Name Change: Radical Respect
The paperback of Just Work is going to come out in May of 2024 under the name Radical Respect. There’s a lot that’s new besides the title. It’s been radically edited. Just Work came out in March 2021. Once I saw teams taking the book and putting it into practice in their organizations, I realized several things. A shorter book would be a better book. So I cut 40,000 words–Radical Respect is more than a third shorter. I reordered it so that it started with what leaders could do. I think when we put too much onus on people harmed and upstanders, it’s not fair to either. Leaders need to lead if we are to solve the problems that get int the way of a respectful work environment. Radical Respect increased the focus on the practical, tactical things that each of us can do to create the kind of workplace we long for.
WHAT IS RADICAL RESPECT?
The word respect has two very different meanings. The first has to do with admiration for someone’s abilities, qualities, or achievements. That kind of admiration has to be earned. But that’s not what I’m talking about in Radical Respect.
The definition of respect I’m using here is a regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, and traditions of others. This kind of respect is something we owe to everyone; it is not something that needs to be “earned.”
The kind of respect that is the birthright of every human being is crucial to a healthy culture. We don’t have to respect a person’s opinion on a particular topic — we can disagree, vehemently. We don’t have to respect a particular action a person took — we can still disapprove and hold them accountable. But we do have to respect that person as a human being if we want to be able to work together productively while also leaving space to disagree and hold each other accountable when necessary.
Radical Respect happens in workplaces that do two things at the same time:
- Optimize for collaboration, not coercion.
- Honor individuality, don’t demand conformity.
I sure do love a good 2x2. Here it is:
