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Be the Calm or Be the Storm

Leadership Lessons from a Woman at the Helm

Author Captain Sandy Yawn
with Samantha Marshall
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Paperback
$17.99 US
Hay House | Hay House Business
6.06"W x 9"H x 0.66"D   | 10 oz | 48 per carton
On sale Jan 09, 2024 | 232 Pages | 978-1-4019-7427-5
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Leadership lessons from Captain Sandy Yawn, a renowned superyacht captain with over 30 years of international maritime experience, and star of the reality show Below Deck Mediterranean.

Everyone experiences a moment in life when they need to lead. Sometimes it's a team, sometimes it's a company, a classroom, a patient ward, a family, or simply your own individual self. Based on the leadership lessons she's gathered from her resourceful and resilient life, Captain Sandy, a superyacht captain and star of Bravo's Below Deck Mediterranean, shares the leadership skills and critical thinking inherent to being a captain that can empower anyone to navigate their way to a successful life.

Among some of the stories/lessons she'll share:

  • How she selects and sizes up her crew even before embarking on a charter, deciding who to invest in and how to bring out their best.
  • Things happen at sea. No matter how much you plan and train, so much can go wrong so she'll discuss the level of persistence and faith that's required in solving an especially knotty problem.
  • Authority and discipline are required to lead, but they must be leavened with compassion, understanding, and a desire to see your crew succeed.
  • She describes the seamless flow that happens in great teamwork and how she loves seeing the way her deckhands pitch in with the stews when needed. For Captain Sandy, this represents leading with empathy, figuring out who your teammates are and what motivates them, then communicating in a way that motivates and makes them feel understood.
  • As a captain, Sandy is constantly upgrading her knowledge and skill set, which is as much a part of her job as steering a vessel. Sustaining excellence requires constant effort, whether you find yourself at the end of a journey, halfway through or at the start of a new one. And the learning never stops.


Woven throughout her stories are Captain Sandy's optimism and abiding faith that, given the right tools and opportunities, individuals are capable of so much more than they realize, especially when they can find someone to believe in them.
"I have been fortunate to have competed against and worked with some very strong women, all with unique traits that have made them leaders in their respective fields. What stands out the most about Captain Sandy is that she is a true leader. One who leads with wisdom through experience—the wisdom to be passionate and compassionate, graceful yet strong, all while serving the ever-present roles of captain and mentor. As an author, Captain Sandy offers tools and tips on how to take control of one’s life and how doing so gives us the best chance of excelling at whatever we choose. In this compelling and engaging narrative, she proves that anyone is capable of navigating the storms of life." — Gigi Fernández, professional tennis player and Olympic gold medalist

"Captain Sandy is effectively the CEO of the vessel she captains, leading with calm, confidence, and humanity. For those looking to lead in any industry, or even to govern themselves, readers will be inspired by the unique and skillful way she navigates the stormiest of seas." — Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO of Celebrity Cruises

"I have known this woman since she was scrubbing barnacles off the bottom of boats. Captain Sandy brings a positive and contagious energy to everything she does, including the breathtaking storytelling she has gifted us through this book. It not only inspires readers with wisdom to help them chart their own course, it entertains, just like Captain Sandy herself." — John Flynn, CEO of Fleet Advantage

"Captain Sandy is a woman who has earned every stripe, standing tall at the helm of the superyachts she steers. What is most astonishing about her story is not just the calm and focused way she leads through crisis (which I was firsthand witness to when she faced pirates on the Red Sea), but the way she triumphed over her past and has remained committed to sobriety for more than three decades." — John Allen, CEO of Quantum Marine Stabilizers

"Sandy Yawn is not only a terrific captain, she is a shrewd and enterprising businesswoman, all of which I personally witnessed during her time at the helm. Whether you want to start a business, lead a company, or be a yacht captain yourself, these chapters are packed with wise words and examples to launch your own success." — James H. Herbert II, founder and executive chairman of First Republic Bank

"This is a leadership book that is as unique as Captain Sandy’s approach and life experience. She gets to the heart of what it means to be a servant leader—someone who puts the greater good above herself, whether that is taking care of charter guests, developing the skill sets of her crew, or assuring the safety of all souls on board. From harrowing tales of 20-foot seas to comic episodes with demanding and eccentric guests, these pages contain leadership lessons for anyone from a student of the navigation industry to a Fortune 500 executive." — Romaine Seguin, CEO of Good360, former president of UPS Global Freight Forwarding

"Captain Sandy’s fascinating stories about her experience at the helm of megayachts translate equally well into the C-suite and boardrooms of the business world. The lessons captured in her stories and captain’s log can help leaders of every stage and situation navigate the changing and unpredictable waters of today’s corporate world. As an educator of entrepreneurial leadership, I think this should be required reading for every current and aspiring entrepreneur." — Rebecca J. White, Ph.D., Walter Distinguished Chair of Entrepreneurship, director of the John P. Lowth Entrepreneurship Center, University of Tampa
Captain Sandra Yawn, a.k.a. Captain Sandy, is a leader and a businesswoman. As a renowned superyacht captain with over 30 years of international maritime experience, Yawn has broken through the proverbial glass ceiling to achieve the highest status in an industry where women at the helm are rare. She's earned accolades from the International Superyacht Society, which honored Yawn with the prestigious Distinguished Crew Award for her heroism in ensuring the safety of all guests, crew and the vessel during a catastrophic fire in pirate-controlled waters that occurred in 2004 off the coast of Yemen.

In 2015 she became a series lead on Bravo's hit series Below Deck Mediterranean. Now in her sixth season with the show, Yawn has broken through yet another barrier to become a powerful female role model and one of the network's most beloved and respected personalities.
Captain Sandy Yawn View titles by Captain Sandy Yawn

About

Leadership lessons from Captain Sandy Yawn, a renowned superyacht captain with over 30 years of international maritime experience, and star of the reality show Below Deck Mediterranean.

Everyone experiences a moment in life when they need to lead. Sometimes it's a team, sometimes it's a company, a classroom, a patient ward, a family, or simply your own individual self. Based on the leadership lessons she's gathered from her resourceful and resilient life, Captain Sandy, a superyacht captain and star of Bravo's Below Deck Mediterranean, shares the leadership skills and critical thinking inherent to being a captain that can empower anyone to navigate their way to a successful life.

Among some of the stories/lessons she'll share:

  • How she selects and sizes up her crew even before embarking on a charter, deciding who to invest in and how to bring out their best.
  • Things happen at sea. No matter how much you plan and train, so much can go wrong so she'll discuss the level of persistence and faith that's required in solving an especially knotty problem.
  • Authority and discipline are required to lead, but they must be leavened with compassion, understanding, and a desire to see your crew succeed.
  • She describes the seamless flow that happens in great teamwork and how she loves seeing the way her deckhands pitch in with the stews when needed. For Captain Sandy, this represents leading with empathy, figuring out who your teammates are and what motivates them, then communicating in a way that motivates and makes them feel understood.
  • As a captain, Sandy is constantly upgrading her knowledge and skill set, which is as much a part of her job as steering a vessel. Sustaining excellence requires constant effort, whether you find yourself at the end of a journey, halfway through or at the start of a new one. And the learning never stops.


Woven throughout her stories are Captain Sandy's optimism and abiding faith that, given the right tools and opportunities, individuals are capable of so much more than they realize, especially when they can find someone to believe in them.

Praise

"I have been fortunate to have competed against and worked with some very strong women, all with unique traits that have made them leaders in their respective fields. What stands out the most about Captain Sandy is that she is a true leader. One who leads with wisdom through experience—the wisdom to be passionate and compassionate, graceful yet strong, all while serving the ever-present roles of captain and mentor. As an author, Captain Sandy offers tools and tips on how to take control of one’s life and how doing so gives us the best chance of excelling at whatever we choose. In this compelling and engaging narrative, she proves that anyone is capable of navigating the storms of life." — Gigi Fernández, professional tennis player and Olympic gold medalist

"Captain Sandy is effectively the CEO of the vessel she captains, leading with calm, confidence, and humanity. For those looking to lead in any industry, or even to govern themselves, readers will be inspired by the unique and skillful way she navigates the stormiest of seas." — Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO of Celebrity Cruises

"I have known this woman since she was scrubbing barnacles off the bottom of boats. Captain Sandy brings a positive and contagious energy to everything she does, including the breathtaking storytelling she has gifted us through this book. It not only inspires readers with wisdom to help them chart their own course, it entertains, just like Captain Sandy herself." — John Flynn, CEO of Fleet Advantage

"Captain Sandy is a woman who has earned every stripe, standing tall at the helm of the superyachts she steers. What is most astonishing about her story is not just the calm and focused way she leads through crisis (which I was firsthand witness to when she faced pirates on the Red Sea), but the way she triumphed over her past and has remained committed to sobriety for more than three decades." — John Allen, CEO of Quantum Marine Stabilizers

"Sandy Yawn is not only a terrific captain, she is a shrewd and enterprising businesswoman, all of which I personally witnessed during her time at the helm. Whether you want to start a business, lead a company, or be a yacht captain yourself, these chapters are packed with wise words and examples to launch your own success." — James H. Herbert II, founder and executive chairman of First Republic Bank

"This is a leadership book that is as unique as Captain Sandy’s approach and life experience. She gets to the heart of what it means to be a servant leader—someone who puts the greater good above herself, whether that is taking care of charter guests, developing the skill sets of her crew, or assuring the safety of all souls on board. From harrowing tales of 20-foot seas to comic episodes with demanding and eccentric guests, these pages contain leadership lessons for anyone from a student of the navigation industry to a Fortune 500 executive." — Romaine Seguin, CEO of Good360, former president of UPS Global Freight Forwarding

"Captain Sandy’s fascinating stories about her experience at the helm of megayachts translate equally well into the C-suite and boardrooms of the business world. The lessons captured in her stories and captain’s log can help leaders of every stage and situation navigate the changing and unpredictable waters of today’s corporate world. As an educator of entrepreneurial leadership, I think this should be required reading for every current and aspiring entrepreneur." — Rebecca J. White, Ph.D., Walter Distinguished Chair of Entrepreneurship, director of the John P. Lowth Entrepreneurship Center, University of Tampa

Author

Captain Sandra Yawn, a.k.a. Captain Sandy, is a leader and a businesswoman. As a renowned superyacht captain with over 30 years of international maritime experience, Yawn has broken through the proverbial glass ceiling to achieve the highest status in an industry where women at the helm are rare. She's earned accolades from the International Superyacht Society, which honored Yawn with the prestigious Distinguished Crew Award for her heroism in ensuring the safety of all guests, crew and the vessel during a catastrophic fire in pirate-controlled waters that occurred in 2004 off the coast of Yemen.

In 2015 she became a series lead on Bravo's hit series Below Deck Mediterranean. Now in her sixth season with the show, Yawn has broken through yet another barrier to become a powerful female role model and one of the network's most beloved and respected personalities.
Captain Sandy Yawn View titles by Captain Sandy Yawn

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