Blog Archives
Your Road to Yes!: How to Build Trust in Yourself and with Others
Your Road to Yes! is a heartfelt and gutsy exploration of what it really takes to build trust—within yourself and with others. This book isn’t just about professional growth; it’s about personal healing too. Author Justin Patton breaks down trust into its moving parts, then rebuilds it with fierce honesty, storytelling, and practical advice. From everyday situations to life-changing revelations, he guides readers through what trust looks like in action, why it fails, and how to rebuild it. If Leadership Presence was about how to show up, Your Road to Yes! is about why showing up matters in the first place.
I liked how deeply personal this book is. Patton doesn’t just teach trust—he lays bare his own journey. In the first chapter, he shares a story about crashing his bike as a kid and how his tough Air Force dad gently carried him home and bandaged his toe. That moment, he writes, was his first real memory of trust. It got me thinking about those rare times in life when someone showed up for me with zero judgment. It’s this emotional openness that gives the book its power. Another example that resonated with me was the anecdote about his mom—how she never gave up on their relationship, even when things weren’t perfect. It made me reflect on how many times I’ve let silence kill trust in my own life because I didn’t want to rock the boat. Patton flips that idea. He says silence is our biggest threat, and that message echoed throughout the whole book like a wake-up call.
From a practical standpoint, this book is a toolbox. Patton outlines what erodes trust (like emotional exhaustion and fear-based leadership), and how to repair it with consistent action, transparency, and tact. I really appreciated how he framed trust as something both given from the heart and earned through the head. That balance stuck with me. He’s not shy about calling out performative leadership or the culture of busyness that drowns real connection. He talks about managers needing to stop hiding behind productivity metrics and actually invest in their people. I especially loved the chapter on trust being your “biggest competitive advantage.” It’s not just a nice idea—he backs it up with research and real-world coaching stories. And yet, it’s written in such a warm, down-to-earth tone.
Your Road to Yes! is equal parts pep talk and soul check. It’s a tough but loving reminder that trust doesn’t just happen—it’s built moment by moment, conversation by conversation. If you’ve ever felt like you were walking on eggshells in a relationship, or like your voice didn’t matter at work, this book will crack something open for you. I’d recommend it for leaders, parents, partners—honestly, anyone who wants deeper, healthier relationships. It’s also perfect for folks feeling stuck or burned out, looking for a more grounded way to lead and live.
Pages: 164 | ASIN : B0B4PFGPJD
Leadership Presence
Justin Patton’s Leadership Presence is a passionate guide that challenges traditional leadership models and proposes a fresh, heart-centered alternative rooted in emotional intelligence, authenticity, and, above all, gentleness. Rather than relying on fear, titles, or tactics, Patton encourages leaders to “shake up the world” by showing up fully and leading with trust, empathy, and self-awareness. The book is structured like a conversation with a wise mentor. Intimate, challenging, and hopeful. Patton mixes personal stories, clear frameworks, and direct coaching advice into a motivating roadmap for anyone looking to lead with more purpose and presence.
What really got me hooked was Patton’s fierce defense of gentleness as the foundation of great leadership. That’s not something you hear every day in a business world obsessed with domination and results. He opens with a bold statement: “Gentleness is the essence of leadership presence.” And throughout the book, he proves it with stories. Like the mother on a flight who calmed her disabled son with quiet grace, and the new company president who earned trust not by flexing credentials, but by leading with empathy when questioned by a skeptical employee. They’re not just inspiring, they’re a call to action. I found myself reflecting on how I show up in tough conversations and whether I lead with compassion or control. Spoiler: not always compassion. But this book made me want to try harder.
Where Leadership Presence really shines is in its practicality. The section with “11 Actionable Tips” (like “Act like you belong” and “Vent in private, lead in public”) is gold. Patton doesn’t just preach from the mountaintop, he gets into the mud with us. He admits his own flaws, from defensiveness to over-intensity, and walks us through how he, and his coaching clients, worked to grow. I loved the story about the executive who constantly tried to prove he was the smartest person in the room, only to realize his relationships were falling apart as a result. Patton helped him pivot from transactional behavior to more intentional presence. It’s moments like these that make the book not just informative but deeply human. I felt like I was in therapy for my leadership style, and I enjoyed it.
Leadership Presence made me think hard about how my energy, my words, my silence impact the people around me. It’s the kind of book that leaves you feeling both seen and challenged. I’d recommend it to new managers, seasoned executives, teachers, parents, anyone who wants to be a better human while also being a stronger leader. If you’re ready to trade performance for presence, and power games for real connection, this book will be your guide.
Pages: 85 | ASIN : B08BGXND5H
LITERARY TITAN 