Row the Boat: A Never-Give-Up Approach to Lead with Enthusiasm and Optimism and Improve Your Team and Culture

by Jon Gordon, P.J. Fleck

"I had followed PJ Fleck's coaching career for years since he built the Western Michigan University (WMU) football team into a national powerhouse. I always admired his positive energy and passion and could tell he was a great culture builder and leader. I also had heard stories about him from Brad Black whose company HumanEx performed the talent search and evaluation of head coaching candidates for WMU. Brad recommended to the leaders of WMU that they hire PJ Fleck despite his lack of qualifications, lack of head coaching experience and unimpressive resume. Brad's assessment tools, used to evaluate people and predictive leadership performance, told him that PJ would shine as a head coach and build a winning culture and team and that's exactly what happened. After proving himself as a successful head coach at Western Michigan taking a program from 1-11 to 13-1 during his four years, PJ Fleck was hired as the head coach of the University of Minnesota football team during a tumultuous time. Once again PJ turned around a program in need of a cultural change (academically, athletically, socially) and built a winning culture on and off the field and team that won 11 games for the first time since 1904, accomplished numerous academic records and made a program more about serving and giving than just winning games. After the season I invited PJ to be on my podcast and one of the questions I asked him was how he got into coaching. After the podcast I asked him to tell me more about his journey. The story he told me was more than a story about how he got into coaching. It was about the man himself and what led him to become the kind of coach he is."--

Genres: Leadership, Sports, Nonfiction, Business, Education, Personal Development, Professional Development

128 pages, Hardcover

Published June 9, 2021

About the author

Jon Gordon is an American business consultant and author on the topics of leadership, culture, sales, and teamwork.

Jon Gordon's best-selling books and talks have inspired readers and audiences around the world. His principles have been put to the test by numerous NFL, NBA, and college coaches and teams, Fortune 500 companies, school districts, hospitals and non-profits. He is the author of The Wall Street Journal bestseller The Energy Bus, The No Complaining Rule, Training Camp, The Shark and The Goldfish, Soup, The Seed and his latest The Positive Dog. Jon and his tips have been featured on The Today Show, CNN, Fox and Friends and in numerous magazines and newspapers. His clients include The Atlanta Falcons, Campbell Soup, Wells Fargo, State Farm, Novartis, Bayer and more.

Jon is a graduate of Cornell University and holds a Masters in Teaching from Emory University. He and his training/consulting company are passionate about developing positive leaders, organizations and teams.

When he's not running through airports or speaking, you can find him playing tennis or lacrosse with his wife and two "high energy" children.

You can find him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jongordonpage

Reviews

[Amanda NEVER MANDY · Rating 1 out of 5]

Books are amazing in that what is good for you may be terrible for me and neither is wrong. This book was perfection for my husband and useless drivel for me. He keeps pulling it off the shelf so he can share bits of wisdom with his staff and team, and I keep trying to figure out why I originally gave it two stars when it only deserved one.

This read was more about a coach’s career and less about the concept he authored. The little outside of that I did take from it was brand yourself before becoming a group/team leader. Have a catchy idea/phrase worked up and sell that. Once the group/team buys in, success will be yours.

Was that the message it intended? Probably not.

Would I recommend this book to others? Nope.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book on pushing forward through struggle. Great for coaches and helping to motivate players. I love that he was able to turn programs around, and it was interesting how powerful the mind is ❤️

[Cristian Marrero · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read all of Gordon's books. This one was okay. I wish it was more rich and in depth. I wish the Lessons were each its own separate chapter.

[Meagan Kenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my jam…

[Trey Mazratian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Row the Boat is a non-fictional book that was written by P.J. Fleck and Jon Gordon. In research, both of these authors have credibility for what they have done with their past work. The story begins by going into a deep dive into Coach Fleck’s childhood and how he grew up. P.J talks about how he was never the biggest, most athletic, or most fun guy, but he was a hard worker. In other words, he wasn’t recruited a ton out of high school. This required him to go to college camps during the summer and fall to get seen by coaches. With the dominoes falling in the right direction, he was able to land a scholarship from NIU. This was not only where he started his career in football, but this was how he would get his coaching career started. P.J got injured late in his college football career, but there was something special about him and coach Nolan knew it. Even though he was done playing football, he wasn’t done investing in the sport he loved, and he was offered a job to coach on staff. Although he didn’t take this opportunity, he ended up taking up an offer to be the head guy at WMU. None of this was as easy as it seemed, especially for P.J. His son, Colton, had just passed away 2 years before he took the job, and that is when the Row the Boat motto came into effect. As the story continues, it gives spotlights to different moments in P.J’s career that could have made him quit, yet he just kept rowing. The story ends with a coach in Minnesota where he was to start up another program that hasn’t been very successful in the past 50 years. He does all of this stuff with a row the boat attitude and keeps his head up. P.J turns the organization around and makes a run to be one of the best coaches in college football history. Coach Fleck was not only able to impact programs, but he was able to impact coaches, communities, and families. The author writes a ton of analogies to get his motto across to everyone. The name of the book itself is an analogy. This gives a reader the perspective on why the motto is so successful because of the true meaning behind it. One of the symbols in the story is the oar of the boat. The author describes the oar as the energy of your life and your purpose. The oar is the only thing that is going to keep the boat moving, which is a reflection of one's life. Without energy or passion, nothing special will be accomplished in life. This story has opened my eyes to our program and how grateful I should be. There were people in the years past that had to go through the foundation periods and I got here for the back end of it. Our program hasn’t always been successful, but Coach Cochran was able to build it up from a foundation. This book is a 5 out of 5 and I will be coming back to it.

[Alexandra Seals · Rating 3 out of 5]

My principal gifted this book to myself and our staff to set the theme for this school year. Essentially, Row the Boat is about rowing energetically toward the future with your team no matter the circumstances. Most of the chapters are written by football coach P.J. Fleck. He explains how he came up with the idea for Row the Boat as a way to honor his late son. It’s interesting to read how Fleck used the Row the Boat principles to turn around 2 college football teams. (Do we need him to come to Nebraska to help the Huskers?) You don’t need to follow college football to appreciate Fleck’s journey. His passion for people is clear. He shares life lessons you could take and apply to any team, not just sports. I look forward to rowing the boat with my coworkers and students this year.

[Nancy Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a book packed with a powerful message of team. I was glad my husband played and coached college football, so I could follow the plays! I appreciated the encouraging words and uplifting true story.

[Josh Cherrix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

[Kathryn Egly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was excited to see PJ Fleck publish a book about his "Row the Boat" philosophy, which he uses in life and coaching. Coach Fleck is known for turning losing teams into winning teams with this approach.

The book was short and easy-to-read. The beginning is a quick synopsis of PJ Fleck's life. In my opinion, the best part of the book starts in Chapter 6 when he outlines exactly what "Row the Boat" means!

Here are 9 of my favorite parts of the book:

1. You are the captain of your boat. You decide to row or not.
2. The 'oars' of the boat represent your energy. Your energy is contagious and the energy you invest and share with others determines the quality of your life.
3. There will be times when rowing is extremely hard and will require powerful work. Other times, efficiency will be utilized.
4. The boat represents sacrifice. The more you serve, give, and make your life about helping others, the better and more fulfilled your life will be. The more you do this, the bigger your boat gets.
5. The compass is about the vision we have for our lives, how we speak to ourselves and the people we surround ourselves with help create the dream.
6. When rowing, your back is to the direction you are traveling – the future – which you cannot control, nor can you see. You don’t know what’s ahead of you. You’re rowing in the present, which is the only thing that you can impact and have control of.
7. You can either choose to keep rowing or put your oars back in the boat and stop. And while rowing, you are looking in the past, which is the only thing that you can actually learn from – but can’t change.
8. The dream is the journey and the journey is the dream. You will make your biggest impact where it will be the hardest.
9. Cadets prayer “make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong."

Here's a little of our story and how we used the 'row the boat' philosophy as we sought to relocate from Illinois to Colorado: https://kathrynegly.com/2017/09/03/ro...

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great book with a great message. Nothing like what I expected. Such a great culture model for leadership.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

gets better and better

Man I loved this book. It gets better and better til the last page. I was so stirred reading about Coach Fleck and his journey so far. I know the best is yet to come.

[Tricia F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Those familiar with head coach PJ Fleck and the University of MN Gopher football are familiar with the Row the Boat mantra. We have read it in press releases, heard it in news stories and in pep rallies, we have written it on posters, and we have even chanted it at games. To many fans, the chant is just that, a handy little chant that they say during a crisp Minnesota fall while they spend their Saturday at the stadium enjoying the game. Once the game is over, they put away the chant only to take it out the next time the Gophers take the field. They don't realize that the Row the Boat philosophy is an attitude toward life that will assist people with living a more positive life.

The book gives an overview of how the Row the Boat approach was developed, how it evolved, its components & their meaning, how it came to Minnesota, and examples of how others have used the approach & its effects on their lives. Although the book is written and promoted as a business leadership book, the lessons contained within can be used for anyone leading a team; coaches, volunteer leaders, principals, teachers, parents, etc.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very sports heavy. I appreciate what P.J. Fleck did with his football program but I feel like this book is too much of explaining what he did and not enough application for people in other fields/professions. I think some guided questions at the end of a chapter or maybe input from others who have taken on the “Row the Boat” lifestyle would have made it feel more applicable to non-coach readers.

[Eldon Dominic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love historical events like this.
Boats and historical events are what make me love reading. Could you please share the sequel books of your series?

In fact, even though I started reading very late, I'm getting more and more immersed every day.

It is a great chance to read the books of important authors. I know that. I'm looking forward to your new books.

I am writing the importance of reading a book here for friends who want to read this book. I hope it will benefit sellers and customers...

Are the top 10 benefits of reading for all ages:

1. Reading Exercises the Brain

While reading, we have to remember different characters and settings that belong to a given story. Even if you enjoy reading a book in one sitting, you have to remember the details throughout the time you take to read the book. Therefore, reading is a workout for your brain that improves memory function.

2. Reading is a Form of (free) Entertainment

Did you know that most of the popular TV shows and movies are based on books? So why not indulge in the original form of entertainment by immersing yourself in reading. Most importantly, it’s free with your Markham Public Library card.

3. Reading Improves Concentration and the Ability to Focus

We can all agree that reading cannot happen without focus and in order to fully understand the story, we have to concentrate on each page that we read. In a world where gadgets are only getting faster and shortening our attention span, we need to constantly practice concentration and focus. Reading is one of the few activities that requires your undivided attention, therefore, improving your ability to concentrate.

4. Reading Improves Literacy

Have you ever read a book where you came across an unfamiliar word? Books have the power to improve your vocabulary by introducing you to new words. The more you read, the more your vocabulary grows, along with your ability to effectively communicate. Additionally, reading improves writing skills by helping the reader understand and learn different writing styles.

5. Reading Improves Sleep

By creating a bedtime routine that includes reading, you can signal to your body that it is time to sleep. Now, more than ever, we rely on increased screen time to get through the day. Therefore, by setting your phone aside and picking up a book, you are telling your brain that it is time to quiet down. Moreover, since reading helps you de-stress, doing so right before bed helps calm your mind and anxiety and improve the quality of sleep.

6. Reading Increases General Knowledge

Books are always filled with fun and interesting facts. Whether you read fiction or non-fictions, books have the ability to provide us with information we would’ve otherwise not known. Reading a variety of topics can make you a more knowledgeable person, in turn improving your conversation skills.

7. Reading is Motivational

By reading books about protagonists who have overcome challenges, we are oftentimes encouraged to do the same. The right book can motivate you to never give up and stay positive, regardless of whether it’s a romance novel or a self-help book.

https://numberoneboats.com/
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https://theboatyacht.com/general/
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[Christian]

Row the boat summary

Row the boat is a book that follows the life of one PJ Fleck along with the narration of his friend Jon Gordon. Throughout the story, Jon Gordon adds his narration and opinions on Fleck's life because he is the one who asked Fleck about his life to write this book. Fleck follows his life starting as a player himself and battling through adversity until ultimately becoming the coach at a bad WMU team. He begins describing his row the boat mentality which reveals the oar, the boat, and the compass. The oar is the device the hell’s one push forward, it is one’s perseverance. The boat is one’s vessel, it is what carries you and it only becomes stronger through sacrifice. Lastly the compass, which is your direction that tells you exactly where you are going in life. He adopts this mindset after the death of his son, which is the pain that fuels his purpose, and carries it on at WMU to eventually become a championship program. He then carries on to Minnesota university where he is faced with even more adversity. However, he uses his row the boat mentality and infuses the program with a winning attitude. He reveals that if one person keeps persevering then they can go wherever they want. Lastly, near the end of the book Jon Gordon asks what is next in this mission. However, Fleck reveals that the point in rowing the boat is to always be able to push forward whether you know what’s next or not.

Writing style

The writing style within this book is very unique in the way that it is written by two artists. It is almost like an interview that is written down and published. However, the interview is highly elongated much like a podcast. The writing style includes some chapters which are simply questions by one author, and some chapters which are the other author answering in the form of his life.

Important characters and themes

The main characters that stay consistent throughout this book are Fleck and his wife. Fleck is important because the story aligns mostly with his life and his story. He’s the one using his experience to get a message across. However, his wife is also very important to the story because she is the one who encouraged him throughout this story and aided in his row the boat mentality. The main important themes throughout this book were perseverance, battling through adversity, and impacting lives. These main points are exactly what the author intended to get across to his audience. He wanted them to continue impacting lives, and live their own lives not giving up while battling through any obstacles that come their way.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Books like this are just never my speed. The book was recommended as part of my companies leadership training initiative. We all took a personality test, got scored in 5 areas, then received personalized book recommendations based on the score.

This was my suggestion, the book is well and good, coach what’s his name is a genuinely successful leader and has done some real good in his community and with the teams and players he coaches. don’t take to take anything away from him, but another sports analogy book is just one too many.

It’s the equivalent of a high school (or in this case college) weight room where a bunch of people are screaming in my face as I struggle to complete one kore bench press. “DO IT! GET TOUGH, ONE MORE!!!”

But that doesn’t motivate me, I’m more of a yoga-type personality, or poetry in the park, and aside from an agreement that I should take care of my body (drink less, exercise more, eat a vegetable or two), I don’t like sports and I don’t like being yelled at.

If I’m working hard, if I’m being creative and innovative and doing what I can to lead my team, some CEO jackass calling us into a room and providing the cliche a speech, “we to always give 110%!” Is the same thing. I’ll work hard, but the CEO and I have very different objectives. Shouting for me to “just keep rowing” assumes everyone above me in the organization is rowing with me.

Where is the advice for the fuckers we had to throw off the boat, what do we do when we have people poking holes in the boat, or paddling in another direction, or secretly dropping an anchor behind me then pretending to tow?


That’s the book I need. And I don’t need a sports analogy, I need practical “post-COVID” advice, because just shouting to push out one more rep is repetitive and doesn’t improve the canon of leadership literature.

[Kev Willoughby · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little different than some of Jon Gordon's other books. I enjoyed the biographical style and getting to know more about Coach P. J. Fleck, and I appreciated his openness in sharing some of his personal struggles and valleys and how he came to be where he is today. I also learned that "Row the Boat" is a P. J. Fleck creation. I had assumed it originated with the University of Minnesota. I didn't realize he brought it with him from Western Michigan. Also didn't realize Coach Fleck played college football for Northern Illinois and was a wide receiver on the team that came to Tuscaloosa and beat Alabama in 2003.

Some of my favorite quotes from this one:

"Everyone's job matters and if you care more about them as people rather than as players or employees, you'll get their best." - P. J. Fleck

"Don't ever think you're the only one who can do what you're doing at the place you're doing it at. We all have an expiration date. Leave it better than you found it. Nothing is guaranteed in college football or life. Be more than just football and wins." - Jim Tressel

"Always understand that you're an influencer for only a short period in history. What will you be remembered for? What will be your legacy? Is it the wins, how you made people feel, the lives you changed, the moments and memories you created for others, or the hope you instilled in people--or maybe all of it?" - P. J. Fleck

[Michelle Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Row the Boat” is an inspiring and purpose-driven read that offers more than just motivational advice—it provides a life philosophy rooted in resilience, positivity, and relentless forward motion. Jon Gordon and Coach P.J. Fleck masterfully intertwine personal stories, leadership principles, and real-life applications to illustrate how we can all choose to respond to life’s storms by simply “rowing.”

Coach Fleck’s personal journey—marked by heartbreak, loss, triumph, and leadership—is both moving and motivating. The “Row the Boat” mindset teaches that while we can’t always control our circumstances, we can control our attitude, effort, and how we support others. That message truly resonated with me, especially in today’s fast-paced and unpredictable world.

What makes this book stand out is its simplicity and heart. The concepts are easy to understand, but the impact is deep and lasting. Whether you’re a coach, teacher, student, parent, or leader of any kind, this book will challenge and encourage you to live with purpose, serve others, and never stop rowing—no matter what.

A powerful read that reminds us we’re all in the boat together—and the key is to keep rowing with heart, hope, and hustle.

[Juan Chavez · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Row the Boat, Minnesota Golden Gophers Head Coach P.J. Fleck and bestselling author Jon Gordon deliver an inspiring message about what you can achieve when you approach life with a never-give-up philosophy. The book shows you how to choose enthusiasm and optimism as your guiding lights instead of being defined by circumstances and events outside of your control.

Discover how to put the three key components of row the boat into practice in your life:

The Oar: The energy. Only you can dictate whether your oar is in the water or whether you take it out and decide not to use it.
The Boat: The sacrifice. The more you give, serve, and make your life about helping others, the better and more fulfilled your life will be, and the bigger your boat gets.
The Compass: The direction. The vision you have for your life and the people you surround yourself with help create the dream of where you want to go.
Perfect for athletes, coaches, business leaders, and anyone else who hopes to squeeze a little more enjoyment and productivity out of life, Row the Boat will propel leaders, teams, and organizations to greater heights than they have ever reached before.

[L Power · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started off with a bang and I honestly believed that it would deliver great leadership lessons.

Unfortunately it disappointed 😞 Jon Gordon and his P.J Fleck friend wrote the book in bits and pieces as if it was a Hollywood movie script send over an email overtime.

I had so many questions,like,

1. What
happened to PJ'S ex wife after the trauma of losing a child in a marriage relationship?

2.How did she feel about the experience? Why did they really divorce 😔??

3.Did she(ex wife) manage to move on since the only grand story is of PJ's Row The Boat success as the childony belonged to PJ?

3.Why is PJ with a new wife, Heather in such a short space of time? Instead of fixing things with ex wife?


I couldn't stop feeling like perhaps what the authors were hoping to achieve was this story to become a movie one day. 😕 For me it was horrendous and left too many gaps and a sour taste in my mind.

If you want to write an autobiography, PJ do so, don't make it into something that it's not. This required all of you and not this facade you tried to display.

[Andy Kerckhoff · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you are an elementary or middle school aged boy and you like football, then this is a great book for you. I mean it. Buy this book for an athletic kid aged 10-13. If you are not that kid, then you will probably will find this book to be too short, too shallow, too simplistic, and too self-congratulating. It was a huge disappointment to me. I was expecting something very different. Something for adults who have rowed the boat a bit and would like some tips on how to be great at it. But this just was a basic introduction to PJ Fleck, his football teams, and the general idea of perseverance. I give it 1 star for mature adults and 3-4 stars for a middle school athlete. Honestly, it seems like it was thrown together in a few weeks and shipped out fast to capitalize on some newfound fame. And perhaps PJ is a great person and great coach. I don't know. But this book is weak.

[Sydney Harjo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to give it a one star, but I did find Fleck’s backstory interesting. With that being said, I absolutely HATED a majority of the book. There were so many points in this book where I had to pause and take a break because it pissed me off. Row the boat my ass. I can see how this philosophy Fleck is preaching applied to his life, but RTB wants everyone to achieve their goals in the exact same way. It’s a one size fits all mentality which contradicts Fleck’s childhood and things he learned growing up as the underdog who had to take an unconventional path. That being said, I’m not taking away from how RTB how influenced his life and those around him; however, I think using this book for staff development was a poor choice.

[Grant Bachura · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have loved every other Jon Gordon book like I have, this book will not be an exception. Minnesota Head Football Coach PJ Fleck takes us through his journey as a player and coach that helped shape his Row the Beat mentality for sports, business, and life. It’s a never give up, give more than you take, relentless mindset that pushes people to not be stagnant, find reasons they CAN instead of excuses why they can’t, and always keep pushing forward.

This is a phenomenal read for coaches, teachers, business leaders, and anyone that is looking for a simple, yet effective way to make a difference in their own life and the life of those around them!

[Linde Sifuentes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I live in Rochester, MN, but not native to Minnesota so I'm not a Gophers fan. I do follow college football and know that the Gophers football program was in need of a leadership overhaul. What P.J. Fleck has done is incredible. This book shed light on things I didn't realize were taking shape and that it isn't just about football. Anyone can "Row the Boat" by applying the principles that are the foundation of Row the Boat. Jon Gordon's books have been inspiring and this is another classic. With everything going on in the world today this would be a great book to gift to anyone as the holiday season is just around the corner. Thank you P.J. and Jon for this book!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a win for me because:

1) I typically love PD books
2) I am a football fan from Minnesota -- if you aren't a football person, you may find the examples and stats to be numerous and unimportant.
3) I have heard both Gordon and Fleck as keynote speakers. Both were very inspirational. I thought Fleck was awesome and I instantly wanted to be his friend.
4) I related at a new and different level to the message of never giving up after a couple of recent rough life events...pandemic teaching, losing a parent, cancer surgery.
5) Row the Boat is a concept that is easy to explain to my students.

[Jeff Wells · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was more a story about a football program’s ups and downs, and less a motivational book. It was a short and easy read. I was especially interested in the University of Minnesota lens in row the boat during 2020 with Covid, a strange football season, and racial unrest brought on by the George Floyd murder in Minneapolis. I think good coaches all adopt slogans or mantras to rally their players and school. This slogan is no better or no worse than others, but it is the trademark of PJ Fleck and he remains faithful to its message.

[Linene · Rating 1 out of 5]

One small concept I liked:

Bad teams, nobody leads
Average teams, coaches lead
Elite teams. Players lead.

The more urgently your team can learn the culture, the faster you can get to a player lead team.

This book otherwise is patronizing written by a very selfish author.

The whole you are an oar and the more giving you are the bigger your boat will be is absolute shit for women. We’ve been the oar and the boat while men have been the compass for far too long. Row your own damned boat.

[Brenda Yoho · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the Covid-19 global pandemic moved through all of the corners of the world, this book and a never-give-up approach makes it's way to provide the support leaders need.
Jon Gordon never disappoints and P.J. Fleck provides the heart of the story. RTB is a wonderful approach to inspire, encourage and provide all of us with the components we need to put into practice.
Please pick this up, read, enjoy and apply.

[Michael E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved getting a peek behind the curtain of P.J.'s early life and football career, and how he ended up in coaching. For sports lovers, demonstrates the power of building a culture the right way, and where that can take a team. This gave me a personal epiphany in my own life, and it's given me new zeal to explore the intersection of coaching others, and building a personal belief system and mindset at a visceral level.

[Tina Fraley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read and highly recommended.

Very good read! I really enjoyed being educated on the meaning of RTB. Originally, I was one who thought it was just a saying, a motto like he said in the book. However, it is much more! I wish coach the best, except when he plays Michigan!! 😉😉😉 Thank you coach!