We were gratified to get this note from Hillary Clinton in support of our research and writing for The Athena Doctrine and for our passionate cause, The United Nations Foundation's Girl Up Campaign.

Her support, along with many other leaders — from Tom Peters to Tina Brown, Arianna Huffington, Anne-Slaughter and Pat Mitchel, among so many others — means a lot to us. Our goal with this book is to contribute a small part to a larger, important discussion that's happening now in culture. That women and girls have amazing contributions to make to the world of business, politics and greater society is obvious, yet under-appreciated.

That is, until now.

We discovered innovative women (and men) leading in new ways and challenging convention by including feminine values into their approach. Competencies that citizens around the world described as more traditionally belonging to women — nurturing, collaboration, flexibility and selflessness ––are now the currency of the social age. And in a rapidly changing world, the ability to access the range of skills that we all have as men and women will be vital to solving tomorrow's challenges. Our book is for men as much as women. We hope you'll find lessons in amazingly innovative leaders who aren't afraid to be themselves.

John