Lead With Heart ― Transform Your Business Through Personal Connection

If you want your company to thrive, you need to break one of the oldest unwritten rules of leadership.

We've all heard the rule "Don't get too close to those you are leading." We've learned to keep our personal and our professional lives separate. Otherwise, we might appear vulnerable, which, in a business setting, might make us appear weak. This unwritten rule of leadership is pervasive—and quietly destructive. Little by little, keeping ourselves at arm's length destroys trust, collaboration, and the very fabric of organizations.

When Tom Gartland became president of Avis Budget Group, North America, he wanted the corporate culture to become more "open and connected"—so he started with himself. His message was "business is personal – very personal." As he grew closer and connected more with those he was leading, he became a more effective leader, and those around him were inspired to create unprecedented results.

Tom found that when we truly open up and care about the people we work with, we can transform organizations into sanctuaries where people feel a deep connection to one another, a profound sense of being part of an important mission, and extraordinary engagement in their work. The result? Employees who feel valued generate exceptional profits. After applying this business philosophy at Avis, not only did Tom see an increase in employee morale, he also saw a significant increase in the company's bottom line.

In Lead with Heart, Tom provides an unconventional approach to business leadership, including advice and strategies on how to open yourself up as a leader, recognize potential in your employees, and increase employees' trust in you and the company. Lead with Heart is the revolutionary leadership book that will help managers and employees at all levels grow their businesses by connecting, honestly and meaningfully, with the people they lead.

Tom Gartland is a compassionate, strategic, and inspiring leader, who—by learning to connect his professional with his personal life—helped transform the culture of a Fortune 500 company into an engaged, collaborative, top-performing organization that experienced unprecedented growth. Described by his colleagues and clients as "compassionate, caring, strategic, driven, disciplined, competitive, confident, focused, decisive, authentic, passionate, and inspiring," Tom is currently a Member of the Board of Directors of two publicly traded companies (Xenia Hotels and ABM), a Senior Advisor to a private equity firm which was founded by the Rockefeller and Mellon families (AEA Investors), and the former President, North America for Avis Budget Group.

Patrick Sweeney is a consultant in leadership communications and a New York Times bestselling author. He specializes in helping executives develop their thought leadership, share their inspiring stories, and deliver key messages in ways that are truly compelling—positioning themselves and their organizations for success.