The Gift of Anger
The Gift of Anger
Use Passion to Build Not Destroy
Edition: 1
Pages: 208
Publication Date: 12 September, 2016
Available in all formats
EPUB
ISBN:
9781626565906
PDF
ISBN:
9781626565890
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Former Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese shares powerful lessons learned from negotiating and collaborating with others who disagreed and even despised him. Takeaway: you can accomplish wonders-like achieving marriage equality-if you can use your anger strategically and channel it in the direction of the greater good.
Under Joe Solmonese's leadership, the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest LGBT rights organization, became the model other organizations look toward to create effective social and political change. Ranked among the National Journal's top five most effective groups, HRC was instrumental in passing landmark national legislation such as the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr.
Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and the passage of marriage equality in eight states.
Beginning with a moving story of working with Matthew Sheppard's mother Virginia in passing the hate crimes bill that bears Matthew's name, Solmonese shows how he discovere that channeled anger can drive a commitment to change. Mrs. Sheppard taught him to keep his unquestionably justifiable anger from blinding him in the moment, and instead use it strategically, in the service of a larger purpose. In this book he uses the lessons he learned during tenure at HRC, as well as his previous position as the CEO of Emily's List, and his current work as a corporate consultant, to teach readers how they can affect real, lasting change in society and at work. His often-surprising lessons may not be entirely expected or celebrated by all groups, e.g., don't shame your enemies, find allies wherever you can, and ask for the doable, not the impossible. Most striking in this book are the stories of Joe's ability to draw some kind of win-however small-from seeming enemies. Many of these former enemies became stalwart allies over time. Joe's book is more concerned with the “long game” of changing culture and achieving long-term goals, not the “short game” of enforcing purity or litmus tests.
Under Joe Solmonese's leadership, the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest LGBT rights organization, became the model other organizations look toward to create effective social and political change. Ranked among the National Journal's top five most effective groups, HRC was instrumental in passing landmark national legislation such as the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr.
Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and the passage of marriage equality in eight states.
Beginning with a moving story of working with Matthew Sheppard's mother Virginia in passing the hate crimes bill that bears Matthew's name, Solmonese shows how he discovere that channeled anger can drive a commitment to change. Mrs. Sheppard taught him to keep his unquestionably justifiable anger from blinding him in the moment, and instead use it strategically, in the service of a larger purpose. In this book he uses the lessons he learned during tenure at HRC, as well as his previous position as the CEO of Emily's List, and his current work as a corporate consultant, to teach readers how they can affect real, lasting change in society and at work. His often-surprising lessons may not be entirely expected or celebrated by all groups, e.g., don't shame your enemies, find allies wherever you can, and ask for the doable, not the impossible. Most striking in this book are the stories of Joe's ability to draw some kind of win-however small-from seeming enemies. Many of these former enemies became stalwart allies over time. Joe's book is more concerned with the “long game” of changing culture and achieving long-term goals, not the “short game” of enforcing purity or litmus tests.
Description
Former Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese shares powerful lessons learned from negotiating and collaborating with others who disagreed and even despised him. Takeaway: you can accomplish wonders-like achieving marriage equality-if you can use your anger strategically and channel it in the direction of the greater good.
Under Joe Solmonese's leadership, the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest LGBT rights organization, became the model other organizations look toward to create effective social and political change. Ranked among the National Journal's top five most effective groups, HRC was instrumental in passing landmark national legislation such as the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr.
Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and the passage of marriage equality in eight states.
Beginning with a moving story of working with Matthew Sheppard's mother Virginia in passing the hate crimes bill that bears Matthew's name, Solmonese shows how he discovere that channeled anger can drive a commitment to change. Mrs. Sheppard taught him to keep his unquestionably justifiable anger from blinding him in the moment, and instead use it strategically, in the service of a larger purpose. In this book he uses the lessons he learned during tenure at HRC, as well as his previous position as the CEO of Emily's List, and his current work as a corporate consultant, to teach readers how they can affect real, lasting change in society and at work. His often-surprising lessons may not be entirely expected or celebrated by all groups, e.g., don't shame your enemies, find allies wherever you can, and ask for the doable, not the impossible. Most striking in this book are the stories of Joe's ability to draw some kind of win-however small-from seeming enemies. Many of these former enemies became stalwart allies over time. Joe's book is more concerned with the “long game” of changing culture and achieving long-term goals, not the “short game” of enforcing purity or litmus tests.
Under Joe Solmonese's leadership, the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest LGBT rights organization, became the model other organizations look toward to create effective social and political change. Ranked among the National Journal's top five most effective groups, HRC was instrumental in passing landmark national legislation such as the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr.
Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and the passage of marriage equality in eight states.
Beginning with a moving story of working with Matthew Sheppard's mother Virginia in passing the hate crimes bill that bears Matthew's name, Solmonese shows how he discovere that channeled anger can drive a commitment to change. Mrs. Sheppard taught him to keep his unquestionably justifiable anger from blinding him in the moment, and instead use it strategically, in the service of a larger purpose. In this book he uses the lessons he learned during tenure at HRC, as well as his previous position as the CEO of Emily's List, and his current work as a corporate consultant, to teach readers how they can affect real, lasting change in society and at work. His often-surprising lessons may not be entirely expected or celebrated by all groups, e.g., don't shame your enemies, find allies wherever you can, and ask for the doable, not the impossible. Most striking in this book are the stories of Joe's ability to draw some kind of win-however small-from seeming enemies. Many of these former enemies became stalwart allies over time. Joe's book is more concerned with the “long game” of changing culture and achieving long-term goals, not the “short game” of enforcing purity or litmus tests.
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- Foreword
- Introduction
- 1 Channeling Anger into Action
- 2 Finding Common Ground
- 3 Listening Mindfully
- 4 Overcoming Differences
- 5 How to Ask for Anything . . . and Get It
- 6 The Sheer Will Strategy
- 7 Sacrifice versus Compromise
- 8 Working Together toward Hope
- Acknowledgments
- Index
- About the Author
Review quote
“In Congress we knew that we needed a strategic partner advocating for the LGBT community who would never allow the anger he understandably felt in the face of injustice to cause him to lose sight of the ultimate goal, and who understood how to find common ground on both sides of the legislative aisle. Joe's stories in this book and the lessons he learned will inspire you to think differently about the change you seek to make in your life and in the world.”
-Senator Joe Lieberman
“I've seen Joe Solmonese in action . . . Joe's work organizing the LGBT community and its allies toward smart, strategic work enabled meaningful and sustained victories in the fight for equality for Americans.”
-Senator Sherrod Brown
“This book is a meaningful road map for those seeking to chart their own path toward overcoming injustices, finding common ground, and achieving goals, no matter how lofty they may seem.”
-Ross Mathews, television host and author of Man Up!
“Joe's leadership is proof of his steadfast commitment to equality and his unique ability to harness the power of a movement and turn it into action. Those seeking to leave this world better than they found it can draw similar inspiration from the pages of this book.”
-Chad Griffin, President, Human Rights Campaign
“We can all learn a lot from Joe's work advancing LGBT equality. If change is what you seek-in your world, your community, your workplace, or your relationships-this is the book for you.”
-Cecile Richards, President, Planned Parenthood Federation of America
“I was privileged to be a partner with Joe, and I'm thrilled that he has chosen to share the lessons of his leadership to inspire the next generation of civil and human rights advocates.”
-Wade Henderson, President and CEO, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
“Those who set out to change the world and encounter obstacles and injustice along the way would do well to read Joe's book. It's an inspiring story that shows us how to channel the anger any of us might understandably experience into something positive and transformational.”
-Jesse Tyler Ferguson, actor and activist
-Senator Joe Lieberman
“I've seen Joe Solmonese in action . . . Joe's work organizing the LGBT community and its allies toward smart, strategic work enabled meaningful and sustained victories in the fight for equality for Americans.”
-Senator Sherrod Brown
“This book is a meaningful road map for those seeking to chart their own path toward overcoming injustices, finding common ground, and achieving goals, no matter how lofty they may seem.”
-Ross Mathews, television host and author of Man Up!
“Joe's leadership is proof of his steadfast commitment to equality and his unique ability to harness the power of a movement and turn it into action. Those seeking to leave this world better than they found it can draw similar inspiration from the pages of this book.”
-Chad Griffin, President, Human Rights Campaign
“We can all learn a lot from Joe's work advancing LGBT equality. If change is what you seek-in your world, your community, your workplace, or your relationships-this is the book for you.”
-Cecile Richards, President, Planned Parenthood Federation of America
“I was privileged to be a partner with Joe, and I'm thrilled that he has chosen to share the lessons of his leadership to inspire the next generation of civil and human rights advocates.”
-Wade Henderson, President and CEO, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
“Those who set out to change the world and encounter obstacles and injustice along the way would do well to read Joe's book. It's an inspiring story that shows us how to channel the anger any of us might understandably experience into something positive and transformational.”
-Jesse Tyler Ferguson, actor and activist
