Thomas Clarkson stood on the factory floor of Clayton Manufacturing and faced a reality most CEOs never want to confront. Sales were plummeting. Key workers were walking out the door. Morale had hit rock bottom. His company—a once-proud producer of construction materials—was in late decline. Moreover, the clock was ticking. The board wanted answers. Investors wanted results. His team wanted hope. However, Thomas knew that vague promises and incremental changes

Sarah was the best operations manager David had ever worked with. Organized, detail-oriented, reliable, she could take any chaotic process and turn it into a well-oiled machine. For five years, she was the backbone of the company’s efficiency efforts. So, when David needed someone to lead the innovation task force exploring new market opportunities, Sarah seemed like the obvious choice. She’d earned it. Moreover, she knew the business inside and