Rocking the Boat

Introduction

IN ROCKING THE BOAT, we explore two questions: First, how do individuals effect meaningful change from within their organizations? Second, how do organization members express identities and values that are different from the majority culture while fitting into that culture? In both instances, individuals must find ways to balance their desire to speak up, deviate from, or otherwise challenge the status quo against their need to tread cautiously to preserve their credibility within it.

To tackle the first question, I describe a spectrum of change tactics used by men and women in a variety of occupations and positions who hold an array of change agendas—from gender equity and the promotion of diversity to corporate environmentalism, ...