Every enterprise is a human enterprise. It doesn't matter what product or service your company offers; you're in the people business. People are the reason your business exists, the means by which you meet your business goals, and the focus of your products and services. And yet, people skills are still regarded as "soft" skills, secondary to the stuff you learn in engineering school and business college--a nice extra, but not essential.

If you want to be an outstanding leader, you must flip the formula around. Put people first. Learn how to connect to people in an authentic, respectful way, and then show them you genuinely care about them. If you can accomplish these two things, you have a chance to really change lives for the better. And there is no higher calling for any enterprise or career.

CONNECT, CARE, CHANGE: A ROAD MAP FOR AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP was written primarily for leaders in customer service businesses. But when you understand the lessons this book contains, you realize every business is a customer service business.