When pen meets purpose...
Published Works
LEAD with CIVILITY
Lead with Civility is a handbook for leaders who refuse to surrender public life to contempt, chaos, and fear.
In an age of performative outrage, misinformation, and rising authoritarianism, Diane Kalen Sukra challenges the myth that might makes right. She shows how doing right by each other builds the shared strength our communities and institutions depend on.
Kalen-Sukra reclaims civility as a culture-shaping leadership discipline—a powerful antidote to toxicity. It equips leaders to hold the line, protect people and process, and make tough decisions that restore order and advance the common good.
She introduces the art of the civic intervention: using your role, procedures, and presence to interrupt harmful patterns and reset the norms of the rooms and places you lead.
Drawing on ancient wisdom, modern research, and her experience as a city manager and global civility advocate, Kalen Sukra offers a proven roadmap and practical tools for leaders determined to turn the cultural tide. Vivid portraits and guest essays from civic leaders show how incivility and dysfunction can become catalysts for renewal.
A handbook for leaders who want to change the culture—not just survive it.
5th Anniversary
Toxic culture is eroding our sense of belonging, community and well-being. Our capacity to collaborate and innovate together is also being undermined by the rising incivility and divisiveness.
We need each other to address the complex challenges facing our cities and communities -- from the infrastructure deficit to climate change, homelessness, mental health and addiction issues. In order to thrive, our local democracies depend on our ability to revive the art of living and working well together.
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In this thought-provoking and inspiring book, Diane Kalen-Sukra empowers community leaders and citizens to be part of the solution. She demonstrates what's involved by taking readers on a journey from Bullyville to Sustainaville, including an eye-opening visit to classical antiquity.
The successful journey includes a renaissance of civic values and civic education as vital to fostering the type of culture that can sustain us, our democracy and our planet.
This updated and illustrated 5th Anniversary edition of Save Your City is back by popular demand and includes a poster Roadmap to Renewing Civic Culture, empowering civic leaders and engaged citizens with practical steps to take today.
Civic Resilience
In the annals of history, we have faced numerous trials and tribulations, but the COVID-19 pandemic emerged as an unparalleled crucible that tested the resilience of our civic institutions. While the challenges it presented were immense, the response and adaptation of local governments revealed a phenomenon of profound significance—a values revolution that catalyzed remarkable cultural change within municipalities.
Civic Resilience delves deep into this transformative period in our civic history. This e-book represents extensive research into local governance during one of the most unprecedented global crises of our time.
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The book's aim is twofold: to comprehend the seismic shifts that COVID-19 initiated within local governments and to harness the invaluable insights for the betterment of our communities. In these pages, you'll explore how local governments navigated the pandemic's challenges, fostering innovation, empathy, and adaptability. These experiences exemplify servant leadership, compassion, and ethics—values that have been the bedrock of civic leadership.
The insights gleaned transcend the crisis, offering a roadmap for the future of local government marked by sustained transformation and resilience. This e-book is an exploration of civic resilience, a testament to the unwavering spirit of local governments, and a call to action for civic leaders to shape the future of our municipalities, illuminating the path to a brighter and more resilient civic future.
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