Leading Through Turbulence: How a Values-Based Culture Can Build Profits and Make the World a Better Place

”Alan and Harriet Lewis and Grand Circle Corporation demonstrate that emerging company owners are the true corporate heroes . . . the leading edge of a new approach to philanthropy and competitiveness.”
—Michael E. Porter, Harvard Business School

The travel industry has been one of the hardest hit by the recent recession. Yet Boston-based Grand Circle Corporation has been increasing profitability—and growing at a rate of nearly 20 percent per year—for the last two decades. Now, co-owners Alan and Harriet Lewis share the fascinating inside story of Grand Circle: how they grew their business into an international powerhouse, how they integrated their values and philanthropy into a working business model, and how they realized their dream of creating a different kind of company that profits everyone involved.

In Leading Through Turbulence, the Lewises show you how to:

• Adapt and thrive in times of change and crisis
• Create a corporate culture that promotes talent and growth
• Invest in leadership at all levels—and in people with potential
• Give back to the world through good works and philanthropy

Whether you’re an executive, a manager, a business owner, or an entrepreneur, you’ll find real inspiration and insight in the Lewises’ incredible story. You’ll learn how one company navigated the highs and lows of a changing global market—and how you can, too. You’ll discover practical ways to balance risk and reward, profits and losses, and personal values with professional ethics. You’ll see how the travel industry bounced back after the 9/11 attacks and how one company rose to meet the challenge of new online competitors. Most important, you’ll enjoy a deeper, more satisfying level of success by staying true to yourself, your coworkers, and your community at large.

Life is a journey. Leading Through Turbulence shows you how to reach your destination. Safely. Smoothly. Successfully.