Publishers Weekly
07/14/2014
At age 30, former Marine sniper Wood has become the cofounder and CEO of Team Rubicon, a disaster relief organization that now has 20,000 volunteers, both veterans and first responders, backed by two dozen staff members. By the end of 2013, they’d conducted more than 50 missions, both at home and abroad, responding to hurricanes, tornadoes, and refugee crises, among other situations. Wood found that the lessons of his deployments, and those learned from his team, are highly applicable to business. His road map is simple: prepare, analyze, decide, and act. The breakdown of each step is fully fleshed-out. Wood provides lessons in preparing the body, mind, and soul; establishing transparency; finding and prioritizing targets; making wise decisions; and taking action. All lessons are illustrated with high-testosterone stories from the front lines of war and disaster zones, and each chapter ends with top-level advice (“mission briefs”). User-friendly and energetic, this is a new twist on accepted leadership wisdom. Agent: Sydelle Kramer, Susan Rabiner Literary Agency. (Oct.)
From the Publisher
"A well-written, well-organized book that offeres a novel approach to the art of leadership"
-Success Magazine
“An extraordinary book by an extraordinary leader. Jake Wood weaves together splendidly lessons from his experiences doing just that – taking charge in tough situations in football, in Marine sniper training, in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, and as co-founder of Team Rubicon…. The result is an exceptional book that is equal parts inspirational, informative, and instructive.”
-General David H. Petraeus, United States Army (Retired)
"There are leaders everywhere. Parents. Entrepreneurs. Warriors. Executives. And people with big ideas. Wood relates to all of them with a humility and confidence that its uniquely American. If there is one book on leadership to read, it is this one. From his hometown to the battlefield of Iraq to Haiti and untold other natural disasters, to the boardroom and the factory floor, Wood gets it: the kind of leader you are shapes your outcome."
-Christine Romans, CNN chief business correspondent
“Great leadership is essential whether it be on the football field, in the business world or on the battlefield. Wood knows a lot about leadership and what it takes to be successful. I’m pleased he is able to share his experiences and knowledge in this book.”
-Barry Alvarez, University of Wisconsin Director of Athletics and former head football coach
A must read for those who find themselves in positions of leadership, on and off the battlefield. Wood reminds us that leadership is measured by one’s ability to anticipate the unexpected, to act in spite of uncertainty and ambiguity, to be decisive under pressure and to create followership, even when faced with the most challenging of circumstances.
-Duncan Niederauer, CEO New York Stock Exchange (retired)
"A must read for every aspiring leader. Filled with powerful stories and simple, straightforward guidelines, this is the new roadmap for leadership from the front lines."
-Dave Kerpen, New York Times bestselling author of Likeable Social Media, Likeable Business & The Art of People
