About The Book

Bill Clement has been writing this book for a lifetime. He just didn't know it. As a speaker, few can match the impact Bill has on his audiences around the world. Drawing from both his successes and failures as a business owner, entrepreneur, actor, broadcaster, writer, and two-time Stanley Cup Champion, his carefully crafted speeches and workshops leave audiences spellbound. Now, his spoken words come alive in the pages of his inspirational autobiography.

From The Introduction

The subject of leadership has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. I started by studying the great leaders and soon realized that because of their titles they represented only a tiny percentile of humans. Presidents, Generals, CEO’s - really elite categories. What about the rest of us? I came to the conclusion that regardless of our job titles we are all in the position to influence other people’s attitudes and behaviors. We therefore possess the power to impact their contributions, their decisions and their dedication to helping group endeavors succeed. EveryDay Leadership is not about our job titles, but our abilities to influence others - something that is in our grasp 24-7.

This book is as much about my failures as an EveryDay Leader as it is successes. My ego, my emotions and my mouth have all helped me fall short. Instead of writing a “how to” book on leadership, I decided to create a balance by including examples and stories that explain “how not to.” I found material in my own life everywhere I turned, from failed marriages to personal bankruptcy. And regardless of where I was career-wise - hockey player, restaurateur, actor, broadcaster, professional speaker - the metaphor involving the gorge and the tightrope was always there.

In each career there were critical junctures where forces started to push back against my attempts to succeed. As a kid, I had a hard time processing these obstacles and always felt as if I was standing at the edge of a gorge that contained the things that were acting as resistors to my success. Some of the resistors were created by circumstances I couldn’t control but most were internal. Fear, self-doubt, anxiety, intimidation.

I could always see performance success very clearly on the other side of the gorge. I knew where I wanted to end up, but the only visible way across was a tightrope. The tightrope was my level of courage and my willingness to attempt something I wasn’t sure I could do. Years ago I would search for an easier way across, only to end up back at the tightrope. Today I know that life will always present another gorge and that EveryDay Leadership can never be mastered unless we promise ourselves to always step out onto the tightrope. Only then will people follow.

I am delighted to share my ongoing journey as an EveryDay Leader with you and hope you see at least part of yourself in these pages.