fbpx
Transfluence: Leading with Transformative Influence in Today's Climates of Change

NEW

RELEASE

A leadership model based on experience. Not theory.

THAT’S TRANSFLUENCE.

Amazon Reviews

Leadership Lessons for Anyone

October 28, 2020

Anyone that ever met Walt Rakowich knew right away that they were dealing with someone who was genuine. In Transfluence, Walt has distilled his transparent approach to leadership into fundamental principles that anyone can benefit by embracing. Written from the vantage point of a corporate leader, the three pillars described in the book of Humility, Honesty, & Heart can apply to all of us whether you are a corporate titan, rising leader, or coach of your kid’s little league team. Transfluence should be required reading in every business school, athletic department, and workplace in the country.

Written from the heart

October 21, 2020

This book is superbly well written and thoroughly researched. It is definitely written by the solid man who I reported to and came to admire during the time we worked together. This book is written from the heart. I found it to be very inspirational and motivational and I hope it will be read widely by a new crop of managers who will benefit from Walt’s insights to manage their companies and lead their people during these extraordinary turbulent, difficult times. So well done. May it be as successful as it deserves to be.

Practicing What You Preach

October 20, 2020

I was Walt’s CFO at Prologis and experienced first-hand his practice of Transfluence. I believe anyone in, or seeking to be in, a leadership position should read this book. It provides tremendous food for thought and substantial insight into the qualities and perspectives that help form great Leaders.

A great blend of personal stories and proven practices

October 7, 2020

I read a lot of business books in my line of work, and few have assembled the winning combination of storytelling and proven practices in the way Transfluence does. I found myself engaged in every chapter with a new story that follows Walt’s life and the hard-won lessons I could draw from each of his experiences. I particularly liked the chapter on fear and the specific anxieties that wreak havoc on leaders. Walt’s humble discoveries about what it takes to lead in a crisis were eye-opening, and his convictions about vulnerability are inspiring. I hope that others who read this book discover that the future of leadership is about humanizing your approach rather than remaining at a comfortable distance. A must-read for new and seasoned leaders alike.

"People won't care how much you know until they know how much you care." Theodore Roosevelt

September 29, 2020

I was again reminded of Roosevelt’s assertion as I began to read this book in which Walt Rakowich shares what he has learned from his efforts to “influence others to great things.” Leaders must earn the trust and respect of those entrusted to their care. Those who fail to do that cannot attract, much less retain followers. Rakowich correctly stresses the importance of what he characterizes as the “3-H Core” of humility, honesty, and heart. All organizations need leadership at all levels and in all areas of the given enterprise. Without developing this core, it is almost impossible to earn the trust and respect of others…

Our jacked-up world needs Transfluence

September 29, 2020

Books by former CEOs often are heavy on personal experience and light on practical approaches leaders can implement. Transfluence has a clear framework and applicable insights about leadership, especially leadership during uncertain times. The timing of this book couldn’t be better, in fact. Now, more than ever, we need leaders who live out what Rakowich calls his 3H-Core — humility, heart, and honesty. The author goes deep into how to develop those qualities by addressing prides and fears and then how to live them out in the current leadership climates.

What is Transfluence?

Transfluence: Leading with Transformative Influence in Today's Climates of Change

About the Book

Walt Rakowich brings a real-world perspective to leadership that’s based on experience, not just theory. Walt was CEO of Prologis, the world’s largest owner of industrial warehouses and a critical partner to companies distributing products throughout the global supply chain. The company was near bankruptcy when Walt took over at the height of the Great Recession. While leading Prologis back to prominence, and in the years since, Walt realized leaders today must lean into timeless values and principles, but with a fresh perspective on the new realities of our leadership climates.

The modern leadership environment exists at the convergence of three distinct and dynamic climates: the climates of access, diversity, and acceleration. On their own or in the aggregate, those climates produce significant opportunities and tensions that have challenged leaders for generations. With a fundamental understanding of these climates, leaders develop a selfless approach that withstands the toughest storms.

Transfluence shows leaders how they can have transformative influence by overcoming their fears and pride, building transparency into their leadership, developing a strong core of authentic values, and passionately pursuing a meaningful purpose. When leaders do this, they seize opportunities, embrace challenges, and make their organizations and communities greater than ever.

Endorsements

Chester Elton

bestselling author of All In, The Carrot Principle and Leading with Gratitude

“Walt Rakowich knows the challenges of leading a cultural transformation in a global recession and hard times. His insights and experience are perfect for helping leaders who will take us all into a better future. If you need a vision of the way forward, this book is your roadmap.”

Susan Packard

former COO of HGTV and author of New Rules of the Game and Fully Human

Transfluence dives into the work of inner leadership, a process all leaders need before they can effectively empower others. Honesty, humility, and heart, the author’s 3H-Core principles, are needed today more than ever before. This is a must-read for every aspiring leader.”

Joel Peterson

chairman of JetBlue Airways and the founding partner of Peterson Partners

“Trust is the cornerstone of great leadership. And Transfluence provides a proven approach to building trust in the challenging climates of the modern marketplace. This book is a must-read no matter where you are in your leadership journey.”

Tommy Spaulding

New York Times bestselling author of The Heart-Led Leader and It’s Not Just Who You Know

“Two sad days in my life: When I was ten years old and found out Santa Claus was not real. And when I was fifty years old and found out that many CEOs, business experts, and leadership authors were just like Santa Claus—not real. And then there are the Walt Rakowiches of the world. The 193 pages in this book will change the way you love and lead. And if you finish every page, it will also change the lives of all those who choose to follow you.”

Sheila Bair

chair, FDIC, 2006-2011

“Walt Rakowich is an unsung business leader who successfully rescued his company from the havoc of the Great Financial Crisis. For many years, I have served with Walt as a corporate director and can attest to his exceptional, transformative leadership skills. I highly recommend this inspirational book.”

Eric J. Barron

president, The Pennsylvania State University

“So many books on leadership are actually guides to management. Not only is Transfluence an exception, it is noteworthy by connecting leadership to the very essence of human nature.”

Sally Helgesen

author of How Women Rise, The Web of Inclusion and The Female Vision

“Lessons learned in the Great Recession will be front and center as organizations seek to pilot through the latest disruption. What Walt Rakowich’s learned—and did—while leading cultural transformation through that crisis has special relevance. A humane, insightful book that provides news we can use to adapt servant leadership practices to the demands of head-spinning change. Highly recommended.”