Karthik Ramanna’s new book, The Age of Outrage, is going to be a welcome addition to those with corporate conflicts and public relation snafus. Ramanna provides a model for responding to and preventing incidents of outrage. He lays out steps, phases, scripts that can guide a leader or anyone trying to effect civil discourse and change. Providing examples in national governments around the globe, corporations, historical incidents and literature, the author illustrates how his methodology eases the outrage. While his book is hopeful, his Coda does delineate how much work is still needed in the 2020’s.
As many who have experienced resistance to policies or decisions, mutual trust is key and foundational. His scripts can help move opposing parties closer to understanding each other and agreement if both parties are operating in good faith and without ulterior motives. If leaders of an organization or “rebel group” are operating out of self-interest—narcissists, and other toxic leaders who are motivated by short-term monetary or reputation gain rather than the organization’s/nation’s—this methodology may not work. Scorched earth/salted fields types of outcomes may be the goal of such leaders operating in win-lose attitude: if I can’t win, no one is going to win.
For those who need a glimpse of a future hope, Ramanna’s book can be a methodology for those who might have to respond to outrage in their position.
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