The lead character in this realistic story, a safety professional for a large manufacturing company, is bullied by her boss, and she searches to find the courage to confront him. In her search she learns from Dr. Pitz ("Doc") the five person-states that influence one's propensity to actively care for the safety, health, or welfare of other people. With her coworker, Jeff, Joanne entertains ways to enhance these five person- states: self-esteem, self-efficacy, optimism, belongingness, and personal control. With this profound knowledge she eventually confronts her boss and teaches him how to be an actively caring for people leader.

This refreshing teaching/learning narrative, based on actual life events and research-supported principles, begins with the lead character (Joanne Cruse) losing her job as the Safety Director for a large manufacturing company. Subsequently, her former psychology professor, Dr. Pitz ("Doc"), invites her to try out for a position as leadership consultant with his firm, Make-A-Difference, Inc. (MAD) that helps companies cultivate a self-motivated and personally-engaged workforce. Throughout her probationary period, Joanne travels with the top consultant at MAD (Mickey Vasquez) to visit a number of organizations struggling with various occupational issues related to the human dynamics of self-motivation (i.e., working to accomplish an organization's milestone from a self-directed or self-accountability mindset). The interpersonal and group interactions Joanne experiences at diverse organizations, accompanied by Mickey's professional coaching, reveal twenty practical and profound leadership lessons to nurture an actively caring for people work culture in which employees put forth their best efforts on behalf of their company's mission.