The acknowledgment section of a book is not written for the reader. It is for the author to thank the people who helped him or her on the journey of writing a book. Indulge me as I thank a group of very special people.
First and foremost I want to say thank you to my parents. Both were courageous souls who chose to immigrate with two small children from Scotland to Canada and then Birmingham, Alabama, in 1968. Were it not for their desire for a better life, for themselves and primarily for their children, this book would not be in your hands. Both would be exceptionally proud of this accomplishment, as I am of theirs.
I want to thank my mentor and business advisor Alan Weiss. Alan has stretched my thinking and, by doing so, enriched my life in ways I never imagined possible. Thank you, Alan, for showing me how to live boldly, confidently, and generously. And yes, the second book is on its way.
To the clients who partnered with me to convert their human potential into accelerated results I cannot thank you enough. You gave me the opportunity to bring the insights of transformational leadership into your all-too-often overwhelmed, overscheduled, and overbooked workplace and to make a difference in your performance while also enabling human flourishing. I am enriched by your partnership and thank you.
I want to thank the business colleagues who positively shaped my thinking with the book. A heartfelt thank you goes out to Roberta Matuson, Linda Popky, Mark Rodgers, Judy Chan, and Richard Citrin. Each of you inspired me to become an author and to get out of my own way with my writing. I am honored to join you as published authors and indebted to you for your support and encouragement.
Thank you to my sister, Elise, who sees the very best in me and knew I had a book to write even when I didn’t. Your belief in me is without question a gift that I cherish and relied heavily upon while writing the book. To my best man, Robert, your wisdom, faith, and discernment have shaped me in powerful ways. Your thoughts and perspectives are on many pages of this book, and no, you cannot have a portion of the royalties. To my brother from another mother, John Felkins. We became fast friends and your friendship and encouragement have been ballast when I’ve felt as though I was sinking amidst the responsibilities of work and business. You are a fabulous father and amazing advisor and I am blessed to call you my friend.
Thank you to Adonis McNeal. You’ve been on the receiving end of far too many calls during which I thought out loud about each of the seven principles and ended up on my soapbox. You were always gracious and generous with your attention and encouragement. You too are my brother from another mother. It’s too bad I didn’t get your dashing good looks though.
And last, but certainly not least, to the love of my life, Alyson Sharron. Without question, in front of every good man stands a strong, powerful, and loving woman pulling him into the future. You are that for me. I thank you for your swift kick in the pants, your swift voice of encouragement, and the unquestioning admonition of greater possibility. Were it not for you this book would never have happened. Thank you for your patience, love, and support.