Books

RUG: Move What You Are Tripping Over and Lead with H.E.A.R.T.

We’ve all stumbled over invisible rugs: old beliefs, outdated systems, silent expectations. In RUG: Move What You Are Tripping Over and Lead with H.E.A.R.T., Sherry Whitaker Budziak and Kevin G. Ordoñez introduce a powerful framework for leading through Humanizing, Empowering, Ascending, Reimagining, and Transforming.

Blending deeply personal stories with decades of leadership insight, they offer a practical,
inspiring roadmap for anyone ready to rise from disruption and lead with H.E.A.R.T.
Every chapter includes real-world stories, reflective prompts, practical exercises, and
micro-moves you can implement immediately. Read it cover to cover or return to specific
chapters whenever you need wisdom or fresh perspective. Discover the power of
leadership when it starts with H.E.A.R.T. Everything begins with moving the rug.

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Jules Moves the Rug

What if the things we trip over are the things we need to face? In the middle of a small,
busy house lies a big, bright, bumpy rug that everyone steps around — until Jules,
curious and brave, finally says, “It’s time to move the rug.” As Jules leads her family to
lift it for the very first time, they uncover more than anyone imagined.

Inspired by the leadership book RUG: Move What You Are Tripping Over and Lead with H.E.A.R.T., this beautifully illustrated picture book invites children and families to explore courage, curiosity, and the power of facing what has been hidden. Perfect for parents, teachers, and counselors, Jules Moves the Rug reminds us that sometimes, moving what’s in the way is how we find our way back to one another.

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Inside H.E.A.R.T. Powered Leadership™

At the core of RUG is the H.E.A.R.T. Powered Leadership™ Framework — five principles to help you lead yourself and others with empathy, courage, and vision through any disruption.

  • Humanize – Lead with empathy. Put people first
  • Empower – Trust deeply. Let others lead
  • Ascend – Rise above comfort. Choose growth
  • Reimagine – Challenge norms. See possibility
  • Transform – Rewrite your story. Lead from experience


RUG brings these principles to life through real stories, fresh perspectives, and practical tools you can put into action right away. Each chapter includes:

  • Stories from the authors’ personal and professional lives that bring the principles to life
  • Kevin’s Takes, which offer an additional lens on the themes explored from co-author Kevin G. Ordoñez
  • RUG Reflections to prompt personal insight and self-assessment 
  • The Practice to apply lessons in real time with hands-on exercises 
  • Micro-Moves to enable readers to take small, powerful actions today

What Readers Are Saying

  • “RUG pulls no punches—it invites leaders to lift what’s been swept beneath the surface and face it with courage, curiosity, and heart.”

    Judi Holler
    USA Today Bestselling Author
    of Holler at Your Dreams
  • “Sherry and Kevin give language and tools to a style I’ve practiced for years, and their H.E.A.R.T. framework makes courageous leadership usable by anyone at any level.”
    Artesha Moore, FASAE, CAE
    President & CEO,
    Association Forum 
  • “RUG provides solid footing to support leaders as they navigate uncertain pathways to achieve transformation in the face of disruption.”

    Gary A LaBranche, FASAE, CAE
    CEO of RIMS, The Risk
    Management society