In competitive sports, coaches use a number of tools to influence an athlete’s performance. Diet is certainly one; athletes are placed on regimens designed to maximize muscle growth, fast-twitch response, and stamina. Training routines are formulated with a goal of consistent repetition for a baseball swing, a basketball player’s jump shot, or the quarterback’s throwing motion. And finally, there’s the playbook: the comprehensive guide of what to do and when. It’s a treasured collection of knowledge and it’s the format used by Steve Gladis in his recent book , The Agile Leader—A Playbook for Leaders. As an experienced football official, I found Gladis’s approach to this book enticing. There’s not an official around—or a sports fan for that matter—who could resist the title of the book, or the Xs and Os, coach’s whistle, and football that adorn the cover. But be forewarned, this is not simply a playbook. It’s a story. This is a fictional romance novel business story involving a former college quarterback, Luke Hopkins, and his challenges in leading a national sales team.