Honolulu, HI, August 30, 2016. Relative Power: Understanding the Complex Relationship Between African American Males and the Police, a book project by author Neil Holmes, MBA, explains the unconscious reasons behind the often contentious interactions between black males and the police. Relative Power explores this uniquely American problem with deep insights from the perspective of one who has spent year living, traveling and raising a family abroad to then move back to his hometown of Philadelphia, Pa. to join the ranks of corporate America. Relative Power explains how understanding the historical context for police-black male conflict is a fundamental component for understanding how the social phenomenon of "relative power" plays out in that relationship today. The book also delivers unique strategies for how we can finally address the discord.

 "Power perceived is power achieved." Power, is the one thing that on some level, everyone wants, but know one asks for. Power – gaining it, maintaining it, and relinquishing it is the subtext to almost every interaction in our lives, rather consciously or unconsciously. Most mothers expect to have absolute power over her child. Most teachers expect to have unquestioned power in the classroom. Some husbands expect to have some level of power over their wives, and reverse can also be true. Whenever there is an unspoken disagreement between parties in a relationship (mother and child, teacher and student, husband and wife, etc.) in the underlying subtext for any conversation or interaction, the result will be discourse and potentially conflict of some kind.  

Relative Power uncovers the unspoken context, components and ironclad rules of the social phenomenon now referred to as "relative power." This social phenomenon plays out in boardrooms and playgrounds around the world everyday and is as old as humanity itself. Any reader, regardless of their background, aspirations or accomplishments, will take away new tools that can transform the level of success that they can achieve on any level in their lives, both personally and professionally. And more importantly, each read will come away with something that has been eluding all of us for years – an understanding of the causes and practical steps to solve a problem that now, more than ever, drives division in our country – the conflict between African American males and the police.

Neil Julius Holmes discovered his love of writing through a career of communicating complex ideas to lay people during an accomplished career as an executive consultant. His unique world view was formed through spending the majority of his adult life traveling and living abroad to include more than 12 years in Europe and Latin America. He and his wife of 27 years have raised five successful adult children including three African American sons. He was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and now resides in Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawaii. His life-long interests are philosophy, psychology and religion. Holmes is a dynamic speaker, presenter and entrepreneur. He holds an MBA in international business. He can be reached for comment at: 215-298-2408 or Neil.Holmes@NJH-Consulting.com.