Wisdom of the Bullfrog

Wisdom of the Bullfrog takes its name from the honourific title "Bullfrog," bestowed upon the longest-serving active-duty Navy SEAL. Admiral McRaven was privileged to receive this honour in 2011 when he assumed command of the United States Special Operations Command. Upon his retirement in 2014, he had amassed 37 years of service as a Navy SEAL, leading individuals at every echelon of the special operations community. In the subsequent four years, he served as Chancellor of the entire University of Texas System, overseeing 230,000 students alongside 100,000 faculty and healthcare workers.

Throughout these four decades, Admiral McRaven encountered diverse leadership challenges, ranging from commanding pivotal combat operations, such as the capture of Saddam Hussein, the rescue of Captain Phillips, and the raid for Osama bin Laden.

Wisdom of the Bullfrog draws from these and numerous other experiences from Admiral McRaven's remarkable life. The book encompasses crisis situations, management discussions, organisational transitions, and ethical dilemmas, offering readers the most significant leadership lessons he garnered during his four decades of service. Each chapter includes a parable, reminiscent of Make Your Bed, and is filled with insights akin to those shared in his bestselling memoir, Sea Stories. It highlights specific leadership traits crucial for excelling at the highest level, such as:

• Who Dares, Wins
• Run to the Sound of the Guns
• No Plan Survives First Contact with the Enemy

Wisdom of the Bullfrog is Admiral McRaven's clear-eyed treatise on the leadership qualities that differentiate the good from the truly great.