by Ira Chaleff
July 7, 2015
224 pages
Boy, do we need this book! Many of us have faced situations where we were told to do something that we knew violated a policy, a law, or a moral standard. These situations presented us with few appropriate options. Intelligent Disobedience shows the reader how to recognize when an order or directive should be resisted and how best to resist it while keeping your job. The stories and examples are profound and will stick with you long after you’ve finished reading.
The author uses the analogy of a guide dog as one of the main tools to illustrate the principle of intelligent disobedience. A guide dog must be trained to help a blind person “see” and keep them safe. For the dog to do this, they must first learn how to behave and to obey commands. Next, the dog must learn how to break the rules when their human partner is unknowingly in danger. Chaleff uses this and other stories to create a framework for successfully navigating ethical dilemmas.
Some takeaways you may discover:
· How we learned to not question authority.
· Identifying situations when it is appropriate to disobey.
· The hidden dangers of saying “yes”.
· How to be heard when you say “no”.
· How to create an environment where people have both the courage and skills to speak up.
Applicable examples from emergency rooms, airplane cockpits, banks, and government offices are used throughout this powerful page turner. Stories from the Milgram Experiment, the Mount Washington McDonald's, and the World Trade Center are particularly moving.
Situations like the ones described in this book are the kind that cause leaders to lose hope. Great leaders must stand firmly on their principles and values and encourage other to do the same. This book can help you find solutions that bring peace of mind. It may even help your organization stay on the right path.
Comments