We thank the many people who have contributed to our thinking, experience, and lives—from the highest levels of corporate leadership to the deepest depths of the Grand Canyon. The journey to this book has taken decades to complete and we had the opportunity to encounter many remarkable people along the way. Too many to name, too important to forget, they made the book possible.

Our sincere thanks to Jennifer Simon for believing in this idea and joining us on this expedition into the heart of permanent whitewater, as well as the wonderful editorial and marketing staff at FT Press.

Thanks to Steve Bowman and Lori Young for their insightful comments on earlier versions and Linda Delbusso for assistance with notes.

We would particularly like to thank our families. They had the harder task, namely to deal with us as we dealt with writing. They supported this work and provided a safe haven when we pulled ourselves, tired and wet, out of the river that was this book. We could not have made this journey without you.

Greg’s father passed away as a final version of the book came into view. He, like many members of Greg’s family, loved telling and hearing stories. He introduced Greg to a number of those recounted here. He’d have treasured seeing the stories in print in a book written by his son almost as much as his son would have treasured showing them to him.

Finally, our deep thanks to the many executives and managers who have opened their lives and hearts over the years, indeed the decades! Their stories have enriched more than this book. They have enriched the lives of many, including us. They and so many others have looked the turbulence of modern work in the eye day after day, kept paddling, and showed a true line through the rapids. These pioneers point the way for the rest of us.