Kind Words

"Blake, I wanted to write and thank you for your presentation last week. You were awesome and I had so many people tell me they thought you were incredible. I can’t begin to tell you how much your presentation meant to the success of our conference. Your energy, passion and insights buoyed us throughout the day. I have been hosting this event for more than eight years and without a doubt it was the single best day we have ever experienced. All the books you donated were sold in ten seconds and we gave the money to Muscular Dystrophy Association, as promised. I made an announcement that I had a limited number of copies and dozens of hands shot up in the air. Thank you for being the leader of those who 'get it.'"

Sean Self, President, Self Opportunity, Inc.

"Over the weekend I had some spare time and made it almost the entire way through Cultivating the Strategic Mind. Nicely done! You have an interesting writing style that keeps one engaged and entertained throughout. From our personal interactions, your personality shines through. In your book, I found many pearls that will be useful in implementing, simplifying, and clarifying my strategy for an upcoming training session in Arusha next week. Thank you for the pearls. Asante sana…."

Larry Wood, Program Manager, Abbott Fund/Tanzania

"Cultivating the Strategic Mind has brought new life to how I approach my work. This book reminds the true strategist to detach from the norm and begin looking at things with a different and sometimes unconventional perspective. It is only then that greatness can be achieved. Blake, thank you for helping me expand my mind and my vision."

Bob Politi, Director/Strategic Initiatives & Processes, Bausch & Lomb

"Countless organizations cannot go where they want or need to because their executives’ and leaders’ thinking is too shallow. Strategic thinking is hard work; it requires a level of mindfulness to do the type of thinking that today’s complex businesses and organizations require. In the midst of our hyper-speed culture, Dr. Leath unveils a simple, clear, pragmatic approach for developing the Strategic Mind that will change how you think about and run your business or organization – forever."

Jim Horan, President, The One Page Business Plan Company

"Blake Leath is terrifically successful at delivering insightful messages through compelling stories, vivid analogies, and pithy historical perspectives. His engaging personal spirit carries through in his writing, which grips the reader from the outset. Wherever and whatever you are in your life, Cultivating the Strategic Mind provides tremendously useful life lessons."

Timothy T. Paige, Vice President/Administration, Libbey Inc.

"Dr. Leath has captured with courage and brilliance the essence of LEADERSHIP...this book is table stakes for every leader."

Joe Brouillette, Chairman, Delta Structural Technology, Inc.

"In his clear, didactic, and often light-spirited style, Blake takes strategy to a new level. This is a highly readable and discussion-provoking text that has the possibility of becoming a classic."

Dr. Steve Buchholz, President, Emergence and author of Aftershock: Helping People through Corporate Change

"Cultivating the Strategic Mind is different! Useful tools, leadership principles and strategic applications, organizational leadership history, practical application guidance, thought-provoking concepts, and illuminating examples and stories permeate this book. The author's philosophy seems to be reflected even in the margins of the book--margins to the edge of the page in an effort to provide as much content as the pages will hold. This is not a 'fluff filled' recitation of strategy or leadership principles--rather it is a book that holds the promise of expanding the reader's ability to find purpose, achievement, and satisfaction in life and work--it is about creating the high-performance environment that builds long term competitive advantage and personal significance. This book goes directly to my reference library for daily use--because I refer to it daily."

Terry Millard, Speaker and Consultant

"Blake Leath proves once again that he is among the smartest people around. He is unafraid to take a stand in the book; often times shaking you by your shirt collar. The ideas and tools section of the book is especially useful. Even though you ought to read the whole book for a full understanding, there are cool stand-alone tools that you can use to amaze your friends and family -- not to mention their ability to enlighten you on ways to become a better strategic leader. Blake's unbelievably broad source materials leave you amazed at how much things change and how much they stay the same (see Socrates quote in Outcomes vs. Incomes)."

Allen L. West, Chief Operating Officer, Lockton-Dunning

"Blake – I have just finished Cultivating the Strategic Mind. It is great! I appreciate your giving it to me; I have already written down several pages of applications for my context. I will keep the book on my desk and refer to it often. Thanks again."

Terry Coy, Director of Missions, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention

"In Cultivating the Strategic Mind, Blake promises, ‘I'll give you the real deal – not some diluted, oversimplified pabulum that wouldn't pass muster in an elementary school classroom,’ and he delivers. This book will challenge you. As someone who works in a call center/customer service environment, I am constantly dealing in the present and usually in some type of emergency (real or imagined). It can be easy to forget the strategic viewpoint when you've got calls in queue and customers waiting. Yet it is this very reason that Blake's book is so valuable. He makes the reader work to develop, understand, and assimilate ideas. If you let him, Blake will stretch you…and the work is worth it."

Chris Drake, Call Center Leader, Sprint

"There are too many books already written about the subject of strategy.  Why?  Because too few books effectively address the integration of theory and practice.  I am so thankful for Cultivating the Strategic Mind.  Useful management books that transcend hype are hard to find—but the author of this book explains strategy very well and, even better, has pulled the ultimate rabbit out of the hat by making it both practical and fun.  Through the inclusion of many visual models, he introduces tools that I—and you—can use tomorrow.  Using a number of personal stories that are, by turn both funny and touching, he makes the ideas accessible and pleasurable.  It’s unusual to laugh or cry while reading about strategy, but you might do both when reading this book!  The author brings to life the expression, ‘Nothing is as practical as a good strategy.’  I am certain you will feel the same way I do: the author is one of us, he understands the processes involved in strategic thinking and appreciates that while the words are simple, implementing them is the key.  This book will make my job as a marketing manager easier and more intentional and I expect to return to it often for guidance and inspiration."