Story of My Book

My name is Grant Ballard-Tremeer and I am the author of The Zero-Sum Illusion.

The seeds of this idea were planted during South Africa’s transition from apartheid, and they have grown into a practical toolkit forged over my 25 years building E Co., a global climate finance consultancy, alongside my independent advisory work in organisational growth.

In mobilising finance for complex projects in developing countries and advising leaders on growth strategies, I consistently saw that technical skill and funding were rarely the only hurdles. The deeper blockage was often a “zero-sum” approach—the assumption that for one person or department to succeed, another must lose. I realised that we needed a better way to navigate these inevitable tensions.

My hope is that, in reading this book, you will discover that conflict doesn’t have to be a dead end. It can be the starting point for something better. In this book, I hope to share the hard-won lessons from my career on how to use strategic understanding to transform defensive energy into creative collaboration.

Ultimately, I want you to see this book as a tool to help you master your own reactions, understand others deeply, and lead the way to shared solutions.

What You Will Learn

In this book, you’ll learn about the “Me, Them, Us” framework and how to apply it to high-stakes situations:

• Mastering Your Inner World: How to identify when you are triggered by a “zero-sum” reaction and how to regain your strategic focus.
• Strategic Understanding: Why “empathy” isn’t about being nice – it’s a hard business skill for diagnosing the other side’s perspective to unlock problem-solving.
• Leading Collaboration: Practical steps to move from “competing agendas” to a shared future—whether in your team, your relationships, or on the global stage.

Stories You Will Read

• You will read the inspirational story of the counting station in KwaZulu-Natal during South Africa’s first democratic election, where mortal enemies had to work together to protect the integrity of the vote.
• You will explore the “Silo Trap” common in growing organisations, seeing how department heads often defend their turf at the expense of the company’s mission—and how to dismantle those walls.
• You will look inside the challenges of change management, learning how to overcome the cynicism and resistance that often greets new strategies by building genuine trust rather than just demanding compliance.

The Zero-Sum Illusion is a nonfiction book that speaks to leaders, professionals, and change-makers who are looking at conflict resolution and leadership in a completely new way.

The Structure of the Book

The book is written in three parts:

• Part 1: Me (The Inner Game) – Identifying the biological and psychological roots of the “me vs. them” instinct and gaining tools to pause and choose a constructive response.
• Part 2: Them (The Strategic Shift) – Actionable techniques for “Strategic Understanding”—how to accurately diagnose the needs and fears of others to lower defences and open the door to influence.
• Part 3: Us (The Shared Future) – Bringing it all together to lead collaborative action, build trust, and design “non-zero-sum” solutions that allow everyone to succeed.

My Publishing Journey: Where Your Support Goes

I’m publishing The Zero-Sum Illusion with the support of Manuscripts Press, an innovative publisher that provides me with a full publishing team to bring this book to life. This summer, I’m working closely with:

• A revisions editor, copy editor, and proofreader to refine and elevate every story in the book
• A marketing strategist to help me connect with new audiences and make the book’s message reach those who need it most.
• A cover artist and layout editor who will ensure the final product is visually stunning and professionally produced.

Other Ways to Support Me

Some people just can’t contribute financially right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help:

• Please share my presale campaign on LinkedIn and with your professional network.
• Please use #ZeroSumIllusion and tag me so we can help amplify your efforts.
• Please recommend my book to five friends, colleagues, or team members who you think would benefit from this toolkit.

About the Author

Grant Ballard-Tremeer is the founder of E Co., a specialist consulting company that mobilises finance to address the climate emergency. A business he has built and led for over 25 years, he also advises leaders on organisational growth and strategy. His understanding of conflict was forged in apartheid South Africa, where he served as an advisor during the country’s first democratic election.

Today, he applies those lessons to the boardroom, helping leaders and organisations navigate their most complex challenges. He wrote The Zero-Sum Illusion to provide a practical toolkit for professionals who want to stop conflict from winning and start building a more productive, shared future.