Advance Praise for The Hero Leads
“One of the most concise, on-point leadership manuals I’ve read. Keep it handy so you can go back to it.”
Howard Green, founding anchor at Canada’s Business News Network and bestselling author of Railroader
“The Hero Leads inspired, confronted, and activated me. Tim Hampton effortlessly translates Joseph Campbell’s stages of the Hero’s Journey into relatable challenges for change makers in organizations. It taught me to identify self-sabotage, where I should have taken responsibility when it was easier not to. It gave me a fresh and more positive view of the resistance within myself, my goals, and untapped potential. Moreover, the book felt like a guide to leading change in my own company.”
Egbert Edelbroek, PhD, CEO SpaceBorn United
“The corporate heroes I work with don’t see themselves as heroes—they’re just doing the work because they see a better way. They spend their days being brave, solving problems, testing solutions, winning people over. They’re strategically positive and confident at every turn. But the weight of driving change from within is real. Tim’s book gives them what they need: a framework for the journey, an identity to match the impact they’re having, and permission to share struggles.”
Erica Lee Garcia, P.Eng., founder and managing partner of Onward Business Mechanics, Founder of Engineers of Tomorrow
“Excellent! Great, easy read. So many good lessons. I loved the movie references and the clear connection between corporate innovation and the hero’s journey.”
Dr. Georgette Zinaty, MBA, MSc, DBA, founder and CEO of Women Helping Empower Women
“The Hero Leads is set in a corporate context, but your takeaways will apply to any journey of change or improvement in your life. And it’s a joy to read! Tim Hampton does a masterful job of illustrating, characterizing, and bridging every stage of the hero’s journey with wisdom from exceptional leaders and thinkers and from pop culture.”
Ethan Beute, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Human-Centered Communication and Rehumanize Your Business
“If you’re trying to lead change inside an established organization, this book is for you. Tim Hampton writes specifically for the “corporate hero”—the intrapreneur building within constraints rather than starting from scratch. He translates Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey into a practical roadmap for navigating organizational resistance, building allies, and sustaining change through all 12 stages of transformation. What makes it work is Hampton’s use of film scenes from The Matrix, Moneyball, and The Shawshank Redemption to bring each stage to life, paired with concrete guidance. More than once, I found myself thinking “that relates to me” as his descriptions of organizational resistance and the fear of change hit uncomfortably close to home. It’s rare to find a business book that’s both substantive and genuinely inspiring.”
Natty Gur, author of Eco-Autonomous Organizations
“Tim Hampton makes the compelling suggestion that The Hero’s Journey has something surprising to say to leaders. If you want to lead, you must take the journey of becoming. Leaders are not heroes, but, rather, the path to leadership, and the practice the journey opens up to us, can be heroic.”
Michael Dila, director of Oslo for AI and founder of System 3 Coaching
“Tim Hampton has applied the ancient and timeless wisdom of the Hero’s Journey to the organizational setting in a compelling and accessible way. And it’s a good thing he has. We are deeply in need of the courage and the elixir that this journey takes us on. How you are is how you lead, and The Hero Leads takes us on a vital journey of reflection and growth.”
Andrea Swanson, MA, organizational consultant, coach and instructor
“The Hero Leads is an engaging road map to success. With fun pop-culture references and a unique perspective around how to disrupt complacency and channel anger into action, Tim Hampton provides a motiving guide to leading with purpose.”
Fotini Iconomopoulos, MBA, author of Say Less, Get More
“Born from myth and utterly made for today, The Hero Leads is crucial reading for those who sense that leadership is truly about choosing, again and again, to show up with integrity and heart.”
Dr. Deena Kara Shaffer, founder of Awakened Learning and bestselling author of Feel Good Learning and Raising Well Learners
“Within the first few pages, it was clear this book was carefully crafted for organizational leaders at all levels who walk the winding path of story, meaning, and responsibility. In writing The Hero Leads, Tim is accepting the responsibility of serving as the sage in every corporate hero’s journey. His film references are tastefully curated, his thinking is sharp, and he treats the powerful monomyth with deep reverence. One passage I immediately marked in my copy: “When you act, your story happens because of you… Begin with the belief that your life is worth shaping.” It’s a line that captures the book’s essence, reflecting the leader back to themselves, then asking them to step into the world of adventure. Part guide, part elixir—The Hero Leads is a book worth carrying back into the ordinary world.”
Hamza Khan, co-founder of SkillsCamp and bestselling author of The Burnout Gamble and Leadership Reinvented
“Leading change starts with the courage to act on a vision for something better. The Hero Leads captures the moment when aspiration turns into action and leading change begins. Tim Hampton reframes change leadership as a journey—one where you learn through setbacks, grow by overcoming resistance, and keep moving toward a future that matters, while helping others see their place in it. This book is an inspiring guide for anyone ready to lead meaningful change and bring others along to lasting impact.”
Katie Anderson, Shingo Prize winning author Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn
“This book offers an excellent guide for employees who want to challenge the status quo, lead with purpose, and inspire the next generation of talent. If you’re looking to leave your mark and drive meaningful change, this book delivers.”
Michael Gibben, team building facilitator and public speaking consultant, TEDx speaker