What do you think?
Rate this book
Rebels at Work: A Handbook for Leading Change from Within
Learn how to stand up and contribute your best ideas to your organization's most important missions. "Rebels at Work" challenges the assumption that leadership comes from a position of power or authority. With practical advice and guidance, authors Carmen Median and Lois Kelly--rebels in their own right--will help empower you by transforming the way you present your ideas and engage your coworkers and bosses.
By focusing on the soft-skills needed in the workplace in order to present positive change within your group or company, this book explores common fears that hold you back in the workplace, and shows you how to conquer those fears to get your ideas out. "Rebels at Work" provides insight to spark a revolution in the workplace, boosting employee engagement in IT, healthcare, education, and professionals in other industries.
By focusing on the soft-skills needed in the workplace in order to present positive change within your group or company, this book explores common fears that hold you back in the workplace, and shows you how to conquer those fears to get your ideas out. "Rebels at Work" provides insight to spark a revolution in the workplace, boosting employee engagement in IT, healthcare, education, and professionals in other industries.
182 pages, Paperback
First published November 5, 2014
88 people are currently reading
774 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
November 20, 2014
I love this book!!! In full disclosure, I feel like I’m reading all about myself so maybe that’s why I like it but I sure wish I’d had it when I had to grow up and leave the “land of rebels” (aka Bell Labs) and work in the “Land of Status Quo” (aka AT&T). Lois and Carmen have written an exceedingly easy to read and easy to act book with great insights, stories any rebel can relate to and learn from, reflective questions to help us understand the status quo world we live in and practical easy to adopt and adapt tips on being more effective rebels so we can have more impact.
Get this book! In fact, I’d encourage you to get copies for those ‘rebels on the fence’ you know and love. Get a few copies for people you know who have no clue what to with the rebels in their midst. Finally, we have a book for and by us rebels! Rejoice!
(In even further disclosure, I had one of the early stories at the Rebels At Work site and I am mentioned on page 10, but didn’t know it twas in the works).
Get this book! In fact, I’d encourage you to get copies for those ‘rebels on the fence’ you know and love. Get a few copies for people you know who have no clue what to with the rebels in their midst. Finally, we have a book for and by us rebels! Rejoice!
(In even further disclosure, I had one of the early stories at the Rebels At Work site and I am mentioned on page 10, but didn’t know it twas in the works).
April 3, 2021
Takeaways:
“Good rebels” want to mend issues that could threaten the future of their companies.
“Bad rebels” complain, but they don’t make an effort to do anything differently.
A good rebel wants to work with new methods and solve problems, but doesn’t seek personal recognition.
Good rebels have a greater chance of success if their ideas fit their company’s priorities.
Some senior executives fear their power could diminish if they accept new ideas.
Having an in-depth understanding of your organizational culture will help you know how to win acceptance for your initiatives.
If your colleagues believe an idea can work, they will support it. Identify like-minded people you can work with, and try to attract supporters.
Present ideas that tap into areas your organization considers vital.
Once 10% of a group accepts an idea, the other 90% tend to accept it as well.
If all the signs indicate that your ideas aren’t getting any support and that your time at a company is coming to an end, start planning your exit.
Summary:
Doing Outstanding Work
“Good rebels” want to mend issues that threaten the future of their companies. They don’t seek personal aggrandizement. Instead, they want to encourage strategies that help everyone from their colleagues to their customers. Even though most people view the term “rebel” with suspicion, some rebels are good ones and want to try new methods and solve problems. “Bad rebels” are employees who complain, but don’t make any effort to explore how to make things better.
Good rebels just want to do great work.
Good rebels realize that no single person can galvanize change. They recognize and tap into other people’s wisdom. They align their ideas with the company’s priorities, showing how the overall organization will benefit from implementing their suggestions. They demonstrate how the advantages of a new plan justify its costs. Good rebels embrace opposition and modify their suggestions accordingly. They give colleagues the time to consider their ideas. Good rebels remain upbeat, projecting a cheerful attitude that attracts people to join their quest. They focus on the quality of their ideas – attempting to talk about issues, not people. They reflect on and address problems that can lead to angry outbursts to try to prevent people from feeling so upset that it gets in the way of work. They accept other people’s perspectives, and they are wise enough to know when to abandon an idea because of insurmountable challenges.
Living Without Rebels
Books like George Orwell’s 1984 warn of the perils of a system where everyone thinks alike. Still, most organizations encourage “groupthink.” An organization that doesn’t heed its rebels could face severe consequences. In 1986, engineers at NASA warned that parts of the space shuttle Challenger could fail in cold weather. NASA’s leaders refused to take the engineers’ concerns into account. The shuttle blew up soon after take off, and seven astronauts died.
Identifying Rebels
Do you find yourself wondering about the validity of the premises that underlie an issue? Do you examine a problem from a different angle than other people? Do you think you and your colleagues should come up with a better way of doing things? Do you identify troubling issues that your colleagues want to avoid? If you do, then you’re acting and thinking like a rebel. Good rebels tend to have a life-long rebellious streak, starting in childhood. Scientist Deb Mills Scofield remembers an incident that happened when she was three years old. When her father told her to stand in a corner and reflect on what she had done wrong, she answered that he could make her stand in a particular place, but he could not determine what she thought.
You can’t bring change alone. Nor do you want to.
To work as a rebel, you must understand the priorities of your organization’s management. Some senior executives fear their power could diminish if they accept new ideas. Such leaders do not consider the merit of fresh initiatives. They think only about how change could affect them and their interests. To gain your bosses’ trust, help them understand the differences between the “risk” that your idea entails and the “uncertainty” it provokes. You have some understanding of the risk, in the sense of what might not work. But you might not know about other factors that could be involved. That’s the nature of uncertainty. Highlighting the distinction between risks and uncertainty can help your boss put more faith in your suggestions. “By listening intently for clues about what bosses think” you can pose the right questions to allay their concerns.
Respect
Treat your superiors as honorable people. Like you, your bosses want to keep their jobs and do well, so show them you also value job security and progress. This will help them see the benefits of your ideas. Don’t seek help from someone above your boss. And don’t agonize about your boss stealing your thunder. Accept the satisfaction of helping a great idea, even if you don’t get credit.
Being a rebel when you’re young does not necessarily mean you will continue being a rebel as an adult. Nor does it mean that you won’t emerge as a rebel later in life.
Attract supporters by identifying like-minded people who can work with you. You probably can’t bring about a transformation all by yourself, and you don’t want to. The more you work with others, the greater chance you’ll have to refine and implement your ideas. A single individual would find it difficult to answer the challenges facing today’s complex institutions. To gain support, create a conversation. Ask passionate people from your firm and perhaps from other organizations to meet for a meal. Discuss your perceptions and ask for feedback. Use Facebook or Google Hangout to discuss your ideas. Use Twitter or your blog to attract and identify people who share your views.
Without rebels, our systems, companies, schools, churches, government agencies and health care organizations become rigid and sometimes even dangerous.
Think about boosting your reputation and finding ways to encourage others to trust you and your suggestions. The way you behave builds your reputation. This applies to everything you do – not just your activities as a workplace rebel. Quite often, rebels forget their responsibilities at work, aside from their interest in being a rebel. That doesn’t help your reputation or build trust. Instead, first meet your commitments, like completing your reports or assignments on time. Always be willing to help your institution. Aid your colleagues without expecting rewards. Confess when you’ve done something wrong, and alert others if plans look as if they may not work out.
Getting Your Ideas Across
Having an in-depth understanding of your organizational culture will help you know how to win acceptance for your initiatives. You can’t change how your institution works or its power dynamics, but you can use your insight to get your colleagues to accept your ideas. Rebels often share ideas with their superiors and fellow workers because they feel so enthusiastic. They expect an equally spirited response. That won’t happen. In most organizations, your colleagues could brand you and your ideas as naive or even worse.
If no one – not even your most trusted colleagues – thinks your idea is sound and valuable, that’s probably a signal that you should let the idea go.
Before you offer ideas, research your organization. Determine why prior reform efforts haven’t worked. Take note of what your institution and your colleagues consider important. To understand your organization’s concerns, define its focus. Does it prioritize completing projects or being sure customers are satisfied? Do staffers dwell, instead, on just pleasing their bosses? Has your institution faced a crisis that makes your colleagues afraid to move beyond the tried and tested? Does your leader seek new challenges? The more you link ideas to your organization’s values, the greater your chances of promoting them successfully.
The more we understand how things work at work, the more likely we will figure out the best way to get support for our ideas and make them a reality.
For instance, offer ideas that tap into areas the organization considers vital. Devise ways to cut red tape, limit risk, maintain moral values, use the innate intelligence of employees or make financial performance more consistent. When you present your ideas, show how well they fit the organization’s interests. All too often, people begin discussing the mechanics of an idea without highlighting its meaning. People will do almost anything to help if they feel your idea matters. Otherwise they will come up with excuses for why they don’t want to accept or implement it.
Demonstrate Practicality
If your colleagues believe your idea can work, they will support it. To win them over, make your presentation succinct. Don’t go into excruciating detail that robs your initiative of vigor. Don’t divulge your entire thought process. If you do, people will dive into the minutiae and lose the big picture. Thinking through a plan that takes the organization from its current situation to a future success demands effort. To build your credibility further, demonstrate that you’ve done the necessary preparatory work. Leverage the “ten percent rule.” Once 10% of the group accepts an idea, the other 90% tends to accept it as well. Besides gaining the backing of your passionate supporters, get 10% of your colleagues to accept your idea and they will help you include others.
Dealing with Conflict
Change and conflict go together. As a rebel, you’ll have to deal with both. You may encounter several types of conflicts at work: People could be at odds because they have different perspectives. Departments can clash over conflicting interests and priorities. One of the hardest forms of dissention to resolve emerges between participants with sincere conflicting values.
People in organizations pay attention to what the organization most values. At its most basic, this is about understanding the essential elements of the organization’s culture.
In case of conflict, hone your listening skills. Encourage discussion rather than arguing, and strive to understand, rather than to win or be right. As far as possible, keep emotions out of the discussion. Avoid drama. Ask questions to learn more about the issue at hand. Solicit comments from other people. If you feel angry, don’t attack others; think about their perspective. See what you can learn from your feelings. “Acknowledge tension and disagreement to defuse the situation,” and while you’re upset, curtail your social media posts and watch what you say so you don’t make it harder for things to go back to normal.
“Fears That Can Hold You Back”
As a rebel, you’ll need to learn to deal with your feelings and fears. You could face anxiety – perhaps worrying that if you push too far, you risk losing your job. When your perceptions don’t match the conventional view, you expose yourself to unsettling emotions – a state of mind that can remain with a rebel for a long time. You may exaggerate some fears, but have accurate reasons for others. Assess the basis of your fears so you can face them and not get sidetracked. If you think that being a good rebel could put your job at risk, realize that most companies won’t terminate someone who seeks the organization’s betterment. Your intentions can defuse critical responses to your suggestions. You may think that acting as a rebel could harm your career prospects. Actually, a promotion can depend on many things, some of which you influence and others that are outside of your control.
Our concern for others and not wanting to be seen as mean are among the key reasons why many of us have such a hard time with conflict.
If your boss doesn’t take chances, being a workplace rebel will be difficult. That’s why when you seek a job you want to spend as much time learning about the person you’ll report to as about the job itself. You’ll do better with a boss and a company that value creative thinking. The more you understand what kinds of things upset your boss, the greater a chance you’ll have to protect yourself. If you fret that acting as a rebel could harm your standing, realize that the more past successes you have in your track record, the less you need worry about your reputation.
When you embark on your change effort, act as if success is just around the corner. Be cheerful. Be emotional. Show enthusiasm, even if it’s not considered cool or professional.
You might worry that your ideas could turn off the people you work with. But no one can ever directly command anyone else’s reactions. Some colleagues could admire your courage while others may not like changing how they work. Remain cheerful and praise your colleagues’ contributions; help them when you can. You don’t want to be a “bad rebel” who turns people off by breaking the rules or being unpleasant. Try to maintain your sense of humor.
Avoiding Exhaustion
As a rebel, you also face the threat of exhausting yourself with an excessive focus on work. Keep your personal life and your work in perspective. Look for signs that you’re overworked. Don’t let arrogance creep into your attitude. For instance, if you’re beginning to think that your colleagues might not be as smart about the company’s needs as you are, you’re creating a hazard that could lead you to argue with your work friends or stop listening to them. When these signs crop up, take a break to nourish yourself. Take a fresh look at what you’re trying to achieve and what you need to do. Adopt new habits in your daily life that keep you healthy and cheerful and help you retain a pragmatic perspective.
Moving On
Despite doing everything you can to rejuvenate yourself, you might consider leaving your organization. Be alert for indications that you should plan an exit. You could find that your most cherished values don’t match your organization’s beliefs. Your institution could refuse to address important issues in your industry. If you stay in your company, you could become stale and out of sync with the latest trends. Your organization could evaluate you negatively and limit your prospects for growth. You may find colleagues avoiding you. You may lash out because of unhappiness, and that could leave you feeling miserable. Or, you could find yourself in a situation in which the senior executives who supported with you have left, and you have little remaining protection.
Good rebels are for creating new, better ways to do things, while bad rebels just rail against what isn’t working.
If you find that these unhappy circumstances are cropping up, then perhaps it’s time to plan a smooth exit and become a good rebel somewhere else. Ask your colleagues and friends, and search on LinkedIn and elsewhere, for suggestions of a company with values that align with yours, and that would welcome your positive rebellion.
“Good rebels” want to mend issues that could threaten the future of their companies.
“Bad rebels” complain, but they don’t make an effort to do anything differently.
A good rebel wants to work with new methods and solve problems, but doesn’t seek personal recognition.
Good rebels have a greater chance of success if their ideas fit their company’s priorities.
Some senior executives fear their power could diminish if they accept new ideas.
Having an in-depth understanding of your organizational culture will help you know how to win acceptance for your initiatives.
If your colleagues believe an idea can work, they will support it. Identify like-minded people you can work with, and try to attract supporters.
Present ideas that tap into areas your organization considers vital.
Once 10% of a group accepts an idea, the other 90% tend to accept it as well.
If all the signs indicate that your ideas aren’t getting any support and that your time at a company is coming to an end, start planning your exit.
Summary:
Doing Outstanding Work
“Good rebels” want to mend issues that threaten the future of their companies. They don’t seek personal aggrandizement. Instead, they want to encourage strategies that help everyone from their colleagues to their customers. Even though most people view the term “rebel” with suspicion, some rebels are good ones and want to try new methods and solve problems. “Bad rebels” are employees who complain, but don’t make any effort to explore how to make things better.
Good rebels just want to do great work.
Good rebels realize that no single person can galvanize change. They recognize and tap into other people’s wisdom. They align their ideas with the company’s priorities, showing how the overall organization will benefit from implementing their suggestions. They demonstrate how the advantages of a new plan justify its costs. Good rebels embrace opposition and modify their suggestions accordingly. They give colleagues the time to consider their ideas. Good rebels remain upbeat, projecting a cheerful attitude that attracts people to join their quest. They focus on the quality of their ideas – attempting to talk about issues, not people. They reflect on and address problems that can lead to angry outbursts to try to prevent people from feeling so upset that it gets in the way of work. They accept other people’s perspectives, and they are wise enough to know when to abandon an idea because of insurmountable challenges.
Living Without Rebels
Books like George Orwell’s 1984 warn of the perils of a system where everyone thinks alike. Still, most organizations encourage “groupthink.” An organization that doesn’t heed its rebels could face severe consequences. In 1986, engineers at NASA warned that parts of the space shuttle Challenger could fail in cold weather. NASA’s leaders refused to take the engineers’ concerns into account. The shuttle blew up soon after take off, and seven astronauts died.
Identifying Rebels
Do you find yourself wondering about the validity of the premises that underlie an issue? Do you examine a problem from a different angle than other people? Do you think you and your colleagues should come up with a better way of doing things? Do you identify troubling issues that your colleagues want to avoid? If you do, then you’re acting and thinking like a rebel. Good rebels tend to have a life-long rebellious streak, starting in childhood. Scientist Deb Mills Scofield remembers an incident that happened when she was three years old. When her father told her to stand in a corner and reflect on what she had done wrong, she answered that he could make her stand in a particular place, but he could not determine what she thought.
You can’t bring change alone. Nor do you want to.
To work as a rebel, you must understand the priorities of your organization’s management. Some senior executives fear their power could diminish if they accept new ideas. Such leaders do not consider the merit of fresh initiatives. They think only about how change could affect them and their interests. To gain your bosses’ trust, help them understand the differences between the “risk” that your idea entails and the “uncertainty” it provokes. You have some understanding of the risk, in the sense of what might not work. But you might not know about other factors that could be involved. That’s the nature of uncertainty. Highlighting the distinction between risks and uncertainty can help your boss put more faith in your suggestions. “By listening intently for clues about what bosses think” you can pose the right questions to allay their concerns.
Respect
Treat your superiors as honorable people. Like you, your bosses want to keep their jobs and do well, so show them you also value job security and progress. This will help them see the benefits of your ideas. Don’t seek help from someone above your boss. And don’t agonize about your boss stealing your thunder. Accept the satisfaction of helping a great idea, even if you don’t get credit.
Being a rebel when you’re young does not necessarily mean you will continue being a rebel as an adult. Nor does it mean that you won’t emerge as a rebel later in life.
Attract supporters by identifying like-minded people who can work with you. You probably can’t bring about a transformation all by yourself, and you don’t want to. The more you work with others, the greater chance you’ll have to refine and implement your ideas. A single individual would find it difficult to answer the challenges facing today’s complex institutions. To gain support, create a conversation. Ask passionate people from your firm and perhaps from other organizations to meet for a meal. Discuss your perceptions and ask for feedback. Use Facebook or Google Hangout to discuss your ideas. Use Twitter or your blog to attract and identify people who share your views.
Without rebels, our systems, companies, schools, churches, government agencies and health care organizations become rigid and sometimes even dangerous.
Think about boosting your reputation and finding ways to encourage others to trust you and your suggestions. The way you behave builds your reputation. This applies to everything you do – not just your activities as a workplace rebel. Quite often, rebels forget their responsibilities at work, aside from their interest in being a rebel. That doesn’t help your reputation or build trust. Instead, first meet your commitments, like completing your reports or assignments on time. Always be willing to help your institution. Aid your colleagues without expecting rewards. Confess when you’ve done something wrong, and alert others if plans look as if they may not work out.
Getting Your Ideas Across
Having an in-depth understanding of your organizational culture will help you know how to win acceptance for your initiatives. You can’t change how your institution works or its power dynamics, but you can use your insight to get your colleagues to accept your ideas. Rebels often share ideas with their superiors and fellow workers because they feel so enthusiastic. They expect an equally spirited response. That won’t happen. In most organizations, your colleagues could brand you and your ideas as naive or even worse.
If no one – not even your most trusted colleagues – thinks your idea is sound and valuable, that’s probably a signal that you should let the idea go.
Before you offer ideas, research your organization. Determine why prior reform efforts haven’t worked. Take note of what your institution and your colleagues consider important. To understand your organization’s concerns, define its focus. Does it prioritize completing projects or being sure customers are satisfied? Do staffers dwell, instead, on just pleasing their bosses? Has your institution faced a crisis that makes your colleagues afraid to move beyond the tried and tested? Does your leader seek new challenges? The more you link ideas to your organization’s values, the greater your chances of promoting them successfully.
The more we understand how things work at work, the more likely we will figure out the best way to get support for our ideas and make them a reality.
For instance, offer ideas that tap into areas the organization considers vital. Devise ways to cut red tape, limit risk, maintain moral values, use the innate intelligence of employees or make financial performance more consistent. When you present your ideas, show how well they fit the organization’s interests. All too often, people begin discussing the mechanics of an idea without highlighting its meaning. People will do almost anything to help if they feel your idea matters. Otherwise they will come up with excuses for why they don’t want to accept or implement it.
Demonstrate Practicality
If your colleagues believe your idea can work, they will support it. To win them over, make your presentation succinct. Don’t go into excruciating detail that robs your initiative of vigor. Don’t divulge your entire thought process. If you do, people will dive into the minutiae and lose the big picture. Thinking through a plan that takes the organization from its current situation to a future success demands effort. To build your credibility further, demonstrate that you’ve done the necessary preparatory work. Leverage the “ten percent rule.” Once 10% of the group accepts an idea, the other 90% tends to accept it as well. Besides gaining the backing of your passionate supporters, get 10% of your colleagues to accept your idea and they will help you include others.
Dealing with Conflict
Change and conflict go together. As a rebel, you’ll have to deal with both. You may encounter several types of conflicts at work: People could be at odds because they have different perspectives. Departments can clash over conflicting interests and priorities. One of the hardest forms of dissention to resolve emerges between participants with sincere conflicting values.
People in organizations pay attention to what the organization most values. At its most basic, this is about understanding the essential elements of the organization’s culture.
In case of conflict, hone your listening skills. Encourage discussion rather than arguing, and strive to understand, rather than to win or be right. As far as possible, keep emotions out of the discussion. Avoid drama. Ask questions to learn more about the issue at hand. Solicit comments from other people. If you feel angry, don’t attack others; think about their perspective. See what you can learn from your feelings. “Acknowledge tension and disagreement to defuse the situation,” and while you’re upset, curtail your social media posts and watch what you say so you don’t make it harder for things to go back to normal.
“Fears That Can Hold You Back”
As a rebel, you’ll need to learn to deal with your feelings and fears. You could face anxiety – perhaps worrying that if you push too far, you risk losing your job. When your perceptions don’t match the conventional view, you expose yourself to unsettling emotions – a state of mind that can remain with a rebel for a long time. You may exaggerate some fears, but have accurate reasons for others. Assess the basis of your fears so you can face them and not get sidetracked. If you think that being a good rebel could put your job at risk, realize that most companies won’t terminate someone who seeks the organization’s betterment. Your intentions can defuse critical responses to your suggestions. You may think that acting as a rebel could harm your career prospects. Actually, a promotion can depend on many things, some of which you influence and others that are outside of your control.
Our concern for others and not wanting to be seen as mean are among the key reasons why many of us have such a hard time with conflict.
If your boss doesn’t take chances, being a workplace rebel will be difficult. That’s why when you seek a job you want to spend as much time learning about the person you’ll report to as about the job itself. You’ll do better with a boss and a company that value creative thinking. The more you understand what kinds of things upset your boss, the greater a chance you’ll have to protect yourself. If you fret that acting as a rebel could harm your standing, realize that the more past successes you have in your track record, the less you need worry about your reputation.
When you embark on your change effort, act as if success is just around the corner. Be cheerful. Be emotional. Show enthusiasm, even if it’s not considered cool or professional.
You might worry that your ideas could turn off the people you work with. But no one can ever directly command anyone else’s reactions. Some colleagues could admire your courage while others may not like changing how they work. Remain cheerful and praise your colleagues’ contributions; help them when you can. You don’t want to be a “bad rebel” who turns people off by breaking the rules or being unpleasant. Try to maintain your sense of humor.
Avoiding Exhaustion
As a rebel, you also face the threat of exhausting yourself with an excessive focus on work. Keep your personal life and your work in perspective. Look for signs that you’re overworked. Don’t let arrogance creep into your attitude. For instance, if you’re beginning to think that your colleagues might not be as smart about the company’s needs as you are, you’re creating a hazard that could lead you to argue with your work friends or stop listening to them. When these signs crop up, take a break to nourish yourself. Take a fresh look at what you’re trying to achieve and what you need to do. Adopt new habits in your daily life that keep you healthy and cheerful and help you retain a pragmatic perspective.
Moving On
Despite doing everything you can to rejuvenate yourself, you might consider leaving your organization. Be alert for indications that you should plan an exit. You could find that your most cherished values don’t match your organization’s beliefs. Your institution could refuse to address important issues in your industry. If you stay in your company, you could become stale and out of sync with the latest trends. Your organization could evaluate you negatively and limit your prospects for growth. You may find colleagues avoiding you. You may lash out because of unhappiness, and that could leave you feeling miserable. Or, you could find yourself in a situation in which the senior executives who supported with you have left, and you have little remaining protection.
Good rebels are for creating new, better ways to do things, while bad rebels just rail against what isn’t working.
If you find that these unhappy circumstances are cropping up, then perhaps it’s time to plan a smooth exit and become a good rebel somewhere else. Ask your colleagues and friends, and search on LinkedIn and elsewhere, for suggestions of a company with values that align with yours, and that would welcome your positive rebellion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2018
This was an interesting read. While the ideas presented here are not completely new, having them written down and to look at is very important. While the title of the book may sound like a book on rebellious thinking and actions; I see this as more of a guideline to people who disagree with others. This book starts with a description of reasons why you might be rebellious, then it talks about how to make the change you want to bring.
While other books stop at making the change and do not go any further, this book goes and talks about situations when things progress as planned. This book talks about things to do in order to survive the bad situation. Also, this has valuable advice on not being offensive and working well with others even in disagreement. I would recommend this book to anyone who is wanting to do great work but is facing challenges.
While other books stop at making the change and do not go any further, this book goes and talks about situations when things progress as planned. This book talks about things to do in order to survive the bad situation. Also, this has valuable advice on not being offensive and working well with others even in disagreement. I would recommend this book to anyone who is wanting to do great work but is facing challenges.
December 16, 2017
Not bad, a few interesting points. Mostly just common sense. Glad that the authors didn't try and stretch it into a longer book like so many make the mistake of doing.
September 13, 2020
Can't wait to see how this can help me to be better understood at work and how to frame ideas to best position their discussion at my school.... Watch this space!
April 9, 2015
Interesting read about how to communicate and fight for our ideas at work. Rebels are there to change the status que, but often face bureaucracy or unwillingness from their colleagues to take a new step. The two authors of the book present their experience in a very easy-to-digest way with a lot of examples.
June 22, 2016
Amazing. Best self-help, work book I've read. Probably will re-read on a regular basis.
Read
March 25, 2021Someone must be there to initiate a change. They’re the ones who first see that the ship is sinking or realize there is land across the sea. The folks who go first are rebels. They buck the status quo in the attempt to make things better. Rebels often get a bad rap at work, because they fight against everything the organization is organized for: consistency. However, Rebels at Work: A Handbook for Leading Change from Within can help both the rebel and those who work with rebels harness the power of the rebel without being frustrated.
Read more
Read more
April 28, 2018
Um livro importante e inspirador para qualquer líder em qualquer empresa que se dedica a buscar novos caminhos para quebrar burocracias, sem ser um troublemaker, mas um entendedor do sistema. Os autores inspiram por caminhos que instiga a mudança de comportamentos e a construcao de aliados pra gerar uma mudança. Bons rebeldes sao também vistos como intraempreendedores.
July 22, 2022
Thia book it's a compilation of corporate ideias for high performance that want to make change and been listen in theirs organizations and career.
It's a good book but it's simple and sometimes repeatitive.
It's a good book but it's simple and sometimes repeatitive.
January 6, 2025
This book had some good ideas, just the way it was written in handbook format made it a little bit of a slough to get through. Reading it as part of my gov't leadership course though and I think I will be able to take some of the ideas and use constructively at my workplace.
March 4, 2017
There can be no change without conflict. Read that sentence again. It's that important.
June 25, 2017
Meh. I didn't bother to finish. Nothing new here.
August 1, 2017
Wow. We rebels are not alone!
There is so much to love about this book, hard to know where to start. Maybe from the back forwards? Recommended reading list. Chapter 10. "Give this to your boss"
There is so much to love about this book, hard to know where to start. Maybe from the back forwards? Recommended reading list. Chapter 10. "Give this to your boss"
Read
July 20, 2019The first two chapters make it very clear that I am not the target audience as they explain how the reader thinks and behaves as a rebel at work.
August 17, 2019
Interesting concepts.
June 17, 2020
Great read, Carmen ex CIA, how to be a rebel but be able to make change
August 10, 2020
Solid practical advice and not overly sophisticated. Certainly can be applied when advocating for many ideas in the corporate world.
January 1, 2023
I loved finding out how to best defend my work, my thoughts and improve my communication skills.
January 14, 2024
For EIG.
January 29, 2024
Had to read it for a course. Semi helpful.
Read
May 6, 2024Great book!
January 24, 2021
An interesting perspective on how to make a difference at work. Society needs more good rebels for successful change!
September 20, 2016
While the general premise is good, it gets lost in self-aggrandizement and in trying to be an innovation/millennial/change book all in one. Too much of it was either pulling popular thinking about innovation together or talking about how traditional managers stink or how awesome the select few rebels in an org really are.
I would have preferred a book about how the rebel mentality can benefit us all, how we can change our thinking and become the change we want to see, how we can instill in our organizations this mentality, and how we can all join the rebellion. (Granted there was a bit about working with others peppered in there) What I got sick of was the "I'm so special because I think different from everyone else" line.
Ah well, good food for thought. A quick read, so refining my thoughts here was still good.
I would have preferred a book about how the rebel mentality can benefit us all, how we can change our thinking and become the change we want to see, how we can instill in our organizations this mentality, and how we can all join the rebellion. (Granted there was a bit about working with others peppered in there) What I got sick of was the "I'm so special because I think different from everyone else" line.
Ah well, good food for thought. A quick read, so refining my thoughts here was still good.
February 10, 2017
Nice fluent book on how to behave as 'a postive-thinking rebel' in an organisation without tipping over to the dark side. Very usefull insights and hands-on tips, for both the rebels and the managers who has to handle the rebels.
October 27, 2015
Decent. Thought the second half was better than the first.
Could use a better way of sectioning off tips and applications vs the actual concepts.
I also thought the general "special-making" of the Rebel was high handed at times and could stand to being the rebel closer to their humanity and the groups humanity...
Suggested for project managers and above. Might not be the best for an engineer if you need specific communication training but it can help expand their awareness.
Could use a better way of sectioning off tips and applications vs the actual concepts.
I also thought the general "special-making" of the Rebel was high handed at times and could stand to being the rebel closer to their humanity and the groups humanity...
Suggested for project managers and above. Might not be the best for an engineer if you need specific communication training but it can help expand their awareness.
December 14, 2016
Very "how to" at a time I was looking for insight of being. I'm personally doubtful someone can become a "rebel", but maybe the book will give reassurance to those learning to embrace their rebel nature ;)
I am adding it to my student's booklist though. While not my favourite read, it might inspire others!
I am adding it to my student's booklist though. While not my favourite read, it might inspire others!
December 28, 2025
Great book for those of us that question the status quo and are seen as forward thinkers or sometimes disruptors in the workplace. Great tips to win others over in the middle of change and get them on board so you aren't the lobe changer. Don't tell me "that's how we always do it" cause my answer is "not anymore".
January 23, 2016
Helpful tips, some of which are worth the price of the book. Could have been a 50page booklet though. You won't find anything revolutionary in these pages, just plain, well thought out good advice. It's certainly helped me.
Read
January 25, 2016Good practical guide for change agents. How to position your ideas to be effective. Understand & navigate the system into which you're bringing those ideas. Create a tribe of internal supporters. If 10% of the people get on board, it tends to swing the whole organization
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews