When in Doubt ... Give Them Your Heart
Stories about Connecting, Empowering & Leading
A new book from Jim Grout
Connect, Empower, Lead—Be the Example
This isn’t just a phrase — it’s a mindset that shapes how we engage with people, show up as leaders, and foster meaningful growth in the lives we touch.
- People matter more than processes.
- Courage often looks like compassion.
- Leadership is about lifting others, not elevating yourself.
- You don’t need to be perfect to be impactful—just present and real.
Transformation often starts small: a conversation, a gesture, a moment of genuine belief.
But small acts ripple outward. A coach’s faith led a kid to leave right field; a partnership among a school district, a nonprofit, and a corporation led to a district-wide culture shift; a hockey team built trust off the ice and won big on it.
Jim Grout’s new book, When in Doubt … Give Them Your Heart demonstrates that leadership rooted in connection is leadership that lasts. Individuals and teams transform, not because of some magical formula or trendy leadership theory, but because someone chose to listen, to believe in another, to take a risk, and to lead by example. That’s the heart of this work.
The stories in this book span decades, continents, classrooms, faculty rooms, locker rooms, and boardrooms. While every audience and setting is unique, the heartbeat of leadership remains constant: Relationships matter.
Each chapter in this book serves as both a snapshot and a compass, outlining what it means to Connect, Empower, Lead—Be the Example. Jim uses his own stories to demonstrate his own leadership style, and each story is followed by reflection questions that helps you think about your own style of leadership.
Two Ways to Get Your Copy
Option 1:
Purchase a copy for $24 from our High 5 Adventure Online Store. All book sales go directly to supporting High 5 programs.
Option 2:
Get an Autographed copy when you become part of the High 5 family with a donation to our Annual Appeal that can help us do our work in very specific ways.
With any donation of $100 or more to our Annual Appeal, we will mail you a paperback copy signed by the author, and our founding director, Jim Grout.
A gift of $500 could support facilitation programming for a school’s educational team.
A gift of $150 could provide scholarship funding for an emerging adventure educator to attend one of our workshops or certificate-level trainings.
A gift of $100 could support professional development for educator teams, helping them to improve and expand their skills and advance their careers.
Whether you’re just starting your leadership journey, you’re helping others develop their own sense of leadership, or you’re investing in yourself, get your copy now.
Tax Information
High 5 Adventure Learning Center is an approved 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization and all donations to High 5 are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.
Business name: High 5 Adventure Learning Center
Federal tax identification number: 03-0363893
If you have any questions about making a gift to High 5, please contact High 5 at: info@high5adventure.org or call us at (802) 254-8718.
