The Wisdom of the Bullfrog

A short, inspirational book of advice and leadership lessons that Admiral McRaven collected over his four decades as a Navy SEAL.

The title “Bullfrog” is given to the Navy SEAL who has served the longest on active duty. Admiral McRaven was honored to receive this designation in 2011 when he took charge of the United States Special Operations Command. When he retired in 2014, he had 37 years as a Navy SEAL, leading men and women at every level of the special operations community. In the ensuing four years, he served as chancellor of the University of Texas System, which includes 230,000 students and 100,000 faculty and health care workers.

During those four decades, Admiral McRaven dealt with every conceivable leadership challenge, from commanding combat operations—including the capture of Saddam Hussein, the rescue of Captain Phillips, and the raid for Osama bin Laden.

The Wisdom of the Bullfrog draws on these and countless other experiences from Admiral McRaven’s career, including crisis situations, management debates, organizational transitions, and ethical dilemmas, to provide readers with the most important leadership lessons he has learned over forty years of service. Each chapter offers a parable rich with insights about the specific leadership traits required to be at the top of your game. The Wisdom of the Bullfrog is Admiral McRaven’s clear-eyed treatise on the leadership qualities that separate the good from the truly great.