—Elaine Biech, CPTD Fellow, ISA Thought Leader, Author of Skills for Career Success 

“In Work Is Personal, Amy captures what so many leaders intuitively feel but struggle to express: that people don’t check their hearts at the office door. Whether we’re talking about a Fortune 500 company, a school district, or a community nonprofit, success always comes down to the same truth; relationships drive results. Through her BE REAL framework, Amy gives us language, tools, and stories that help bring this truth to life in practical and transformative ways.” 

— Jon Gordon,  18x Bestselling author of The Energy Bus and The Power of Positive Leadership 

“For decades, I've championed the power of career conversations and authentic connections in the workplace. Amy P. Kelly's Work Is Personal takes this truth to its logical conclusion. With her B.E. R.E.A.L. Framework, she gives leaders a practical roadmap for what I've always known: when you invest in people as whole humans from their first interaction through their final goodbye, everyone wins. This isn't soft skills rhetoric, it's a hard-business strategy backed by data, brought to life with stories that will make you rethink everything about how you lead.”  

—Dr. Beverly Kaye, Bestselling Coauthor of Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em: Getting Good People to Stay and Internationally Recognized Expert in Employee Engagement and Retention 

“Whether you’re a CEO, an HR executive, or a leader at any level, I encourage you to look beyond the platitudes. Use the strategies, frameworks, and insights in this book to build a culture of authentic human connection. Your employees will thank you — and your organization will reap the rewards for years to come.” 

—Art Richer, CEO and Leadership Advisor 

"In a world obsessed with hustle, Amy P. Kelly’s Work Is Personal is a refreshing guide back to what truly matters: people. She masterfully blends research, storytelling, and heart to help leaders create environments where everyone is valued and can perform in their purpose. This is the book every organization needs right now." 
—Amberly Lago, Bestselling Author of True Grit and Grace and Joy Through the Journey 

“In Work Is Personal, Amy P. Kelly asks: what happens when you acknowledge work is personal and build your culture around that central truth? Using her proven 6-step framework, she offers practical case studies and leadership stories, while examining how people are often overlooked in favor of outcomes or technology—even drawing insights from mob history. This book is like having a leadership consultant who champions systems thinking in your back pocket.” 

—Carrie Addington, Director Talent Development, Christian Dior Couture 

"This book speaks straight to the soul of our work. Amy P. Kelly reminds us that the work we do is deeply intertwined with who we are, and when we honor that truth, everything changes. Work Is Personal invites us to lead with empathy, align with purpose, and evolve with grace in the workplace. It’s the kind of book that transforms not just how you work, but how you live." 
—Kendra Cooke, Author of Embrace Empower Evolve: A Practical Guide to Embracing Change, Empowering Growth, and Evolving into Your True Self 

“If you are going to do something for eight hours or more a day, don't just like it... love it. As the saying goes, if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life. Work is definitely personal. Who we marry and our favorite food are clearly personal choices. Work is another personal choice with big dividends or costly disappointment. This book offers wisdom which unmasks what matters most: authentic human connection. Master this through the frameworks provided, and now you have a superpower.”

—Kam Jinnah, CEO, TekSynap

“I wish this book had existed decades ago. It would have helped me make the case that we’re holistic beings—we don’t leave our personal lives at the door when we come to work, and we don’t leave our work lives at the door when we go home. The workplaces where people do their best work are the ones that support whole humans, especially when we spend the better part of our waking lives there. Amy P. Kelly’s Work is Personal is immensely readable and deeply practical, showing how to build that support across every stage of the employee lifecycle—from recruitment and onboarding to leadership and, when necessary, managing people out. Along the way, you’ll find real company stories and evidence-based research that make the stakes clear: human connection isn’t a ‘nice to have.’ It’s a performance strategy—and ignoring it comes at a cost.”

—Sophie Oberstein, Learning & Organizational Development Consultant and Author of Troubleshooting for Trainers and 10 Steps to Successful Coaching