Discover how putting people first creates vibrant organizations and profound change.
Leadership Is a Relationship: How to Put People First in the Digital World
By Michael S. Erwin and Willys DeVoll
Available now in print, ebook, and audiobook
Buy from an independent bookseller:
Print (Portland, Maine)
The Country Bookshop (Southern Pines, North Carolina)
Green Apple Books (San Francisco, California)
About the Book
Leading people requires genuine personal connection—but the Information Age makes creating that connection profoundly difficult.
In Leadership Is a Relationship: How to Put People First in the Digital World, accomplished founders and authors Michael S. Erwin and Willys DeVoll deliver an insightful collection of interviews with leaders who have succeeded by prioritizing the wellbeing of other people. Featuring fresh stories from leaders like Olympic legend Kerri Walsh Jennings, former Secretary of Veterans Affairs Bob McDonald, and visionary principal Dr. Virginia Hill, the book shows how you too can become a relationship-based leader and thrive in our chaotic, digital world.
By highlighting role models from different careers, backgrounds, skill sets, and schools of thought, Leadership Is a Relationship offers readers an inspiring antidote to one of the most serious—and underreported—crises of our era: the damage that digital distractions have done to our personal relationships. It also shows how anyone, regardless of title or circumstance, can step into leadership and improve people’s lives.
Inside, you’ll find:
• Concrete strategies for combating the depersonalization of the Information Age and strengthening our connections with other people
• Real stories of how people from generals to small-business owners have put people first
• Take-away tips for the busy reader who needs quick insight or hopes to use the book in a modular curriculum for their organization or class
Perfect for anyone who wants to lead both morally and effectively, Leadership Is a Relationship provides a concise and convincing argument that leaders who put people first have the best chance of succeeding in the twenty-first century.
Praise for Leadership Is a Relationship
“Mike Erwin hasn’t just studied leadership—he’s lived it. In this book, he and Willys DeVoll highlight how the connections leaders forge matter every bit as much as the visions they deliver.”
— Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the “WorkLife with Adam Grant” podcast
“Leadership Is a Relationship is both timely and timeless, and makes a strong case for why it's so important for us to positively influence the people we lead and love. This book's message is one that we all need to hear, and challenges and empowers us to put people first amid the relentless pace of life and the distractions we all encounter in life today.”
— Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Emmy-winning broadcaster and New York Times bestselling author
“This book offers accessible ideas and effective methods for anyone looking to grow as a leader. Mike and Willys share real-life examples to help underscore the benefits of relationship-based leadership in your work—and life. Leadership Is a Relationship can help you cut through the noise of navigating an increasingly challenging digital world and instead focus on the strength of your connection to others.”
— Harpreet Rai, CEO of Oura Health
“This excellent book reinforces what I believe to be the most crucial senior leader skill: building and developing relationships. As a four-star combatant commander, this is where I spent the vast majority of my time and how I principally contributed to our mission. A must-read for all leaders, and especially those with large, diverse organizations where you depend on others for success.”
— Joseph Votel, retired four-star US Army general and former commander of US Central Command and US Special Operations Command
“This book serves as a powerful guide on how to become an effective leader by building authentic relationships with others. Our business has always placed an emphasis on family, employees, community, and connection. Leadership Is a Relationship provides impactful strategies and tactics that will help any business continue to foster growth for future generations.”
— Jennifer Yuengling, vice president of operations at Yuengling and sixth-generation brewer
“The authors have beautifully combined expository and narrative writing styles. Each chapter tells a true story. The stories are wonderfully written, incorporating just enough dialogue, scene narration, and use of creative language. I highly recommend that you read the book if you are a leader looking for ways to gain a different perspective in how your view relationship building. But it is really tailored for anyone who wishes to put personal ahead of digital relationships.”
— Larry Olson, senior vice president of marketing and communications at Tunnels to Towers Foundation
About the Authors
Michael S. Erwin
Michael S. Erwin is the founder and executive director of Team Red, White & Blue, co-founder of the Positivity Project, and founder and CEO of the Character & Leadership Center. He served three deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan with the US Army. He is also the co-author of Lead Yourself First (Bloomsbury, 2017) with Raymond M. Kethledge.
Willys DeVoll
Willys DeVoll is a writer, creator, and speaker. He is the founder of Will Digital, a writing and design agency. As an expert at the intersection of language and technology, he’s spoken at a wide range of industry conferences and on podcasts. He lives in Maine with his partner, child, and dog.
