News from Ira Chaleff

Ira Chaleff wrote a new book on Intelligent Disobedience.

What on earth is that??

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I have been working on my new book for the past year and have waited to reach out to you until it was done. Well, it is done and has just shipped from the printer to book stores. So hello again! I hope you are doing well and will let me hear from you if you are so moved. Meanwhile, I'd like to tell you a bit about the book.

Intelligent Disobedience: Doing Right When What You're Told to Do Is Wrong is an extension of my work on courageous followership. Yet it is an entirely different book that takes a deep dive into the social forces that lead us to obey when we shouldn't and how to counter balance these forces. It will be particularly valuable to parents and teachers who are the earliest authority figures, and to those who work in sensitive jobs like law enforcement, medicine, transportation, finance or the military where obeying the wrong order can ruin lives.

The term Intelligent Disobedience comes from guide dog training. A guide dog spends the first 16 - 18 months of its life learning to obey all the commands it needs to know. Then it must be taught when and how NOT TO OBEY if obeying would cause harm to the team of human and dog. That is called Intelligent Disobedience.

This book is an examination of what it will take to teach human beings the same level of personal accountability in the face of the significant social pressure to obey authority.

Why is Intelligent Disobedience equally applicable to CEOs and K-12 teachers and parents?

Historically, I have written mainly in the context of the workplace. But we are not just our jobs - we play multiple roles such as citizen, community volunteer, coach, parent or caregiver. Intelligent Disobedience speaks to all these levels. Being able to respect authority in any context and to vigorously resist an ill thought out instruction from authority, hold equal importance in human development. They are essential for high functioning, ethical groups. The lack of this capacity results in the damage done by "just following orders".

Intelligent Disobedience is the missing factor in risk management programs, whether in a nuclear generation plant or at a pre-school day care center. The more capable you are of Intelligent Disobedience in one sphere of life, the better you will be at it in all spheres, and the better equipped you will be at transmitting these skills to those in your charge.

Who failed at Intelligent Disobedience recently?

The teachers and administrators in Atlanta who didn't resist pressure to raise standardized test scores and received jail sentences for obeying.

The VA hospital employees who masked lengthy waiting lists causing tragedies to patients and their families that waited too long for treatment.

The police in Ferguson who didn't question the use of military equipment to calm neighborhood anger and civil unrest.

No one thinks they will obey harmful orders until they do. Learn the psychology of what undermines our values and how to resist inappropriate pressure from authority. Then learn how to teach it to others - both young and old.

Click above to order the book and help start the discussion !

What are people saying?

"Reading this remarkable book has given me new hope for humanity."

- Dr. Phil Zimbardo, Designer of the famous Stanford Prison Experiment

"This book provides an essential element of ethical decision making."

- John Allison, former CEO and President of BB&T Bank Corporation

"Intelligent Disobedience has profound implications for preparing students for democratic citizenship."

- Robert Bravo

Come to Barcelona!

I am premiering a new workshop on Intelligent Disobedience at the International Leadership Association in Barcelona, Spain in October. It would be great if you could join me there. For conference information see http://bit.ly/1Mtp2xS.

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