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Swim!: How a Shark, a Suckerfish, and a Parasite Teach You Leadership, Mentoring, and Next Level Success
A fascinating story about the power of networking, connection, and mentorship Written as an engaging parable, Swim! How a Shark, a Suckerfish, and a Parasite Teach You Leadership, Mentoring, and Next Level Success brings to life real-world challenges (and their solutions) and presents them in simple, yet powerful terms. The book explores the vital importance of networking, explores the steps that lead to successful networking, and explains why we need it. Swim! dives deep into the concepts of mentorship and the power of human connection. While too many business leaders spend their time obsessing about facts, figures, and the bottom line, it is more important for them to learn to manage relationships. Once attention shifts to relationships, businesses and careers can reach the next level of success. Written by a leading motivational speaker, this book offers ideas that can be applied to both personal and business life. Swim! is an entertaining book that highlights the significant concept of connecting and building relationships and includes the tools needed to become more self-aware about our roles and contributions in our industries.
176 pages, Hardcover
Published July 23, 2019
25 people are currently reading
162 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 6, 2021
For the past 4 years during our annual "State of the Company" meetings at work we have watched motivational YouTube clips of Walter Bond, a renowned business coach, author, motivational speaker, and former NBA basketball player. He was born to do all those things, such an inspiring person! This year due to Covid, we were unable to meet together as a company so like everyone else, we did the ZOOM meeting thing. Our management team wanted to do something special for us, and they surprised us with an actual LIVE virtual get-together with none other than the man himself, Walter Bond! He did a special motivational speech catering especially to our company, our business and our employees...it's was amazing. The cherry on top was that we each received a signed copy of his book SWIM!
I don't know if we were supposed to wait and read it together or in chapters, but you give me a book, it's going to be read! I'm not big on motivational books, but I've read a few in my time and I enjoyed this one the best by far. No spoilers here because it's a motivational book so the end result is that you should be motivated and I was/am!
What I enjoyed best is that Walter didn't just preach at you his theories and give you tips & tricks, he wrote the book as a story, a parable. The story of Shark's AC Repair Service and it's founder Drew and it's current owner Scotty. Scotty and his daughter Brittney take a fishing trip with an old childhood friend of Scotty's, Paul and his son Zach.
Paul is an arrogant, proud, cut-throat business man who has only invited Scotty along so he can brag and because he feels that he can teach Scotty how to be a better businessman seeing as how Scotty is just an AC tech guy. But the lesson learned this day is by Paul and his son Zach.
Scotty weaves the story of meeting Drew & his daughter CiCi at the Boys & Girls Club and Drew seeing something in Scotty that he can mold and shape and divert from the dangerous, sketchy path Scotty is currently on.
During the whole fishing trip, all Scotty does is tell his story, not bragging and not preaching. But through his simple humble story he teaches Paul and his son Zach about the Sacred Six through the story of the shark, the suckerfish and parasites.
Not only did I learn several things I did not know about sharks, suckerfish and parasites, but I learned about the Sacred Six and how they can be applied to business and life in general.
1. Sharks never stop moving forward.
2. Sharks never look down; they always look up.
3. Sharks are always curious and always learning.
4. Sharks always respect their environment and recognize other sharks.
5. Sharks are always flexible.
6. Sharks always elevate their suckerfish to new levels.
You can take the Sacred Six and apply them to your life both with your career/job and with your family/friends/community, it's interchangeable.
I would recommend reading this book and sharing it with others.
I don't know if we were supposed to wait and read it together or in chapters, but you give me a book, it's going to be read! I'm not big on motivational books, but I've read a few in my time and I enjoyed this one the best by far. No spoilers here because it's a motivational book so the end result is that you should be motivated and I was/am!
What I enjoyed best is that Walter didn't just preach at you his theories and give you tips & tricks, he wrote the book as a story, a parable. The story of Shark's AC Repair Service and it's founder Drew and it's current owner Scotty. Scotty and his daughter Brittney take a fishing trip with an old childhood friend of Scotty's, Paul and his son Zach.
Paul is an arrogant, proud, cut-throat business man who has only invited Scotty along so he can brag and because he feels that he can teach Scotty how to be a better businessman seeing as how Scotty is just an AC tech guy. But the lesson learned this day is by Paul and his son Zach.
Scotty weaves the story of meeting Drew & his daughter CiCi at the Boys & Girls Club and Drew seeing something in Scotty that he can mold and shape and divert from the dangerous, sketchy path Scotty is currently on.
During the whole fishing trip, all Scotty does is tell his story, not bragging and not preaching. But through his simple humble story he teaches Paul and his son Zach about the Sacred Six through the story of the shark, the suckerfish and parasites.
Not only did I learn several things I did not know about sharks, suckerfish and parasites, but I learned about the Sacred Six and how they can be applied to business and life in general.
1. Sharks never stop moving forward.
2. Sharks never look down; they always look up.
3. Sharks are always curious and always learning.
4. Sharks always respect their environment and recognize other sharks.
5. Sharks are always flexible.
6. Sharks always elevate their suckerfish to new levels.
You can take the Sacred Six and apply them to your life both with your career/job and with your family/friends/community, it's interchangeable.
I would recommend reading this book and sharing it with others.
January 19, 2020
Engaging parable about how we all need to work together for our collective success in our personal and business lives. A great reminder of the impact we can make if we are willing to mentor others, identify our opportunities and seek out ways to improve.
My only reason to give it a 4 is that I think some of what was meant to be Scotty’s dialogue became a monologue. Otherwise, I appreciated the characters and how Mr. Bond wove their life stories into the moral of this story.
My only reason to give it a 4 is that I think some of what was meant to be Scotty’s dialogue became a monologue. Otherwise, I appreciated the characters and how Mr. Bond wove their life stories into the moral of this story.
March 4, 2025
Standard business leadership book that’s written in the style of a longer form parable using the model of a shark, sucker fish, and parasite and six key values to follow.
This book is fine. The ideas are good. The style is personal and personable but also very heavy handed. The fact that humans cannot be defined and that we have our own styles and can evolve between them leads to some weirdly stretched and mixed metaphors… it’s easy to talk about everyone being multiple colors or different styles of communicators and how they intermingle. It’s less easy to stretch being a parasite sometimes and sucker fish others but also magically being able to be a shark.
At the end of the day this is a very standard business book with a decently memorable framework to consider adapting into your daily life. Is it necessary or that different than other models? No - but it’s an easy metaphor.
This book is fine. The ideas are good. The style is personal and personable but also very heavy handed. The fact that humans cannot be defined and that we have our own styles and can evolve between them leads to some weirdly stretched and mixed metaphors… it’s easy to talk about everyone being multiple colors or different styles of communicators and how they intermingle. It’s less easy to stretch being a parasite sometimes and sucker fish others but also magically being able to be a shark.
At the end of the day this is a very standard business book with a decently memorable framework to consider adapting into your daily life. Is it necessary or that different than other models? No - but it’s an easy metaphor.
January 21, 2024
I read this book and discussed with a group of teenagers and younger kids. There are great lessons and applications we got from this book.
We could see ourselves in the shark, sucker fish, and parasite and had great discussions about how we at times are each of these and how we can strive to be more like a shark.
However be aware that there are some swear words and mentions of “taking away virginity” and sleeping with women.
We could see ourselves in the shark, sucker fish, and parasite and had great discussions about how we at times are each of these and how we can strive to be more like a shark.
However be aware that there are some swear words and mentions of “taking away virginity” and sleeping with women.
August 23, 2022
2.5 stars. Somewhere between “didn’t like” and “it was fine.” Parables are often cheesy — the lessons could have been delivered more directly and concisely. There was a lot of heavy handedness and unbelievable elements in the story. The overall metaphor is great and the concepts are helpful but the delivery was lacking.
July 22, 2025
Started this book this morning thinking I would work through it during next few weeks as I prepared for leading a workshop on leadership. Couldn’t put it down! So thought-provoking and challenging! Which are you: a shark, a sucker fish or a parasite? There’s only 3 types of people so you better figure it out and soon!
May 17, 2020
Great read
A little cheesy sometimes but a lovely metaphor told in story form. Lots of important lessons and believable because of who the author is and what he has done in his own life.
Call me a happy sucker fish!
A little cheesy sometimes but a lovely metaphor told in story form. Lots of important lessons and believable because of who the author is and what he has done in his own life.
Call me a happy sucker fish!
January 1, 2021
Fantastic book about leadership and building teams. Easy to understand and memorable analogies. Very applicable to personal and professional life. Will reference again.
March 4, 2021
Great book!
This was a great book with good insights on leadership and mentoring.I would recommend this to anyone in sales or leadership position.
This was a great book with good insights on leadership and mentoring.I would recommend this to anyone in sales or leadership position.
September 12, 2021
Motivational book about good business practices. Good points and ideas to follow for success.
August 31, 2022
Great quick read to reinforce lessons on leadership and relationship building.
June 10, 2023
ummmmm why did this business fable make me sob
November 15, 2025
كتاب عن أهمية وجود "المنتور" وكيف الواحد ممكن يستفيد من الي حوله.. مكتوب بلغة بسيطة جدا وسهلة، ممتع جدا
October 16, 2019
Walter Bond continues raising the bar with authenticity, purpose and good old fashioned being “down to earth”. It takes a village to mentor the world and the SWIM mindset will become second nature.Thanks for the applicable “sacred six”!
September 26, 2022
I seen Walter speak at a work event and absolutely loved him. The book sealed the deal with that. I loved it and the lessons you learn without it being in steps but in story form. Will be sharing this book with everyone!
September 5, 2019
Great read. This was not like your regular self-help book.
January 9, 2025
Required some patience on my part, but in the end, I'm glad I read it.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews