Management In A Changing World: How to Manage for Equity, Sustainability, and Results

by Jakada Imani, Monna Wong, Bex Ahuja

Magnify your real-world impact as you lead others in a social change organization In Management In a Changing How to Manage for Equity, Sustainability, and Results renowned social changemakers Jakada Imani, Monna Wong, and Bex Ahuja deliver an effective and practical how-to guide for the equitable management of nonprofit and social change organizations. In the book, you'll learn how to multiply your impact by using the authors' insightful strategies for delegation, goal setting, and team culture-building. You'll also discover how to fairly exercise power in an environment that spans racial, generational, gender, and other identity divides. Management In a Changing World shows you how
An essential resource for rookie and veteran managers, executive directors, and CEOs, Management In a Changing World will also earn a place on the bookshelves of organizers managing teams of volunteers.

Genres: Nonfiction, Management, Human Resources

256 pages, Paperback

Published May 16, 2023

Reviews

[Salena Copeland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friends, I highly recommend this book. I wanted to read it, but knew I needed some accountability for implementing anything new I learned. I started an Executive Director book club to read it over a few months and meet by zoom to discuss. About 20 people (all EDs of civil legal nonprofits) joined for at least one of the meetings, and I loved hearing what others found resonated with them. I have been thinking of how to be a better and more inclusive leader for a long time, and this feels like a necessary book on that journey. We meet tomorrow for our last meeting, but I was just invited to another book club which starts reading this in August, so I guess I have more time with these strategies.

[Rachel Hands · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book’s predecessor, Managing to Change the World, has been one of my first two recommendations for all new managers for years. This edition keeps the essential, practical guide to management fundamentals and refocuses through a much-needed lens of equity and sustainability. I expect to be recommending it for years to come.

[Madeleine · Rating 5 out of 5]

an excellent guide to a "conspire and align" approach to management that centers on building power in relationship with other people to achieve results in collective struggles towards justice. concise and clear, it puts making the implicit explicit into practice. there's a lot in this guide, and i'll be referring back to it for some time.

[Julianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Management in a Changing World exceeded my expectations (which were high)! Get this book if you'd like to level up your results-driven management, think critically about the bias in your decision-making process, and walk away with some easy-to-use resources.

📖 Some favorite tidbits 📖
- Making a Pros/Cons/Mitigations Chart (https://lnkd.in/gMsedfjB)
- How to approach an "off-list" of references in a hiring process
- When seeking feedback for org-wide policy (or other initiatives), invite dissent explicitly. "If no one tells me what really matters to them, we might end up with a policy that only works for the Jessicas of the world. A Jessica policy will only work for people who live alone in a progressive metro area, don’t have day-to-day caregiving responsibilities, and aren’t immunocompromised."
- Excellence vs. perfection: "When we commit to excellence, we exercise discernment. We differentiate between 'gold star' and 'good enough,' knowing that our efforts should be proportionate to our intended impact"

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best management books I think I’ve ever read. It is so well written, extremely down to earth, and very practical. It feels like the folks that wrote it actually understand what they’re talking about, not just from a theoretical perspective but firsthand. Also, the book is so good at capturing diverse perspectives and stories. Cheesy as it may sound, this is one of the first times I’ve felt seen and reflected as a queer nonprofit professional.

[Jim Wharton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for anyone looking for something better than the old-school command and control management styles that have permeated non-profit communities for years. The authors conspire and align approach marries equity, sustainability, and results. The book is perfect for new managers or experienced managers looking for new, more equitable approaches.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for my Administration of Information Agencies class. This was one of the textbooks we had to read. This is a great book for anyone to read. It's about management and how to be supportive of your employees. But even if you're not a manager it's a great book that helps improve the reader's communication and other skills.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to these authors for creating a book that is truly a game-changer! Whether you manage directly, up, or sideways, this book will be your go-to guide to help you lead with humility and justice.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot reccomend it enough for the non profit world. I’ve read and reread this book and learn something new every single time.

[Charles James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good text for management development.

[Michael Strode · Rating 5 out of 5]

Management in a Changing World is one of those rare books that doesn’t just present theories on management—it delivers a practical, well-structured, and deeply insightful framework that feels immediately useful. From the first chapter, which distills the fundamentals of effective management into something that should honestly be a standalone zine, to its detailed breakdown of delegation, goal-setting, and organizational culture, this book offers an essential toolkit for managers at any level.

As someone who has read extensively on management and organizational development, I found myself repeatedly coming back to this text in conversations with clients struggling with hiring, onboarding, or refining their team structures. The book doesn’t just provide principles—it equips you with tangible tools to apply them. Each chapter ends with structured takeaways and exercises, making it easy to integrate into real-world management challenges.

The way it centers relationships as the foundation of organizing resonates deeply. If “relationship is the smallest unit of organizing,” as I often say, then this book effectively scales up from that core principle. It lays out not just what needs to be done but how to do it—whether through clearer delegation (anchored in the 5W’s + H model), goal alignment in role design, or practical strategies for managing up and sideways.

The section on hiring and building teams is a standout, offering a refreshing critique of outdated hiring norms (including why “culture fit” is a flawed metric) while providing a framework for defining roles with clarity. The book also excels at addressing feedback, accountability, and performance improvement in a way that is rooted in equity and human development. The decision-making chapter, which introduces a smart prioritization model (big rocks vs. sand), is another highlight that I’ve referenced in multiple strategic discussions.

What truly makes this book shine is its accessibility. It’s not dense or overwhelming, despite covering complex topics. The balance between written insights and visual illustrations makes the concepts stick. Whether you’re a new manager, an experienced leader refining your approach, or a consultant supporting organizations, Management in a Changing World is an invaluable resource.

I highly recommend it for anyone looking to build healthier, more effective, and more liberatory organizations. This isn’t just a book—it’s a foundational text for the future of management.

[Aiden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clearly written, helpful, easy to use