Acknowledgments

Writing this book has been a dream of mine for a long time, and I’m still pinching myself that my dream is now a reality. A heartfelt thanks to all the friends who helped me along in this process by providing encouragement, wisdom, introductions, and ideas.

Thanks to my rock-star agent Molly Lyons, who loved my proposal at first sight and took me on as a client. Without her, it would still be an idea sitting in the back of my head. Thanks as well to Ellen Kadin, Louis Greenstein, Jim Bessent, Barry Richardson, and the AMACOM team for giving the book the perfect home and for strengthening the message.

Thanks to all of my clients and colleagues who I’ve been honored to work with. You’ve taught me more than you know. While you are anonymous in these pages, you are real in my heart. Thanks to the wonderful coaching community at Georgetown for first introducing me to the ideas of inner presence and intention. It’s been life-changing. Thanks to my Element North business partner, Mike McGinley, for his spot-on feedback and ridiculous amount of faith in me.

Thanks to my early draft readers, Chris Segall and Mary Knebel, who were way too busy but found time anyway. Your comments made a world of difference. Thanks to my Vistage chair, Clyde Northrop, for some of the best advice of my life.

Thanks to the folks who were kind enough to be interviewed or to grant permission to use their material in this book, including David Rock, Dan Pink, Charles H. Green, Ted Leonsis, Niki Leondakis, Chalmers Brothers, Scott Eblin, Greg Stock, Jim Kaitz, and Michael Dering. Your words made the book so much stronger.

Thanks to Virginia Tech professors Rachel Holloway and Bob Denton for first getting me passionate about communications as a social science, and for investing so much time and advice all those years ago in an ambitious (if typically distracted) college kid. Go Hokies!

Finally, the deepest thanks go to my entire family for their constant love, support, and unfailing belief in me, and to my late grandmothers for enduring inspiration. To the two best kids in the world, Smith and Emery, who were so patient with an already-busy mother who seemed to be forever writing. I’m so proud to be your mom. And for my husband, Mike, who was in this, as in all things, the consummate friend, supporter, adviser, and champion. You make everything good.