Who Believed in You? features stories from influential leaders including Condoleeza Rice, Tory Burch, Stephen A. Schwarzman, Satya Nadella, Brian Grazer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Wes Moore and others

This movement encourages leaders at every level to change someone’s life through mentorship

Dina Powell Mccormick, Senior Business Executive and Former Deputy National Security Advisor, and U.S. Senator David Mccormick Unlock the Power of Transformative Mentorship in Debut Book

Katie Bell, EPIC Agency
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Kevin Smith, HarperCollins

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Lauren Kingsley, HarperCollins
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All successful leaders stand on the shoulders of their mentor giants—people who saw something in them they may not have seen in themselves and helped them find and achieve their purpose in life. In their book debut, Who Believed in You? How Purposeful Mentorship Changes the World (HarperCollins Leadership, April 1, 2025), Dina Powell McCormick and U.S. Senator David McCormick share how transformative mentoring can change the world.

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Courtesy of HarperCollins Leadership, an imprint of HarperCollins Focus.(Graphic: Business Wire)

During the pandemic, Dina and David watched as many Americans—including their six teenage daughters—were left feeling devoid of human connection and without the advice and guidance of mentors.

Recognizing the need in front of them, Dina and Dave interviewed successful leaders across all industries who stood on the shoulders of their mentor giants—people who saw something in them they may not have seen in themselves—and helped them find and achieve their purpose in life.

“As two grateful beneficiaries of the American dream,” write Dina and David, “we’re incredibly thankful of the mentors who helped us achieve it. We hope this book will inspire Americans of all ages and backgrounds to invest in someone and help us change the world.”

The book features stories from some of the most influential leaders across industries—from business to Hollywood—sharing how their mentors changed their lives, including Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, Tory Burch, the founder of the women’s fashion empire, Hollywood producer Brian Grazer, as well as political leaders such as Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.

Who Believed in You? unpacks the four critical elements of transformative mentorship—mutual trust, shared values, meaningful commitment, and the importance of instilling confidence—and offers guideposts and powerful illustrations from actual mentorship journeys that both show the way and inspire.

This book is just the beginning. Dina and Dave are starting a movement, encouraging leaders to share their stories of who believed in them and what advice they’re giving their mentees today.

“Through unleashing the power of transformative mentorship, you can change someone’s life,” said David and Dina. “And that can change the world."

“David and Dina are shining a light on one of the most amazing experiences in the human condition, the ability to invest in another person,” said Matt Baugher, SVP at HarperCollins and Publisher of HarperCollins Leadership. “The resulting butterfly effect is not only profound but changes both individuals. If we were more cognizant of this, the possibilities for growth are limitless. David and Dina have caused many in our own company to think through who believed in us and how we might pass that forward to someone else. Let the change begin!”

Who Believed in You? will be available on April 1, 2025, in hardcover, ebook and audiobook. You can pre-order today at https://www.harpercollinsleadership.com/books/who-believed-in-you.

Dina Powell McCormick is a senior business executive and former government official. Dina spent 16 years in several leadership roles at Goldman Sachs including serving on the management committee and as the President of the Goldman Sachs Foundation. She also served as Deputy National Security Advisor to President Donald J. Trump during his first administration. Dina developed some of the world’s largest and most successful mentoring programs through her work in government and in the private sector. She is currently vice chairman of BDT & MSD Partners.

David McCormick is an American businessman who is a United States Senator for Pennsylvania. He served as chief executive officer of Bridgewater Associates, one of the world's largest investment firms. After graduating from West Point in 1987, he completed Army Ranger school and joined the 82nd Airborne Division. He served in combat in Iraq during the liberation of Kuwait in the Gulf War of 1991. David’s career has included a wide range of positions in business and government, including roles in strategic consulting, as CEO and then President of two publicly traded software companies, and senior roles on the National Security Council, and in the US Department of Treasury.

HarperCollins Leadership publishes content from leaders who redefine or expand what a reader previously thought possible. Authors provide unique inspiration and experiences to those who seek to learn, make a difference, and find their own version of success.

ENDORSEMENTS

“I think that's what everyone needs to succeed: one real champion to show you a better pathway, to help you see the value in you that perhaps no one else is seeing.”

?BRIAN GRAZER, American Film and Television Producer

“'Mentorship is a two-way street. If you're a mentor, you have to invest in the person you're mentoring. You have to believe in them. And if you're a mentee, you have to earn mentorship.”

?DR. CONDOLEEZZA RICE, American Diplomat and Political Scientist

“The most important thing about mentoring is that you realize you are a role model. So you better rise to that calling.”

?SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, Governor of Arkansas

“The question I ask myself today is how much do I care about another person's achievement? How much do I want the best for them?”

?SATYA NADELLA, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Microsoft

“To best prepare our future leaders for success, we must continuously assess and refine our leader development. I've always believed that a mentorship program is one of the primary ways we can develop and retain our leaders, whether in military or civilian life.”

?JOSEPH DUNFORD, Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

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