To those below (as well as to the so many others not mentioned by name), I thank you for your Impact, Influence, and Inspiration (the “3 I’s”), as you all played a huge part in making this book happen:
My wife, Karin, Mom and Dad, my brother Steve, and my mother-in-law, Myra for all their love and support.
Jeff Schwartzman: from colleague, to boss, to client, to teaching partner, to one of my closest friends, it’s always a pleasure working, and hanging, together. You introduced me to the mantra “if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” Though that’s not entirely true—as we both work pretty damn hard—I always do my best work, and have the most fun, when working together.
Joe Armentano: mentor, coach, and friend—you recognized my potential before I did and took a chance on me, changing the course of my career…and my life.
Seth Foster (who, after helping me to get a job at his company once advised me, “Never let them know that you have no idea what you’re doing and you’ll be fine,”—advice I’ve followed ever since)—and my college roommate and great friend Mark Saks: you both “knew me when,” and have been along for the long, wild ride every step of the way.
Mr. Hugh Patterson, Mr. Robert Ballentine, and Professor Jeffrey Berman: the three teachers who took a special interest in me and not only taught me how to learn, but—without realizing it—how to teach.
My incredible agent Ken Lizotte and his wonderfully brilliant and amazing editors, Elena Petricone and Chloe Lizotte at emerson consulting group, who helped to make this dream a reality. Thank you, also, to Bill Maw (author of The Work-Life Equation) for originally introducing me to Ken…and to Rob Salafia (author of Leading From Your Best Self) who, by coincidence, reintroduced me to Ken two years later, confirming that this relationship was meant to be.
The terrific people of Post Hill Press, especially president Michael L. Wilson, acquisitions editor Debra Englander, managing editor Heather King, and publicist Meredith Didier, as well as the folks at Simon & Schuster.
My excellent IP attorneys at FisherBroyles, Lisa Carroll and Richard (Rick) Lehrer, who (especially for lawyers) are always such a pleasure to work with.
NYU School of Professional Studies/Division of Programs in Business: Associate Dean Martin Ihrig, Dr. Negar Farakish, Dr. Anna Tavis, Maryanne Spatola, all my wonderful faculty colleagues, the tremendous support staff—especially Daniel Amaranto, Amanda Charnley, Lisa Hoang, Nicole Howe—and my amazing students who inspire me to do what I do.
Columbia University: Dean Jason Wingard, Tatum Thomas, Joshua Mackey, Arabella Pollack, and all my fantastic students and colleagues, with special thanks to Michael J. Passaro.
Adam Bryant (author of The Corner Office and Quick and Nimble), whose hundreds of CEO interviews in the New York Times validated the fact that senior leaders are just regular people and provided me with so much valuable content for my NYU classes over the years: I’ve enjoyed our various collaborations and always appreciate your humble generosity.
All my friends and colleagues at Liquidnet—both past and present—especially CEO Seth Merrin and the Liquidnet University (LNU) all-star team of Jeff Schwartzman, Angelo Valenti, and Brian Tally.
The entire Leadership Forum community—too many amazing people to mention!—with a special shout-out to Steve Gardiner, who is always one of my biggest and most enthusiastic supporters.
The Ferguson Library Pro Speaker Group: Sandra Long (author of LinkedIn for Personal Branding), Mary Abbazia (co-author of The Accidental Marketer), fellow bookworm Helena Escalante, and the rest of our amazing group of speakers, as well as our sponsors, Alice Knapp, Susan LaPerla, Elizabeth Joseph, and Connie Hubbard.
All my amazing consulting, training, and coaching clients who provide me with the opportunity to put into practice what I preach.
And, lastly, to all of my other wonderful friends, family, colleagues and clients for all their advice, support, and encouragement over the years, especially…my grandparents, Mindy and Fred Nelson and family, my beloved Aunt Irma and Uncle Paul Cherches, the Schuman/Shapiro/Myers family, the Marcus/Somerfield clan, Nick Sibrava, Tala Robinson, Bill Keisler, Marc Levine, Sue Foster and Hannah Foster, Joanne and Brad Bartmess, Robin T. Jonah, Barbara J. Spence, Eileen Noon, Martin Van Treuren, Bill and Theresa Mollica, Chris and Caryn Berlingieri, Adam Varsano, Marc Emmer, Dario Palombi, Karyn Wulbrun, Beverly Helton, Derek Jones, Lourdes Olvera-Marshall, Dr. Linda Lausell Bryant, Andrea Nierenberg, Peter Phelan, Rob Polishook, Deborah Grayson Riegel, Nolan Haims, Kevin Lupowitz, Brett Kotch, Bryan Mattimore, Brad Szollose, JP Laqueur, Donna Scarola, Rich Kuepper, David Kruczlnicki, Elise Silverman, Ellen Anthony, Edward Fleischman, Glenn Bernstein, Margaret McLean Walsh, Mary Walsh, Allison Hemming, Nancy Ancowitz, Roseanna DeMaria, Karen Miner-Romanoff, Monica Glina, Angela Wright, Ajay Chitharanjan, Janet Lyden, Dina Friedel, Jessica Palacios, Cholda Techamani, Madeleine Weinberg, Melissa Brachfeld, Seth Godin, Adam Grant, Susan Cain, Dan Pink, Nancy Duarte, Marshall Goldsmith, Ayse Birsel, Peter Bregman, Sunni Brown, Jerry Colonna, Ron Ashkenas, Mike Figliuolo, Steven Heller, Jennifer Goldman-Wetzler, Fawn Germer, Enrique Rubio and the Hacking HR community, Mark Taylor and Vistage, Nicos Marcou and the TEDx ChelseaPark team, Alicia Pierro and Gail Morse of Big Apple Greeter, and one of the most incredible and inspirational individuals I’ve ever met, Phillip Butler, PhD—CDR, USN (Ret.), former POW, and author of Three Lives of a Warrior—who is living proof of his quote that “optimism and humor are the grease and glue of life.” And, I would be remiss if I did not also thank Dr. Ronald Ruden (author of The Craving Brain and When the Past is Always Present), who has saved me more times than I can count.