the contributions of women emergency workers at the World Trade Center or the Pentagon. A new book, Women at Ground Zero by Susan Hagen and Mary Carouba (Alpha Publishers, 2002) corrects this omission by collecting the stories of a diverse group of women who served New York City on that day.
Firefighters A to Z by Chris Demarest (Scholastic Press) is a beautifully illustrated, informative book that depicts a fully inclusive fire service by gender and race. This book, most appropriate for children ages 3-6, also helps preschoolers learn their ABC's as they see the firefighters' day unfold.
Recruiting and Retaining Women: A Self-Assessment Guide for Law Enforcement. Published by the National Center for Women in Policing. This detailed guidebook provides clear and specific guidelines for the successful recruitment, hiring, and retention of women in law enforcement agencies. End of chapter checklists are particularly helpful. This book is currently in its first printing; for more information on how to obtain a copy, call 323-651-2532
A National Report Card on Women in Firefighting by Denise M. Hulett, Marc Benedick Jr, Sheila Y. Thomas and Francine Moccio. April 2008. This is one of the most comprehensive recent studies of the status of women in firefighting, detailing the specific obstacles women face and what needs to happen to increase the numbers of women in the profession. Go to www.i-women.org to download the document.
Understanding and Preventing Sexual Harassment: The Complete Guide by Peter Rutter, M.D. Bantam Books, 1996. The author of this book, a clinical psychiatrist, takes a fresh and nuanced approach to workplace sexual harassment that is based in psychology more than law. The book is a bit dated in its use of case examples, but the underlying insights are sound and may be particularly applicable to low level or "gray area" cases of harassment.
Mastering Diversity: Managing for Success Under ADA and Other Anti-discrimination Laws by James Walsh. Merritt Publishing. This straight-talking and often provocative book is full of useful information and detailed case histories covering the entire spectrum of discrimination and harassment law. Included in the extensive appendices are specific guidelines for managing diversity and sample forms for reporting incidents related to harassment or discrimination.
Cultural Diversity in Organizations: Theory, Research and Practice by Taylor Cox Jr. Berret-Kohler Publishers, 1994. Somewhat academic in its approach, but well written and with many eye-opening observations.
Real Heat: Gender and Race in the Urban Fire Service by Carol Chetkovich. Rutgers University Press, 1997. An in-depth study of the cultural and working conditions on one urban fire department. Insightful and honest in its approach.
You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation by Deborah Tannen. Ballantine Books, 1990. An essential reference on the topic of gender differences in communication. Also by the same author: That's Not What I Meant and Talking From 9 to 5.
Sexual Harassment on the Job by William Petrocelli and Barbara Kate Repa. Nolo Press. Check with the publisher (www.nolo.com) for the latest update. Excellent, practical reference on sexual harassment law and its application.
Many Faces, One Purpose and Many Women Strong. These two books, published by the United States Fire Administration, provide the answers to most questions about issues of gender integration in the fire service. Many Faces, One Purpose is a guidebook for fire managers who want to succeed in hiring and retaining good women as firefighters. Many Women Strong is a book specifically focused on the questions and issues of women considering fire service careers. Both books include extensive, clear information on subjects ranging from hiring and promotion to sexual harassment to child care to facilities to grooming standards. Much of the information is not gender specific, and will be of interest to leaders who want to maintain the highest quality workforce overall. Both books are available free from the USFA and can be ordered on-line at www.usfa.fema.gov (click on publications).
All That We Can Be: Black Leadership and Racial Integration the Army Way by Charles C. Moskos and John Sibley Butler. BasicBooks 1996. The Army is the most integrated large organization in America, and it has a vastly higher percentage of African-Americans in positions of leadership compared to any major corporation. This book examines how the Army went from being strictly segregated to being widely and successfully integrated, in the space of 50 years. This well-researched and highly readable account of significant organizational change has something to say to everyone interested in the challenges posed by racial diversity. top
Internet
Resources
www.bullybusters.org provides information and articles related to workplace bullying in the United States and Canada. This site is sponsored by the Workplace Bullying and Trauma Institute, based in Bellingham, WA.
FireRescue1 is an online magazine with many resources for fire professionals including news, columns, and product reviews. Starting in 2008, Linda Willing has written a regular column on team development and company officer issues called Leading the Team.
www.businessknowhow.com is a site with a wealth of information in the areas of human resources, leadership, and marketing. The site includes articles and excerpts from recently published books. If you can see beyond the proliferation of advertisements, this site has much to offer.
Business and Legal Reports www.blr.com is a website that is mostly about selling products to assist in human resources management. But scroll down to the bottom of the home page and find the box for free subscriptions to several e-zines that discuss personnel management, safety and other topics. The HR Daily Advisor is particularly valuable.
www.law.cornell.edu is the website for the Cornell University Law School. The site is not particularly easy to navigate, but does contain some very useful information that may be difficult to find elsewhere.
www.employmentlawalliance.com provides free access to articles, news clips, survey results and other information related to workplace diversity and other legal issues. Click on "Newsroom" from the home page.
www.laborproject.org is the address for the Labor Project for Working Families, a national nonprofit advocacy and policy organization which provides resources and education for unions and union members on issues related to work and family. The site includes resources and links on child care, elder care, family leave, and developing contract language to improve work/family relationships.
www.equalrights.org is the website for Equal Rights Advocates, an organization that supports equal rights and economic opportunities for women and girls. This site contains a lot of interesting information and useful links.
www.ethics.org is the website for the nonprofit Ethics Resource Center. The site offers a free newsletter, articles, links, reports on research and other resources related to ethics in the workplace and the community.
www.hrnext.com offers a wealth of human resources tools and references, including sample policies, articles, and tips. Unfortunately, most of the material at the site is available to members only, for a substantial fee. Still, there are useful items free for the taking.
http://writ.news.findlaw.com/grossman/ is the web address for the column archives of Joanna Grossman, law professor at Hofstra University and specialist on issues related to workplace harassment and discrimination. Ms. Grossman writes about specific current case law and its application to the workplace in a clear and concise manner, and many of the articles have particular relevance to the emergency services.
www.shrm.org/diversity is a section of the website for the Society for Human Resource Management that is devoted to issues of workplace diversity. Although some of the material on the site is available to society members only, there is still a vast amount of information available to anyone, including articles, links, and presentation materials.
www.woodrickinstitute.org is the website for the Woodrick Institute for the Study of Racism and Diversity, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This organization sponsors a number of different types of training and also publishes an online fee-for-subscription newsletter called Do Diversity Right.
The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (www.fmcs.gov) is a government agency that assists organizations nationwide with problems requiring mediation and related services. The FMCS has offices across the country and its services are low cost or in some cases, free. They also have some publications available.
www.cfdonline.org/diversity.htm The Charlottesville, VA Fire Department has put together an impressive list of links to diversity-related sites, many of them fire department focused.
www.nlj.com/special/courts.shtml Presented by the National Law Journal, this resource is a great one-stop resource for those seeking direct access to legal cases at all levels (state, federal and circuit). Constructed like an index, this site will give you access to virtually any legal decision that has been made in the United States.
The website for the American Institute for Managing Diversity www.aimd.org offers good general information about workplace diversity, as well as an excellent bibliography and links to other resources.
www.wls-law.com/newsletters is the site of a monthly newsletter published by a private law firm specializing in labor and employment law. The newsletters provide clear, brief summaries of recent cases in this area.
England has been a leader in addressing and preventing generalized workplace harassment, or bullying, that may not be related to protected class status. The website www.workplacebullying.co.uk/index.html is an excellent resource on this subject.
www.dol.gov is the home page for the Department of Labor website. Not the most user-friendly site, this site is nonetheless full of important information. Links take you directly to the pertinent laws. Suggestion: Bookmark the pages you use, and skip the homepage entry.
http://library.uncg.edu/depts/docs/us/harass.html Looking for information about sexual harassment? The University of North Carolina, Greensboro has put together this extensive reference list and links page. The web page says it "contains links to information on sexual harassment from a great variety of sources" and the site more than fulfills this claim. Links will take you to complete government publications and other source material on the subject that you can print and use at your convenience.
www.sexharassment.net is a highly informative site on the subject of sexual harassment in the workplace. The format is logical, if dense, and the site includes an excellent glossary of legal terms associated with discrimination and harassment.
www.legalengine.com is a huge, informative site with much more than just information about the law. This site has terrific links to current news stories, and also offers historical census data, links to state and local governments, and much, much more.
www.mediate.com is a website full of valuable information about mediation and alternative dispute resolution. The site includes dozens of articles, discussions groups, and information about all aspects of mediation.
www.census.gov: For the latest national census results, and much more. This site has detailed information from the census as well as related articles and press releases, all clearly indexed and cataloged.
www.law.com: This well-designed website gives daily updates on current legal issues as well as re-printing topical law journal articles. The site is user-friendly and doesn't try to include too much. Additional articles and services, including interactive on-line seminars, are available for a fee, but most of the material is free for the taking.
www.findlaw.com This excellent website offers free access to many legal resources, including transcripts of court decisions at several levels. The home page has recently been simplified, somewhat to its detriment in terms of scope of information offered, but if you click on "For Legal Professionals" you will find links to just about anything you might need.
www.managementconsultingnews.com is a website mainly aimed at professional consultants but there is information here of value to anyone interested in successful leadership and change management. Click on the interviews tab from the home page to get a taste of current ideas from dozens of the best known names in leadership theory.
www.adr.org: This is the website for the American Arbitration Association (AAA) , a 75 year old national nonprofit organization specializing in alternative dispute resolution (arbitration, mediation, and other forms of out-of-court settlements.) This site offers selected articles from AAA publications (e.g. "Selecting the Right Mediator"), procedural models and guidelines (check out their model for resolving sexual harassment claims), and information about the organization's resources and services. This is an organization and site that is mostly written by lawyers, but don't be put off by the legalese. There's a lot of good information here.
www.eeoc.gov: This is the website for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and really should be bookmarked on every fire manager's Internet list. This site features recent press releases, enforcement guidelines for discrimination and harassment law, information about mediation and EEOC programs, and very practical and specific information in a Q&A format about employer liability for discrimination and harassment.
www.iafc.org: The home page for the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
www.i-women.org: The homepage for the International Association of Women in Fire and Emergency Services
www.iaff.org: The home page for the International Association of Firefighters, the largest labor union of firefighters in the United States.
www.iabpff.org is the website for the International Association of Black Professional Firefighters. The site includes many resources and links, including photos of past events, information about chapters of the organization, and historical context. The IABPFF was formed in 1970 to support black and minority firefighters and currently has over 5000 members.
www.nahf.org: The home page for the National Association of Hispanic Firefighters. top
Video
Taking the Heat available through PBS. This one hour documentary tells the story of the first women firefighters on the New York City Fire Department.
Freedom Riders American Experience, PBS Television, 2011. This two hour documentary tells the story of the historic efforts in 1961 to desegregate public transportation in the South. In 1961, a small racially mixed group began a journey from Washington DC to New Orleans, only to be stopped by extreme violence in Alabama. Hundreds of volunteer Freedom Riders from around the country flooded in to take up the cause, resulting in an event that solidified the Civil Rights Movement at that time. The bravery of individuals in the face of hatred and violence is truly inspiring.
My Lai Public Broadcasting System, American Experience Series, 2010. This 90 minute documentary examines the causes and aftermath of the actions of American soldiers at My Lai in 1968 during the Vietnam War. The program was based on the book Four Hours in My Lai and includes discussion of leadership issues that contributed to the massacre as well as new footage of interviews with survivors and soldiers present there that day.
Crash Lion's Gate Films, 2004. This commercial film deals with the consequences of anger, fear, and racism during a 36 hour period in post 9/11 Los Angeles. The ensemble cast features major stars and relative unknowns, but the draw of the film is its unflinching portrayal of real people dealing with real issues, for better and for worse. This is a film that deserves to be seen and talked about.
Sex, Power, and the Workplace produced by public television station KCET (Los Angeles). Sixty minutes in length, includes several case histories, including one fire service example. Call 1-800-343-4727 for ordering information. top