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RUG: How to Move What You're Tripping Over and Lead with H.E.A.R.T.
160 pages, Paperback
Published February 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 1, 2026
A Leadership Book That Goes Beyond Strategy to Touch the Soul
In a marketplace saturated with leadership books promising quick fixes and formulaic frameworks, RUG stands apart. Sherry Whitaker Budziak and Kevin G. Ordoñez have crafted something rare: a leadership guide that is equal parts practical toolkit and profound personal reflection-one that will change how you lead others by first changing how you lead yourself.
The central metaphor is brilliantly simple yet endlessly applicable. We all have "rugs" in our organizations and our lives-those invisible obstacles we've normalized, the outdated processes no one questions, the unspoken tensions we step over daily. As the authors put it: "What we refuse to acknowledge, we eventually trip over."
The H.E.A.R.T. Framework That Actually Works
At the core of the book is the H.E.A.R.T. Powered Leadership™ framework:
• Humanize - Lead with empathy. Put people first.
• Empower - Trust deeply. Let others lead.
• Ascend - Rise above comfort. Choose growth.
• Reimagine - Challenge norms. See possibility.
• Transform - Rewrite your story. Lead from experience.
What makes this framework different from countless others is that it wasn't developed in a boardroom or an academic ivory tower. It was forged in the crucible of real disruption-both professional and deeply personal. When Sherry lost her husband suddenly on New Year's Eve 2022, she discovered that the principles she had been teaching organizations for decades applied just as powerfully to personal transformation.
Why Every Business Leader Should Read This Book
1. It's refreshingly honest about what leadership actually requires.
2. It combines strategic insight with emotional intelligence.
3. It's immediately applicable.
Each chapter includes "Rug Reflections" for self-assessment, "The Practice" for hands-on application, and "Micro-Moves"-small, powerful actions you can take today.
4. It addresses what most leadership books ignore.
The authors tackle burnout, grief, impostor syndrome, and the cultural fatigue that plagues so many organizations. They give leaders permission to be human, to acknowledge their struggles while still showing up with courage and clarity.
Memorable Insights
The book is filled with wisdom that stays with you:
• "Real resilience doesn't come from bypassing pain. It comes from naming it."
• "Empowerment isn't assigning tasks. It's transferring belief."
• "True leadership isn't about making people follow-it's about inspiring them to ascend."
• "Sometimes the greatest strategy is trust."
The story of the literal rug in a client's hallway-a tripping hazard everyone had learned to navigate around because "we'd need to ask the CEO" to move it-is a perfect encapsulation of organizational dysfunction that will resonate with anyone who has worked in a large organization.
Who Should Read This Book
• CEOs and executives
• Middle managers
• Entrepreneurs
• Anyone in career transition
• Leadership development professionals
The Bottom Line
RUG is that rare business book that will make you a better leader and a better human being. Budziak and Ordoñez have given us a gift: permission to be both strategic and sensitive, both ambitious and empathetic, both driven and deeply human.
If you've ever felt like you're tripping over the same obstacles again and again-in your organization or in your life-this book will help you finally see what's been invisible and give you the courage to move it.
The authors close with a manifesto and an invitation to join what they call "The Rug Revolution." After reading this book, you'll want to accept that invitation.
Highly recommended for every leader ready to stop tripping and start transforming.
In a marketplace saturated with leadership books promising quick fixes and formulaic frameworks, RUG stands apart. Sherry Whitaker Budziak and Kevin G. Ordoñez have crafted something rare: a leadership guide that is equal parts practical toolkit and profound personal reflection-one that will change how you lead others by first changing how you lead yourself.
The central metaphor is brilliantly simple yet endlessly applicable. We all have "rugs" in our organizations and our lives-those invisible obstacles we've normalized, the outdated processes no one questions, the unspoken tensions we step over daily. As the authors put it: "What we refuse to acknowledge, we eventually trip over."
The H.E.A.R.T. Framework That Actually Works
At the core of the book is the H.E.A.R.T. Powered Leadership™ framework:
• Humanize - Lead with empathy. Put people first.
• Empower - Trust deeply. Let others lead.
• Ascend - Rise above comfort. Choose growth.
• Reimagine - Challenge norms. See possibility.
• Transform - Rewrite your story. Lead from experience.
What makes this framework different from countless others is that it wasn't developed in a boardroom or an academic ivory tower. It was forged in the crucible of real disruption-both professional and deeply personal. When Sherry lost her husband suddenly on New Year's Eve 2022, she discovered that the principles she had been teaching organizations for decades applied just as powerfully to personal transformation.
Why Every Business Leader Should Read This Book
1. It's refreshingly honest about what leadership actually requires.
2. It combines strategic insight with emotional intelligence.
3. It's immediately applicable.
Each chapter includes "Rug Reflections" for self-assessment, "The Practice" for hands-on application, and "Micro-Moves"-small, powerful actions you can take today.
4. It addresses what most leadership books ignore.
The authors tackle burnout, grief, impostor syndrome, and the cultural fatigue that plagues so many organizations. They give leaders permission to be human, to acknowledge their struggles while still showing up with courage and clarity.
Memorable Insights
The book is filled with wisdom that stays with you:
• "Real resilience doesn't come from bypassing pain. It comes from naming it."
• "Empowerment isn't assigning tasks. It's transferring belief."
• "True leadership isn't about making people follow-it's about inspiring them to ascend."
• "Sometimes the greatest strategy is trust."
The story of the literal rug in a client's hallway-a tripping hazard everyone had learned to navigate around because "we'd need to ask the CEO" to move it-is a perfect encapsulation of organizational dysfunction that will resonate with anyone who has worked in a large organization.
Who Should Read This Book
• CEOs and executives
• Middle managers
• Entrepreneurs
• Anyone in career transition
• Leadership development professionals
The Bottom Line
RUG is that rare business book that will make you a better leader and a better human being. Budziak and Ordoñez have given us a gift: permission to be both strategic and sensitive, both ambitious and empathetic, both driven and deeply human.
If you've ever felt like you're tripping over the same obstacles again and again-in your organization or in your life-this book will help you finally see what's been invisible and give you the courage to move it.
The authors close with a manifesto and an invitation to join what they call "The Rug Revolution." After reading this book, you'll want to accept that invitation.
Highly recommended for every leader ready to stop tripping and start transforming.
February 2, 2026
This book stands out for the strength of Sherry and Kevin’s partnership and their distinct approach to serving associations nationwide. Written in Sherry’s authentic voice, the book courageously chronicles her journey through the sudden loss of her husband and how that profound disruption led to the creation of the H.E.A.R.T. Powered Leadership framework. Kevin contributes a strategic and complementary perspective, demonstrating how these principles then translate into building organizational culture and resilience. Together, they present an authentic, human-centered approach to leadership that is applicable to teams, clients, and personal growth.
For leaders guiding teams through disruption—or individuals navigating their own personal “rugs”—this book provides clarity, courage, and a intentional path forward. It invites readers to join the “Rug Revolution” while offering practical insight into leading with empathy, presence, and truth.
For leaders guiding teams through disruption—or individuals navigating their own personal “rugs”—this book provides clarity, courage, and a intentional path forward. It invites readers to join the “Rug Revolution” while offering practical insight into leading with empathy, presence, and truth.
February 1, 2026
This book is so genuine. I really appreciate how the book truly made me reflect and think on what I have been tripping over.
November 22, 2025
This book is a refreshing reminder that real leadership isn’t about heroics—it’s about leading with H.E.A.R.T. and truly seeing the human behind the work. I loved how it reframed resilience, empowerment, and transformation as deeply personal, everyday choices rather than big dramatic moments. The reflective questions and journaling spaces make it perfect for a team or book club too! This book is beautifully written and genuinely inspiring—one of those books that stays with you long after you close it.
February 10, 2026
Some leadership books teach you how to manage people, but this one teaches you something even more important and meaningful…how to notice them for who they are.
RUG: How to Move What You’re Trippping Over and Lead with H.E.A.R.T. by Sherry Whitaker Budziak and Kevin G. Ordoñez is both a leadership framework and a deeply personal story about what happens when life rips the floor out from under you. From the opening pages, Budziak makes it clear this isn’t going to be a corporate buzzword manual (thank goodness, right?!). Disruption, she argues, doesn’t just arrive in the form of new technology or shifting markets. Sometimes it comes as devastating silence in your own home, forcing you to confront not only what’s broken, but what’s been quietly “under the rug” for years.
This book immediately felt relatable and important as we move into a new wave of technology – the AI bubble. I found that the book’s central metaphor is simple and sticky: every organization, every team, and every individual has a “rug” they keep tripping over. Essentially, this is an unspoken issue, an outdated habit, an invisible fear, or a normalized dysfunction. The problem isn’t that the rug exists, but how we pretend it doesn’t.
This book was so eye-opening, and I found myself wondering, “Why has this concept not been looked into before?” It’s what makes the book stand out. The emotional honesty begins with the way Budziak opens the book with the sudden loss of her husband, Steve, an experience that reframes everything she thought she knew about resilience and leadership. Instead of presenting grief as a detour from her professional life, she shows how it became the catalyst for a more human, courageous approach to leading.
From that foundation, Budziak and Ordoñez introduce the H.E.A.R.T. Powered Leadership™ framework: Humanize, Empower, Ascend, Reimagine, Transform. I wrote these down on a sticky note so I could refer to them long after I was done reading.
What’s great is the way each chapter focuses on one pillar and includes practical tools such as “Rug Reflections,” “The Practice,” and “Micro-Moves,” which make the book feel actionable rather than aspirational.
In my opinion, the strongest section early on is “Humanize,” which challenges the “process-first” style of leadership that can make teams feel like extensions of systems rather than people with stories. Budziak argues that transformation doesn’t begin with strategy or software, but with sight—seeing what others have stopped saying out loud, and seeing what you’ve stopped admitting to yourself.
I don’t want to give too much away, but I also enjoyed “Empower” because the authors shift from empathy to trust. Empowerment, they insist, isn’t delegating tasks—it’s “transferring belief.”
The stories about leadership that either fuel innovation or suffocate it feel especially relevant in today’s workplace, where burnout and micromanagement can quietly become cultural norms. The book’s message is clear: if you want people to rise, you have to stop building systems that punish initiative.
RUG sometimes leans heavily into affirmation-style phrasing, which may feel repetitive for readers who prefer a more research-driven approach. Still, the warmth is part of the point: this is a book designed to help leaders build cultures where people feel safe enough to tell the truth.
Ultimately, I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it never strays and it refuses to separate leadership from humanity. It reminds readers that the most dangerous obstacles aren’t always obvious failures; they’re the small, familiar trip hazards we accept as “normal.” This book doesn’t just encourage you to lead better. It dares you to look down, name what’s in the way, and finally move it.
RUG: How to Move What You’re Trippping Over and Lead with H.E.A.R.T. by Sherry Whitaker Budziak and Kevin G. Ordoñez is both a leadership framework and a deeply personal story about what happens when life rips the floor out from under you. From the opening pages, Budziak makes it clear this isn’t going to be a corporate buzzword manual (thank goodness, right?!). Disruption, she argues, doesn’t just arrive in the form of new technology or shifting markets. Sometimes it comes as devastating silence in your own home, forcing you to confront not only what’s broken, but what’s been quietly “under the rug” for years.
This book immediately felt relatable and important as we move into a new wave of technology – the AI bubble. I found that the book’s central metaphor is simple and sticky: every organization, every team, and every individual has a “rug” they keep tripping over. Essentially, this is an unspoken issue, an outdated habit, an invisible fear, or a normalized dysfunction. The problem isn’t that the rug exists, but how we pretend it doesn’t.
This book was so eye-opening, and I found myself wondering, “Why has this concept not been looked into before?” It’s what makes the book stand out. The emotional honesty begins with the way Budziak opens the book with the sudden loss of her husband, Steve, an experience that reframes everything she thought she knew about resilience and leadership. Instead of presenting grief as a detour from her professional life, she shows how it became the catalyst for a more human, courageous approach to leading.
From that foundation, Budziak and Ordoñez introduce the H.E.A.R.T. Powered Leadership™ framework: Humanize, Empower, Ascend, Reimagine, Transform. I wrote these down on a sticky note so I could refer to them long after I was done reading.
What’s great is the way each chapter focuses on one pillar and includes practical tools such as “Rug Reflections,” “The Practice,” and “Micro-Moves,” which make the book feel actionable rather than aspirational.
In my opinion, the strongest section early on is “Humanize,” which challenges the “process-first” style of leadership that can make teams feel like extensions of systems rather than people with stories. Budziak argues that transformation doesn’t begin with strategy or software, but with sight—seeing what others have stopped saying out loud, and seeing what you’ve stopped admitting to yourself.
I don’t want to give too much away, but I also enjoyed “Empower” because the authors shift from empathy to trust. Empowerment, they insist, isn’t delegating tasks—it’s “transferring belief.”
The stories about leadership that either fuel innovation or suffocate it feel especially relevant in today’s workplace, where burnout and micromanagement can quietly become cultural norms. The book’s message is clear: if you want people to rise, you have to stop building systems that punish initiative.
RUG sometimes leans heavily into affirmation-style phrasing, which may feel repetitive for readers who prefer a more research-driven approach. Still, the warmth is part of the point: this is a book designed to help leaders build cultures where people feel safe enough to tell the truth.
Ultimately, I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it never strays and it refuses to separate leadership from humanity. It reminds readers that the most dangerous obstacles aren’t always obvious failures; they’re the small, familiar trip hazards we accept as “normal.” This book doesn’t just encourage you to lead better. It dares you to look down, name what’s in the way, and finally move it.
February 1, 2026
I co-wrote RUG because I know what it feels like to keep moving forward while something underneath you are unresolved, unnamed, and quietly shaping everything. Sometimes the thing that trips us is not a person or a problem we can point to. It is the invisible pattern we have learned to live with.
This book is about those patterns: unspoken norms, outdated habits, silent expectations, and limiting beliefs that keep costing us time, trust, and momentum. We call them rugs, and once you learn how to spot them, you stop blaming yourself or your team for “not trying hard enough,” and you start doing the real work: naming what is true and moving it.
We built RUG around the H.E.A.R.T. framework (Humanize, Empower, Ascend, Reimagine, Transform) with reflections and micro-moves you can take immediately. My hope is that it helps you become the next version of yourself and helps teams talk about what is usually left unsaid so they can move forward with clarity.
If you read it, I would be grateful if you shared what you are moving right now.
This book is about those patterns: unspoken norms, outdated habits, silent expectations, and limiting beliefs that keep costing us time, trust, and momentum. We call them rugs, and once you learn how to spot them, you stop blaming yourself or your team for “not trying hard enough,” and you start doing the real work: naming what is true and moving it.
We built RUG around the H.E.A.R.T. framework (Humanize, Empower, Ascend, Reimagine, Transform) with reflections and micro-moves you can take immediately. My hope is that it helps you become the next version of yourself and helps teams talk about what is usually left unsaid so they can move forward with clarity.
If you read it, I would be grateful if you shared what you are moving right now.
February 8, 2026
I’ve known Sherry and her family for years, and I’ve watched her live what she teaches, not in a “perfect leader” way, but in a real life way. That’s why RUG: Move What You Are Tripping Over and Lead with HEART hit me so hard.
This book puts language to the stuff most people avoid. The unspoken tension. The habits we excuse because “that’s just how it is.” The outdated ways of working that keep draining energy and momentum. The “rug” metaphor is simple, but it’s also painfully accurate, because we all have something we keep stepping around.
What makes this book different is that it doesn’t just inspire you. It gives you a way to actually do something about what’s getting in the way. The HEART framework is easy to follow, and the reflections and micro-moves make it practical whether you’re leading a team or trying to lead yourself through a tough season.
If you want a leadership book that feels human and useful, not preachy or full of jargon, this is the one.
This book puts language to the stuff most people avoid. The unspoken tension. The habits we excuse because “that’s just how it is.” The outdated ways of working that keep draining energy and momentum. The “rug” metaphor is simple, but it’s also painfully accurate, because we all have something we keep stepping around.
What makes this book different is that it doesn’t just inspire you. It gives you a way to actually do something about what’s getting in the way. The HEART framework is easy to follow, and the reflections and micro-moves make it practical whether you’re leading a team or trying to lead yourself through a tough season.
If you want a leadership book that feels human and useful, not preachy or full of jargon, this is the one.
November 30, 2025
Move the Rug is one of those rare leadership books that manages to be deeply personal, profoundly practical, and universally relevant all at once. Sherry Whitaker Budziak, with Kevin G. Ordonez, has created a book that lives at the intersection of emotional truth and organizational transformation — and the result is powerful. At its core, this book is about the rugs we all trip over — the unspoken fears, outdated habits, silent expectations, and hidden grief that shape our leadership more than any strategy ever could. What makes the book unique is the HEART Method, a framework developed from lived experience rather than theory:
Humanize. Empower. Ascend. Reimagine. Transform.
Each chapter blends personal moments, real-world consulting lessons, reflective prompts, and hands-on exercises. A must-read for anyone who wants to lead better, live truer, and rise stronger.
Humanize. Empower. Ascend. Reimagine. Transform.
Each chapter blends personal moments, real-world consulting lessons, reflective prompts, and hands-on exercises. A must-read for anyone who wants to lead better, live truer, and rise stronger.
February 17, 2026
This book met me in a season where I was doing my best to keep things moving while carrying a lot behind the scenes. It felt personal, real, and timely. I found myself reflecting on my own mindset, but also on how I show up for my team day to day. The message is simple and powerful: tough times happen, and you can still move forward with a purpose.
I appreciated that this book provided a clear guide, not just inspiration. It helped me think about the kind of leader I want to be when things are hard - steady, honest & human. If you're leading people through change, stress or uncertainty, this is worth reading.
I appreciated that this book provided a clear guide, not just inspiration. It helped me think about the kind of leader I want to be when things are hard - steady, honest & human. If you're leading people through change, stress or uncertainty, this is worth reading.
February 2, 2026
What surprised me most about this book is how quickly it motivated me to look inward. I found myself examining my own “rugs” and reflecting on the habits and patterns I’ve been stepping over without realizing it.
Every chapter offers practical exercises and small “micro moves” you can apply immediately, making it easy to put the (excellent) ideas into practice for yourself or your team.
The fact that Sherry created this book and the H.E.A.R.T. framework out of such devastating loss is beyond inspiring. I highly recommend this book. You will turn back to it repeatedly.
Every chapter offers practical exercises and small “micro moves” you can apply immediately, making it easy to put the (excellent) ideas into practice for yourself or your team.
The fact that Sherry created this book and the H.E.A.R.T. framework out of such devastating loss is beyond inspiring. I highly recommend this book. You will turn back to it repeatedly.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews