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Leading for Justice
Leading in organizations working for justice is not the same as leading anywhere else. Staff expect to be treated as partners and demand internal practices that center equity. Justice leaders must meet these expectations, as well as recognize and address the ways that individuals and organizations inadvertently replicate oppression.
Created specifically for social justice leaders, Leading for Justice addresses specific concerns and issues that beset organizations working for social justice and offers practices and models that center justice and equity. Topics include: the role of a supervisor in a social justice organization, the importance of self-awareness, issues of power and privilege, human resources as a justice partner, misses and messes, and clear guidelines for holding people accountable in a manner that is respectful and effective.
Written in a friendly, accessible, and supportive tone, and offering discussion questions at the end of each short section to make the book user-friendly for both individuals and teams, Leading for Justice is a book for leaders who want to walk the talk of supporting social justice, in their organizations and in the world.
Created specifically for social justice leaders, Leading for Justice addresses specific concerns and issues that beset organizations working for social justice and offers practices and models that center justice and equity. Topics include: the role of a supervisor in a social justice organization, the importance of self-awareness, issues of power and privilege, human resources as a justice partner, misses and messes, and clear guidelines for holding people accountable in a manner that is respectful and effective.
Written in a friendly, accessible, and supportive tone, and offering discussion questions at the end of each short section to make the book user-friendly for both individuals and teams, Leading for Justice is a book for leaders who want to walk the talk of supporting social justice, in their organizations and in the world.
- GenresNonfiction
328 pages, Paperback
Published August 3, 2021
5 people are currently reading
791 people want to read
About the author
Rita Sever
4 books6 followersNonprofits and other businesses have been benefiting from Rita Sever’s unified approach to human resources and organizational development for the past 20 years. A certified professional coach with an MA in Organizational Psychology, Rita focuses on the critical role of employee supervision in organizations.
Rita approaches supervision as a primary leadership function and believes that each action a supervisor takes positively or negatively impacts the organization. She works with individual employees, teams, leaders and the entire organization to improve the culture and practice of supervision, helping the organization to achieve its mission.
Rita is also an affiliate with RoadMap Consulting, a national group committed to “strengthening organizations and advancing social justice.”
When she’s not traveling for work or fun, Rita divides her time between Sonoma County, California and Portland, Oregon. Supervision Matters is her first book.
Rita approaches supervision as a primary leadership function and believes that each action a supervisor takes positively or negatively impacts the organization. She works with individual employees, teams, leaders and the entire organization to improve the culture and practice of supervision, helping the organization to achieve its mission.
Rita is also an affiliate with RoadMap Consulting, a national group committed to “strengthening organizations and advancing social justice.”
When she’s not traveling for work or fun, Rita divides her time between Sonoma County, California and Portland, Oregon. Supervision Matters is her first book.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 29, 2023
Leading for Justice: Supervision, HR, and Culture
by Rita Sever is a thought-provoking and insightful book that delves into the complex issues surrounding leadership and justice in the workplace.
Rita Sever is a twice-published author and a certified organizational coach who has worked in human resources for over 25 years. She primarily works with nonprofit organizations and is a consultant committed to strengthening organizations and advancing social justice. She works with her clients to help them be more successful as individuals, teams, or entire organizations and approaches supervision as a primary leadership function.
As Director of Online Learning & Innovation at the Nonprofit Leadership Lab, it's my job to find incredible people to come share their expertise with our amazing members, and Rita Sever was a godsend. She did an amazing seminar for us entitled, "Does Your Culture Demonstrate Your Commitment to Justice – Or Undermine It?" where we were challenged to bring our actions in line with our stated values.
In her second book, Leading for Justice: Supervision, HR, and Culture , Rita challenges supervisors to model humility and inclusion in their role. She expertly guides the reader through the intersection between supervision, human resources, and organizational culture, and offers practical strategies and actionable tactics for creating a more equitable and inclusive workplace aligned with stated values.
Rita's writing style is conversational and easy to follow, making the book accessible to both experienced leaders and those new to the field. Leading for Justice is packed with real-world examples and personal stories which help to illustrate the concepts discussed and bring them to life.
According to the author, one of the key elements to becoming a more effective leader is regular self-reflection and introspection. She believes that through this process, a leader can better understand their own strengths, weaknesses, and how intentional (and unintentional) actions positively or negatively impact the organization.
It Starts with "Me"
Through self-reflection, a great leader will identify areas for improvement and work towards becoming more successful in their role. Rita encourages readers to take a hard look at their own biases and blind spots and to actively work towards becoming a more equitable and just leader.
Leading for Justice is organized in a way that allows readers to read it sequentially or to pick and choose sections that suit their needs. It's designed to be flexible and user-friendly, making it easy for you to find the information you need and apply it to your specific situations.
Immediately Actionable Work
In order to facilitate change in your own life and/or that of your organization, the author concludes each section with a list of questions under the heading "Make It Your Own." Here's where you're encouraged to pause, reflect, and imagine how to address the issues presented there. A little something you should know about Rita Sever: She's a white, cis-gender, heterosexual woman who didn't see a person of color until she was seven years old. She's done a lot of work both personally and professionally to unlearn early programming and consistently makes a conscious effort to challenge her own biases.
She is also human and sometimes makes mistakes, like we all do. What really makes Rita stand out as an antiracist is her authenticity and humility and willingness to listen and learn. She is a fierce ally committed to equity and inclusion in every aspect of life—especially the workplace, and especially training supervisors in the workplace.
Owning Your Sh*t
In a section entitled "Owning Your Sh*t (Primarily for White Folks)," Rita shares her personal commitment to justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.
Throughout her book, Rita challenges all leaders to try harder—especially white leaders. We have to wake up to the ways "a white supremacist system" taught us to be racist and make a conscious choice every day NOT to perpetuate it.
When You're the Only One
Sever is sensitive to the fact that some readers may be the only people in their organization doing this work so her brilliant advice is to:
It's only through experimentation, implementation, an open mind to active learning, and humility this work becomes real. And this is the only way we can transform our workplaces and our communities.
Recommendation
Overall, Leading for Justice is a must-read for anyone interested in creating a more equitable and inclusive workplace. Rita Sever's HR expertise and passion for justice shine through on every page. Her stories will inspire you to become a better leader, and her recommended tactics will empower you to become a better advocate for justice in your workplace. Highly recommended. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rita Sever is a twice-published author and a certified organizational coach who has worked in human resources for over 25 years. She primarily works with nonprofit organizations and is a consultant committed to strengthening organizations and advancing social justice. She works with her clients to help them be more successful as individuals, teams, or entire organizations and approaches supervision as a primary leadership function.
As Director of Online Learning & Innovation at the Nonprofit Leadership Lab, it's my job to find incredible people to come share their expertise with our amazing members, and Rita Sever was a godsend. She did an amazing seminar for us entitled, "Does Your Culture Demonstrate Your Commitment to Justice – Or Undermine It?" where we were challenged to bring our actions in line with our stated values.
In her second book, Leading for Justice: Supervision, HR, and Culture , Rita challenges supervisors to model humility and inclusion in their role. She expertly guides the reader through the intersection between supervision, human resources, and organizational culture, and offers practical strategies and actionable tactics for creating a more equitable and inclusive workplace aligned with stated values.
Rita's writing style is conversational and easy to follow, making the book accessible to both experienced leaders and those new to the field. Leading for Justice is packed with real-world examples and personal stories which help to illustrate the concepts discussed and bring them to life.
According to the author, one of the key elements to becoming a more effective leader is regular self-reflection and introspection. She believes that through this process, a leader can better understand their own strengths, weaknesses, and how intentional (and unintentional) actions positively or negatively impact the organization.
It Starts with "Me"
Through self-reflection, a great leader will identify areas for improvement and work towards becoming more successful in their role. Rita encourages readers to take a hard look at their own biases and blind spots and to actively work towards becoming a more equitable and just leader.
Leading for Justice is organized in a way that allows readers to read it sequentially or to pick and choose sections that suit their needs. It's designed to be flexible and user-friendly, making it easy for you to find the information you need and apply it to your specific situations.
Immediately Actionable Work
In order to facilitate change in your own life and/or that of your organization, the author concludes each section with a list of questions under the heading "Make It Your Own." Here's where you're encouraged to pause, reflect, and imagine how to address the issues presented there. A little something you should know about Rita Sever: She's a white, cis-gender, heterosexual woman who didn't see a person of color until she was seven years old. She's done a lot of work both personally and professionally to unlearn early programming and consistently makes a conscious effort to challenge her own biases.
She is also human and sometimes makes mistakes, like we all do. What really makes Rita stand out as an antiracist is her authenticity and humility and willingness to listen and learn. She is a fierce ally committed to equity and inclusion in every aspect of life—especially the workplace, and especially training supervisors in the workplace.
Owning Your Sh*t
In a section entitled "Owning Your Sh*t (Primarily for White Folks)," Rita shares her personal commitment to justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.
"To stand in true solidarity with others, I must be both vigilant and humble. I must be open not only to learning but actively learning, and never reach a point where I think I know it all now. I must read and watch and, most of all, listen. I must be open to feedback. I must be ready to apologize—without making the conversation or situation about me. I must be ready at all times to own my sh*t."
page 92
Throughout her book, Rita challenges all leaders to try harder—especially white leaders. We have to wake up to the ways "a white supremacist system" taught us to be racist and make a conscious choice every day NOT to perpetuate it.
When You're the Only One
Sever is sensitive to the fact that some readers may be the only people in their organization doing this work so her brilliant advice is to:
"See what you can see, change what you can change, and show up as the best possible leader you can be for your team and the entire organization."
Introduction
It's only through experimentation, implementation, an open mind to active learning, and humility this work becomes real. And this is the only way we can transform our workplaces and our communities.
Recommendation
Overall, Leading for Justice is a must-read for anyone interested in creating a more equitable and inclusive workplace. Rita Sever's HR expertise and passion for justice shine through on every page. Her stories will inspire you to become a better leader, and her recommended tactics will empower you to become a better advocate for justice in your workplace. Highly recommended. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🔗 Connect with Rita here: Instagram ~ Facebook ~ LinkedIn ~ Twitter
Graphics & Photo credits: All photos licensed for use on this blog by Laura Zielke unless otherwise noted below.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
May 15, 2023
This book should be in every HR and manager’s office!
Read this wise, warm-hearted, enlightening, and do-able book for specific suggestions about how to counteract racism, sexism, and other isms in the workplace! Rita Sever is wise about the challenges and possibilities for transforming the workplace, particularly one dedicated to social justice, into a truly equitable one for people of all groups. With her eye clearly on the big picture of patriarchy and white privilege, she gives specific information, discussion questions, and practical steps to counteract those systems in any workplace. It helps, of course, if the organization is committed to progressive social change and already holds those values, but any workplace with a mission to make the workplace more equitable for its employees will find ideas here.
Read this wise, warm-hearted, enlightening, and do-able book for specific suggestions about how to counteract racism, sexism, and other isms in the workplace! Rita Sever is wise about the challenges and possibilities for transforming the workplace, particularly one dedicated to social justice, into a truly equitable one for people of all groups. With her eye clearly on the big picture of patriarchy and white privilege, she gives specific information, discussion questions, and practical steps to counteract those systems in any workplace. It helps, of course, if the organization is committed to progressive social change and already holds those values, but any workplace with a mission to make the workplace more equitable for its employees will find ideas here.
November 4, 2024
Excellent book! All leaders working on issues of justice and equity should read this book. It has helped me think about HR differently, beyond legal obligations and organizational liability to HR done right! This is a deep and thoughtful book, and I am sure I will continue to return to it for tips and ideas.
August 17, 2025
Great management book—one of the best
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews