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Issue: November, 2009
Book Beat
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Social Change 2.0: A Blueprint for Reinventing our World (©2009, High Point/Chelsea Green), by David Gershon, has a simple premise: That the natural starting point for changing our world for the better is us. That taking personal responsibility to make the needed changes within ourselves and our communities is the foundation for changing our institutions, not the other way around. That people are willing to make these changes if empowered by a personal vision and the means to bring it to fruition. That these changes can be accelerated and reinforced with the right laws and financial incentives, but the process begins with us. Gershon, who served as an advisor to the Clinton White House and to the United Nations, maintains that not only must we reinvent our world, but also the process by which we achieve transformation. The book offers five design principles that represent Social Change 2.0:
- Empowering people to voluntarily adopt new behaviors beneficial to themselves and to society;
- Transforming dysfunctional or marginally effective social systems so they can achieve a higher level of performance and social value;
- Inventing and implementing transformative social innovations;
- Building a more collaborative playing field to maximize the potential of a social system or social innovation;
- Leveraging and disseminating social innovations at larger levels of scale.
Embracing Cultural Competency (©2009, Alliance for Nonprofit Management), with lead author Patricia St. Onge, starts the dialogue on how organizations can start the conversation about race, ethnicity, and cultural diversity in a safe way. Through a range of methods (literature reviews, personal interviews, peer dialogue, and insights of the contributing authors), readers get a mosaic of perspectives that surround cultural competency. Part One of the book presents the landscape of five major ethnic communities in the United States, with individual chapters are written by authors who represent those communities: African American, American Indian, Asian/Pacific Islander, Latino, and White. Part Two discusses cultural competency as a process for discovering context and for changing institutions. Nonprofit capacity builders will discover a framework to help discuss issues related cultural competency; learn about methods, practices, and values that define cultural competency; understand the complexities within ethnic communities; and gain insights into the nature of institutionalized racism. Part Three, the resource section, includes material to support insights of the authors and ways to apply the concepts. This section points to resources already published, current perspectives, needs and possibilities, documented strategies, and a bibliography for further reading.
A leadership transition can be a time of high vulnerability for a nonprofit organization. On the other hand, an executive turnover offers unique opportunities for renewal and fresh thinking. Managing Executive Transitions (©2009, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services), by Tim Wolfred, shows how this state of transition can give board and staff members a chance to put things back together in new and creative ways. Included are case studies and hands-on tools such as planning agendas, timelines, sample letters, and communication tips will smooth the transition to new executive leadership. The book recommends a transformational process of three phases: prepare, pivot, and thrive.
- In the prepare phase, board members, staff, volunteers, and funders engage in an efficient process for updating the agency's strategic directions and crafting a profile of the skills needed in the next executive.
- In the pivot phase, a search ensues, conducted by a board reinvigorated and excited about the agency's future impact.
- In the thrive phase, the board engages the newly hired executive as a leadership partner and gives him or her clear performance priorities derived from the strategic directions.
In Patti Kelyman's line of work (investment banking), she routinely comes into contact with successful and rich people and has studied their attitudes, characteristics and outlooks on life. Her book, Deliberate Destiny: A Roadmap to Happiness and Success (©2009, AuthorHouse), is designed to improve the art of reaching goals. Among her suggestions: In order to attain a better life you have to look at it as if it's an investment; you can't focus on something intangible and expect something tangible to manifest itself; you must define success in order to achieve it; dreaming doesn't work; you must actually believe you can do something; learn the power of gratitude and be thankful for all you have in order to receive more.
Keeping Up in a Down Economy: What the Best Companies Do To Get Results in Tough Times (©2009, Pragmatic Publications), by Bob Nelson, PhD, provides a blueprint for managers and businesses on how to enhance employee morale, performance and productivity in a challenging economy, all without spending a lot of time, money or resources. The book examines variances in management practices between companies whose employee engagement scores have dramatically increased during the current recession, compared with organizations whose scores nosedived over a comparable period. It identifies six clear dimensions that any manager or organization can implement to create a more motivating work environment for their employees today:
- Create a clear and compelling direction;
- Provide direct, open and honest communication;
- Involve employees and encourage initiative;
- Increase employee autonomy, flexibility and support;
- Continue to focus on career growth and development; and
- Recognize and reward high performance
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