Q: Someone asks you in passing, “What’s your book about?”

Just Work is about creating workplaces where people can do their very best work -- where people can freely collaborate with respect. Yet, we all know that a lot of workplaces aren’t like that. This book is an effort to break down the problem of workplace injustice, so we can solve it. I look at six component parts -- bias, prejudice, bullying, discrimination, harassment, and physical violations -- that make institutional betrayal all too likely.

Q: How does Just Work relate to institutional courage?

As I see it, institutional courage is present when leaders do the right thing in addressing workplace injustice, even if it’s difficult or costly in the short term. I believe that what is right and what is effective over the long term are usually well aligned. The conflict usually comes between what is moral and what is expedient for short-term profits. But in the long run, injustice doesn’t pay. It does take courage to create a Just Work climate, yet I also see it as enlightened self-interest. Institutions that are courageous will get the most out of their people and, ultimately, get results.

Q. You see power as key to institutional courage -- say more?

Yes, and more specifically -- limiting power. I think that leaders often try to optimize for their own control, rather than creating a just system. It takes courage to give up that control, and replace it with efficient checks and balances. To be clear, I’m not talking about substituting unilateral authority for a climate of consensus building. That’s not efficient. Nobody hates bureaucracy more than me, and even a good process can take on a life of its own. So you have to keep scraping the barnacles off your process so it doesn’t slow you down more than it needs to.

Q: What might these checks and balances look like in practice?

For example, institutions should reject the abuse of NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) and forced arbitration. They should remove any unilateral authority to hire, fire, promote, and dictate compensation and bonuses. They should routinely analyze compensation data that is cut by gender and race, measure the bias, and correct for it.

Q: We at Courage primarily focus on the institutional opportunity to remedy and prevent sexual violence. How does your book address this topic?

I talk about creating a culture of consent. The pandemic has actually given us a great opportunity to get this right. For example, a lot of people don’t want to shake hands anymore. So if you want to shake someone’s hand, the onus is on you to learn -- and respect -- that person’s wishes. If we start with a handshake, we can hopefully influence these bigger issues of bodily autonomy. Leaders also need to fix three institutional problems that compound the harm of sexual violence. One: there’s not a trusted mechanism to report it; Two: investigations are often tilted to find that there was no harm; and Three: even if they do find evidence of harm, they don’t actually punish the perpetrator!

Q: What gives you hope as an educator?

I’m optimistic about the number of leaders who care about workplace injustice and want to get this right. I credit the Black Lives Matter and MeToo movements for raising awareness and motivating leaders to tackle these issues head-on. I'd love to hear from anyone who reads this book about what you’re motivated to do to spark more courage in the institutions you care about.