FOOTPRINT
A Philosophy of Living and Leading, Inspired by Nature
BY TOM JAMES
A beautifully photographed journey into Nature’s rhythms — and what they reveal about how we live, lead, relate, and leave a mark.
The Story of FootprintWe live in a world that is moving quickly. It seems that so many of us are constantly solving problems, making tough decisions, and reacting to crises that need immediate attention. Yet beneath this speed, many of us sense that something is missing. On the plains of the Serengeti, Tom James encountered a different rhythm. Life there is not always rushed, yet nothing is left undone. Creation unfolds through relationship. Growth emerges through flexibility and balance. Evolution happens through being present.
The same principles shape our lives and organizations — whether we notice them or not. When we move with them, we rediscover clarity, purpose, and peace. When we move against these principles, we feel strain. Through reflective storytelling and beautiful photography, Footprint offers practical insight into how natural rhythms can guide everyday choices in life and leadership. It invites you to see what has always been present: a wiser way of living and leading, rooted in Nature’s rhythms. This is not a book of quick fixes. It is a remembering. A rediscovery of how to create meaning, build resilient cultures, and leave a conscious legacy in a changing world.
Because every life leaves a mark. The question is whether we leave it in reaction — or in rhythm.
Stephen M. R. Covey on Footprint
“Tom James offers a thoughtful and inspiring perspective on living and leading by drawing upon the timeless wisdom found in nature. Through beautiful storytelling, stunning photography, and profound reflection, he reminds us that leadership is not merely about achieving results, but about the legacy we create through our relationships, our choices, and the lives we touch. This is a wonderful book to be experienced as much as read, and its lessons will stay with you long after you turn the final page.”
— Stephen M. R. Covey
New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Speed of Trust and Trust & Inspire
In the quiet bond between mother and calf, the giraffe reminds us that connection begins with awareness - seeing farther, bending lower, and living in rhythm with the whole.
Footprint was created with space to breathe.
Its short stories and reflective passages allow readers to move through the book in a way that feels spacious rather than rushed. The photographs are not decoration. They are part of the rhythm of the book — visual resting places that invite the reader to see, imagine, and feel the living world behind the words.
The result is a book that can be read from beginning to end, opened at a single story, given as a meaningful gift, or returned to when a particular image, question, or reflection calls the reader back.
ORDER FOOTPRINT
152 pages, 8.5 inches square, full colour throughout. Made to be held, and to be returned to.
Available in hardcover and paperback.
Reading digitally? Footprint is also on
Who Footprint May Speak To
Footprint may speak to anyone who is drawn to Nature, reflection, leadership, creativity, relationship, and the questions that emerge as life changes.
It may resonate with leaders thinking about the conditions they create for others, with creative people learning to trust timing and emergence, and with anyone considering how they want to live, contribute, and leave a mark.
It can also be a meaningful gift for someone entering a new chapter — a colleague, mentor, graduate, retiree, family member, or friend.
Hardcover, paperback, and eBook.
ABOUT TOM JAMES
Tom James is an entrepreneur, business leader, and reflective storyteller whose work has centred for decades on people, organizations, growth, and change.
Footprint brings that lived experience together with his continuing exploration of Nature’s rhythms and what they can reveal about the way we live and lead.
FOOTPRINT FOR TEAMS AND ORGANIZATIONS
Footprint can be shared within organizations as a way of opening conversation around leadership, relationships, creativity, growth, change, and the legacy we create together.
Copies are available for leadership teams, organizations, retreats, conferences, client and employee gifts, and other occasions where a thoughtful book can create a shared point of reflection.
Tom is also available for a limited number of conversations and events connected with the themes of Footprint.
For organizational orders, signed copies, bookstore enquiries, or selected speaking requests, please contact our team.
