Second Book by Chuck Howard Explores the 'Hows and Whys' of Ombuds Work

The American Bar Association has announced the publication of A Practical Guide to Organizational Ombuds: How They Help People and Organizations by Charles Howard. In 2010, Howard wrote the first comprehensive legal guide about Organizational Ombuds. That book, The Organizational Ombudsman: Origins, Roles and Operations-A Legal Guide, immediately became a critical resource for practitioners and those who interact with them, especially in-house counsel and other attorneys. At the time, Howard was an attorney with long list of Ombuds clients. Since then, he transitioned from law practice to become the International Ombudsman Association's first Executive Director, where he continued his advocacy for the profession. News of the publication comes just before Howard will retire from his position with IOA.

Here's the summary from the ABA:

This book is a practical guide for anyone with questions about what ombuds programs are and how they operate. Part I presents the author’s expert responses to common questions and concerns about ombuds programs, and Part II uses real-world examples to illustrate the unique value that ombuds programs provide.

Many people and organizations do not understand what organizational ombuds are and how they work. When confronted with requests to create these programs, those in charge often raise questions about the need for yet another overhead expense that does not produce revenue. They want to know what value these programs really add, and they frequently express skepticism about ombuds' claim of confidentiality and how these programs can operate independently within an organization when an ombuds may be an employee of the organization.

This book is a practical guide for anyone with questions about what ombuds programs are and how they operate. Part I responds directly to the many difficult questions that the author has been asked over the years—questions about what organizational ombuds offices are, why they fill a need that other functions cannot address, why confidentiality is important, and why the office's structure is important to achieving that confidentiality. Part II consists of stories that provide actual examples of what ombuds do. These are real, anonymized examples provided by real ombuds—not composite or hypothetical. Better than any abstract discussion, these examples make plain the unique value that ombuds programs provide.

The book retails for $129.95 and the ABA is now taking pre-orders. (ABA Books.)

Related posts: ABA Publishes First Book About Organizational Ombuds; Chuck Howard Tapped as IOA's Inaugural Executive Director.

More posts about: Charles Howard.