Culture Shift: Nonviolence at Work

by Kit Miller

How do you work? In businesses and nonprofits, families and faith communities, how we work matters. Culture Shift: Nonviolence at Work reimagines these environments as places that are united with our values. Our work can feel like a nourishing part of our life. We can look forward to meetings. Working groups can become spaces we enjoy being, where learning is continuous and mistakes are welcomed, where each person knows they matter. The skills of nonviolence—changing perspectives, thinking systemically, and enacting patience and courage through feedback and conflict navigation—can change how we work together, and this book offers dozens of ideas and examples of how it’s done.

192 pages, Paperback

Published September 10, 2024

Reviews

[Shane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pluses: Really grateful for this special book! Found inspiration and new ways to think about and address challenges in my work. Deltas: Wish it was longer! Thank you!

[Nikkie Herman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredible, filled with advice, tips, and space for self reflection. Reading and USING this book will change your work environment.

[Bianca Pointner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Culture Shift: Nonviolence At Work is a book like no other as it supports me in reimagining a way of collaborating that holds relationships right at the center with care and curiosity. This has always felt especially daunting when finding myself in places with strong hierarchical structures and yet Kit Miller will offer tangible tools and consciousness shifts that will remind us that there is no way out of the fact that we belong to one another.

This book contains amongst many gifts a mixture of powerful stories, prompts that engage you in critical thinking, opportunities for some great laughs and examples of practical transformational tools, skillfully offered through a systems thinking lens.

I highly recommend you get a copy and if you read together in community - even better!

[Elizabeth H · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Culture Shift: Nonviolence at Work” is very empowering and packed with useful tips and stories about creating a culture shift towards active nonviolence within ourselves and within our communities. This book would be very helpful both for those who are working paid jobs and those who are involved in communities in unpaid roles. The book has many reflection questions, which I skipped over the first time I read the book. Now I am finding it very helpful to go back through the book and reflect on each question as I slowly reread each section of each chapter and absorb the wealth of wisdom. At this time in history when so many people feel helpless, this book is full of practical steps that each of us can take to build momentum towards the world that we want.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up viewing the workplace as an inherently culturally violent and turbulent space. It is a radical idea to me that it doesn’t have to be that way!!

One thing that leapt off the page to me was the idea that fear preempts anger.. The following question being, how do we respond to that fear? As someone who struggles deeply with confrontation this book gave me such a great reframe for thinking about conflict. Also loved viewing rank as the total of our privileges.

Delta: It’s pointed out in the beginning that many people struggle with the idea of complete nonviolence on an interpersonal level. Where I still struggle, is commitment to complete nonviolence at the systemic level.

[Angee Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book immensely. It provided both inspiration and practical ideas for me to bring non-violence to my workplace. I loved the emphasis on systems approach to change including working on small things, slowing down, and using feedback so that people directly hear that they matter. I learned some about permaculture and am looking forward to exploring the resources provided to dig in deeper on that topic. A fabulous book that I will certainly read again and use as an ongoing resource.

[Tom Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how this book, Culture Shift: NONVIOLENCE AT WORK emphasizes feedback. I found it a valuable resource. It was wonderful how the author mixed in the feedback and experience of the Gandhi Center staff and board into the book. Kit Miller created a wonderful environment for all and helps the reader understand how to do the same at their place of work and the community.

[Cindy DavisClark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by director emeritus of the MK Gandhi Institute for Non-violence. I read this as an evaluator for UWF reading program. The title made me think it was about physical violence in the workplace. Actually deals with emotional violence. Micro aggressions, discrimination. It also named us all as leaders in combating these issues. Includes helpful reflection questions with each chapter.