Can a quote from a business executive, taken out of its original context, be instructive in our most personal relationships? Tom Hagerty thinks so and he has written over fifty essays using these leaders' quotes as the foundation for developing better perspective and resilience, greater trust and commitment, a sense of risk and priority, and other qualities necessary for vibrant connections with our families and friends.

Hagerty writes for everyone who wants to be better at the tough stuff of being in relationships that really matter. Some of the quotes he uses to create an actionable plan for improvement are

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life" (Steve Jobs).

"Each one of us is more than the worst thing we have ever done" (Sheryl Sandberg).

"Clock watchers never seem to be having a good time" (James Cash Penney).

"When you lead change, sometimes you get arrows in your back" (Carly Fiorina)

"When you are creating things that are new, you have to be prepared to be on the edge of risk" (Michael Eisner).

"If you think you're too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito" (Anita Roddick).

"Change before you have to" (Jack Welch).

"The rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield" (Warren Buffett).

Written in an accessible and reflective tone of empathy, The Business of Relationships is a book that can be referenced to work on a specific quality or read from start to finish. Part biography and part self-help, it delivers simple insights into the most challenging yet rewarding aspects of our vital interpersonal relationships. And some of these nuggets could even become a daily mantra!