Winner
Book Title:Hard to Handle: A High Performer Paradox
Author:Diana Lowe, Lowe
Co-Authors:Michael Ashley
Published:2025
How is your book helping others?
Hard to Handle: A High Performer Paradox is changing the conversation about difficult high performers by asking a more human—and more challenging—question: What if the person everyone is ready to give up on is capable of change? Grounded in evidence-based leadership and coaching, the book helps leaders and HR professionals confront a hard truth: when we label someone “difficult,” we can stop being curious about what is driving the behavior—and miss the opportunity for transformation. Through a relatable workplace story and practical tools, readers learn to look beneath behavior, have courageous conversations, build self-awareness and emotional intelligence, and take responsibility for their own impact. At its heart is a powerful idea: people are more than their worst behaviors. When we stop asking “What’s wrong with them?” and start asking “What’s possible here?”, we create the conditions for meaningful change.