I am such a fan of this book. It’s shot through with inspiring stories and great points, and stands head & shoulders about other books I’ve read with similar themes. I appreciate how the author defines “leading by the heart” in terms of deep caring, sacrifice, and wise encouragement (rather than the traditional model of scattershot praise and fluffy esteem-building).  He somehow balances a focus on bottom-line results with big-picture concepts like passion and legacy. It’s such good stuff.

One of my favorite chapters was on leading with Passion. Towards the end, he points out that the Greek word for passion means “to suffer.” “When something matters so much to you that you’re willing to suffer to see it succeed, that’s passion. It might come with pain and sacrifice, and it almost always comes with hard work, but it never comes without joy.” I appreciate how candidly he connects these two things, reminding us that suffering and joy aren’t mutually exclusive.

I found so much here to help & inspire me, especially in my newest leadership role as an adoptive parent.  I teared up as I read an anecdote about what the author’s first boss responded after he whiffed a big presentation: The boss sent him back out the next day with an unexpected chance to try again, and said, “It’s important that we make mistakes. That’s how we learn and grow. Just don’t make the same mistake twice.”

I want to post those words in bold font on the wall in every room in my house.

This is a great read for anyone who leads anyone. (By which I mean, pretty much everyone.)

Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.