The Ascent of a Leader is a beautifully honest, deeply caring, and positively uplifting book. Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol, and Ken McElrath show us with their compelling stories and inspiring message how magic happens when leaders of char acter nurture an environment filled with grace. This book embraces you, and once you've read it you won't ever forget it. In a world filled with so much cynicism and fear, this is one book that definitely will fill your heart and soul with hope and joy."

Jim Kouzes, coauthor, The Leadership Challenge and

Encouraging the Heart, chairman, Tom Peters Group/Learning Systems