Michael Beas

“I run a small coaching practice and had been exhausted from trying to be louder than everyone else online. Steve’s idea that you don’t need to be louder, just clearer, hit me right in the gut. I started opening every conversation with the question in the title, and the tone of my client calls changed almost overnight. People relax, and they actually tell me what they need. It’s warm, a little bold, and never feels like a sales tactic. I’ve already ordered a copy for a friend who’s been hiding behind her business for years.”

“I picked this up because of that tagline, and I’ll admit I rolled my eyes. Then the book actually delivered on it. Just when I thought I had the killer pegged, the story twisted and I realized I had no idea what was going on. Madeline is obnoxious, foul-mouthed, and constantly reaching for the bourbon, but she’s so fiercely lovable that I’d follow her anywhere, which is good, because the book takes you all over the world. The exotic locations gave each murder its own look and feel, almost like a gallery of crimes. I stayed up past 1 a.m. to finish it and I’m already hunting for the next one.”

“I used to put most of my energy into fixing weak spots on my team and just hoped my strongest people would run on their own. Marcolli’s point is that your best people need the most deliberate leadership, and that stuck with me. I sat down with my top performer last week and had the kind of conversation the book describes, with real questions instead of a status update. She told me it was the first time in two years she felt I understood what drove her. His path from professional footballer to advising global CEOs gives the sports stories real weight, and they never feel like decoration. I’ve already passed my copy to a fellow director.”