Agility

Leo M. Tilman is a leading expert on risk, strategy, and finance and a long-time advisor to companies, governments, and institutional investors around the world. Prior to founding his namesake strategic advisory firm, Tilman held senior roles at BlackRock and Bear Stearns and taught finance at Columbia University, his graduate and undergraduate alma mater. He is the author of three earlier books, including Financial Darwinism. Tilman helped shape the modern concept of risk intelligence and, in collaboration with U.S. government, created innovative models for public/private partnerships. He has been profiled as Business Visionary by Forbes.General Charles Jacoby (U.S. Army, Ret.) is a military leader whose career in uniform culminated as four-star Commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command. Having led at all levels in peace and war, Jacoby headed the Federal military response to Hurricane Sandy and commanded the 135,000-member Multinational Corps during Operation Iraqi Freedom (2009-10). Previously, he served as the Director of Strategy, Plans, and Policy for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and as U.S. Military Representative to the UN. Jacoby is the Distinguished Chair of the Modern War Institute at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, his undergraduate alma mater. He holds graduate degrees from the University of Michigan, the School of Advanced Military Studies, and the National War College.

“Agility is the most decisive factor in successfully navigating the Fourth Industrial Revolution and fulfilling its promise to humankind. In this important and compelling book, Tilman and Jacoby provide a comprehensive theory of agility and a practical guide to developing and leading agile organizations.”– Klaus Schwab, Founder & Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum“A significant contribution to leadership thinking at a time of increasing complexity, intense scrutiny, and rapid change. Recognizing agility as an essential driver of success in business, industry, and the military is vital. Understanding how to foster and consistently deliver it is even more critical. This must-read book helps us achieve both.”– Martin Dempsey, 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff“Successfully navigating change is of utmost priority for any leader. This deeply intelligent book examines the fundamental nature of agility and then provides an actionable roadmap to fostering it. It is an important read for anyone in any organization that strives for lasting relevance and an enduring brand."– Shelly Lazarus, Chairman Emeritus, Ogilvy & Mather"Groundbreaking and timely! Succeed as a leader by using this book to create agile organizations that will thrive in a volatile and uncertain world.”– Bill George, Past Chairman and CEO, Medtronic; Bestselling Author, True North"Agility is a distinct advance in the understanding of organization and cooperation in businesses begun by Chester Barnard in The Functions of the Executive (1938) and continued in Friedrich Hayek’s discussion of the process by which knowledge is acquired (1945)."– Edmund Phelps, Nobel Laureate in Economics“"All over the world—across different cultures and industries—agility is what differentiates successful teams and organizations and allows them to flourish long-term. All leaders would do well to absorb this brilliant book and put its ideas into practice." – Patty McCord, Former Chief Talent Officer, Netflix; Bestselling Author, Powerful"In defending our nation and evolving its intelligence infrastructure, agility is everything. This original book will guide leaders and organizations in braving the unknown, leveraging change, and exploiting risk.”– Keith Alexander, 16th Director of the National Security Agency“The future belongs to agile organizations. With a rare clarity of thought and a wealth of experience, Tilman and Jacoby have given us an invaluable roadmap to how such organizations can be built and nurtured for the long-term.”– Senator George Mitchell, Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader & Peace Envoy“In business, government, and warfare, agility is critical to survival, competitiveness, and enduring success. This original and practical book is a must-read for the leaders of organizations and teams who want to really understand what it means and what it takes to be agile.”– John Abizaid, U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Fellow of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University“All leaders are facing an era of rapid change. That’s true across politics, the military, all areas of business and every geography. We are all asking ourselves how we can lead successfully as we deal with fast-moving events, ambiguity, uncertainty and volatility. Tilman and General Jacoby skillfully present clear and reasoned strategies for anyone interested in learning and applying organizational agility to get ahead and prosper in this age of disruption.”– Doug Peterson, President and CEO, S&P Global