Heraldry
The symbols, rituals and power structures that make a workplace recognizable—and shape the experience of belonging within it.
A SERIES BY ETHAN HOVEST
The world
we make
at work.
Four books exploring the symbols, decisions and obligations that shape working life.
Heraldry is forthcoming
with Archway Publishing, from Simon & Schuster.
THE FIRST VOLUME
Authority. Belonging. The experience of work.
THE COLLECTION / 01—04
A different question.
A continuing conversation.
Four books.
A shared inquiry.
From the meanings that organize a workplace to the choices that sustain it, each volume follows a different part of the same institutional story.
Cooperation
Why people accept authority, contribute their knowledge and continue working together when their interests do not fully align.
Intervention
What happens when ownership, political authority and the obligations of work meet—and different claims compete to govern the outcome.
Repair
How organizations face failure, make room for unwelcome information and rebuild the capacity to act responsibly.
Cover previews shown. Final publication designs may differ.
THE INQUIRY
What makes an
organization worthy
of cooperation?
The question runs through each volume. Its answers take shape in the relationship between what institutions promise, what people experience and what careful inquiry can clarify.
01
The meaning of authority
How symbols, leadership and institutional expectations shape whose judgment is accepted and whose voice is heard.
02
The obligations of power
What ownership, governance and public policy make possible—and what they require of those entitled to decide.
03
The financial consequences
How balance sheets, cash flows and shareholder relations help explain organizational choices and the limits they face.
04
The capacity to change
How learning, incentives and resources can support adaptation when confidence in an institution has been damaged.
INSIDE HERALDRY
From the opening chapter“Identity”
They’re about who we are, the stories people tell themselves about what they do, whom they do it for, along with what it means.
CONSULTATION & ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT
Better ways of
working together.
Consultation and organization development bring the questions of these books into working practice. Explore leadership, workplace culture, governance and change with attention to the people involved, the choices available and the responsibilities that continue after a decision is made.
Send a question or discuss a projectLeadership and shared work
Examine how authority, expectations and employee voice shape cooperation, and clarify the practices that help people work through disagreement.
Culture and organizational relationships
Explore the routines, incentives and relationships that shape working life, including how concerns are heard and responsibilities are understood.
Change and organizational renewal
Consider how an organization can adapt under strain, align resources with priorities and build practical conditions for learning and repair.
BEGIN WITH HERALDRY
The workplace is
always telling a story.
Look more closely at the symbols, leadership and decisions that give it meaning.
Forthcoming with Archway Publishing, from Simon & Schuster.