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Be the Calm or Be the Storm: Leadership Lessons from a Woman at the Helm
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
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.
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
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.
216 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 10, 2023
147 people are currently reading
404 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
April 24, 2024
Sandy Yawn is a sea captain who takes pride in being able to park a 170 foot luxury liner as easily as you park your car in the supermarket lot. I never watched her show on the Bravo network so I come to this book without any preconceptions ready for “Leadership Lessons from a Woman at the Helm"
It’s actually 3 books in one: It is a book with guides on leadership; it is a memoir about how Yawn overcame her self-destruction; and, it is a series of “at sea” stories.
I liked the sea stories (almost all told with a purpose) and the arc of her life from early addiction to whom and what were the steps leading her to a better life did not seem contrived.
The life/leadership lessons were broken out at the end of each chapter. Here are some examples:
"Surround yourself with positive influences. And remove yourself from the negative. Yes, you can choose the people who are in your life. I needed to guard my newfound sobriety, but this applies to everyone. If you wish to develop self-leadership, edit out anyone who tries to pull you off your chosen path.
Be open to mentorship. All it takes is one person to believe in you to help you believe in yourself. Stay open because mentors can come from all walks of life. Learn what to do and what not to do, then move on to the next while gratefully acknowledging all that your past teachers and guides have given you.
Be a mentor. Reach back when you’ve made it to a certain level. Teach the next generation and let them stand on your shoulders.
Acquire the skills. Take the courses, get the hands-on training. Do whatever you can to earn that extra stripe. Even without a benefactor, there are resources out there, from internships to online courses, that will take you forward.
Believe in your skills. Make a quick risk assessment, but do not hesitate. Once you’ve done the work, trust your own abilities, then attack the problem head on, even if that means driving against the current. Remember: no guts, no glory.
Cultivate self-awareness. Progressing on the course you’ve charted for yourself requires acknowledging where you are now.
Consciously create the right conditions for your own success. Develop self-leadership. You can’t lead others until you’ve learned the self-discipline to set your own intention and work hard toward a goal.
Do all the above, then stand in the confidence of who and what you have become.
Remain teachable. Make a decision about what profession you want to enter or which industry you hope to dominate, then become a permanent student of the field, no matter how far up the ranks you’ve climbed. Be relentless in your pursuit of learning."
This may not be the best book written on leadership but it was an interesting and worthy read.
4*
Below are some selected quotes:
"Charters are never easy, nor are they supposed to be. Every task performed on land is 10 times harder at sea…You don’t get to decide what you eat, what you wear, when you sleep, or when you can come and go. During a charter, there is a hierarchy, and your life is not your own. Small wonder that turnover in my industry is 50 percent!"
Sandy Yawn has a lot to share about her mega-star success at the helm and her failures that resolved into life lessons.
"It’s been an epic journey to get to my position. All that I had gone through professionally and personally has equipped me with the necessary calm, confidence, alertness, quick action, and élan to guide my vessel through the most violent storms. More often than not, I’ve been blessed with the aid of great teams—men and women of character who invested in their training and were prepared to jump in and do whatever was necessary to ensure the safety of our ship and crew."
"Walking the boat is the term we use for slowly and carefully moving a vessel from side to side toward its berth. If you need to move three feet to the right, for example, you turn the rudder to the right, then you put the starboard right throttle forward and the port left throttle astern back, then thrust your bow to the right as if to pivot to the left, opposing the engines, turning and throttling as you slide your way in. Except that’s not exactly what I was doing. “You know, Scot, I was actually walking it away from the dock,” I told him. The wind was pushing so hard that I needed to slow the momentum. I had to use the conditions I was given and work with them, pushing against the power of the wind to get to where I wanted to go."
"As I’ve learned on the many panels and forums I’ve attended over the years, leadership, even and especially in the corporate world, requires that you give back or contribute beyond the four walls of your organization, whether that’s through mentorship, community outreach, or somehow improving the environment in which you operate. The most successful Fortune 500 CEOs lead with empathy. That’s not to say they don’t expect accountability or a healthy balance sheet. But we live in a world with so much inequity and existential threats such as pollution and climate change that those of us in positions of power must do something to influence positive change, or at least develop and promote the next generation of leaders who are willing and able, because long-term success won’t be sustainable if they don’t."
It’s actually 3 books in one: It is a book with guides on leadership; it is a memoir about how Yawn overcame her self-destruction; and, it is a series of “at sea” stories.
I liked the sea stories (almost all told with a purpose) and the arc of her life from early addiction to whom and what were the steps leading her to a better life did not seem contrived.
The life/leadership lessons were broken out at the end of each chapter. Here are some examples:
"Surround yourself with positive influences. And remove yourself from the negative. Yes, you can choose the people who are in your life. I needed to guard my newfound sobriety, but this applies to everyone. If you wish to develop self-leadership, edit out anyone who tries to pull you off your chosen path.
Be open to mentorship. All it takes is one person to believe in you to help you believe in yourself. Stay open because mentors can come from all walks of life. Learn what to do and what not to do, then move on to the next while gratefully acknowledging all that your past teachers and guides have given you.
Be a mentor. Reach back when you’ve made it to a certain level. Teach the next generation and let them stand on your shoulders.
Acquire the skills. Take the courses, get the hands-on training. Do whatever you can to earn that extra stripe. Even without a benefactor, there are resources out there, from internships to online courses, that will take you forward.
Believe in your skills. Make a quick risk assessment, but do not hesitate. Once you’ve done the work, trust your own abilities, then attack the problem head on, even if that means driving against the current. Remember: no guts, no glory.
Cultivate self-awareness. Progressing on the course you’ve charted for yourself requires acknowledging where you are now.
Consciously create the right conditions for your own success. Develop self-leadership. You can’t lead others until you’ve learned the self-discipline to set your own intention and work hard toward a goal.
Do all the above, then stand in the confidence of who and what you have become.
Remain teachable. Make a decision about what profession you want to enter or which industry you hope to dominate, then become a permanent student of the field, no matter how far up the ranks you’ve climbed. Be relentless in your pursuit of learning."
This may not be the best book written on leadership but it was an interesting and worthy read.
4*
Below are some selected quotes:
"Charters are never easy, nor are they supposed to be. Every task performed on land is 10 times harder at sea…You don’t get to decide what you eat, what you wear, when you sleep, or when you can come and go. During a charter, there is a hierarchy, and your life is not your own. Small wonder that turnover in my industry is 50 percent!"
Sandy Yawn has a lot to share about her mega-star success at the helm and her failures that resolved into life lessons.
"It’s been an epic journey to get to my position. All that I had gone through professionally and personally has equipped me with the necessary calm, confidence, alertness, quick action, and élan to guide my vessel through the most violent storms. More often than not, I’ve been blessed with the aid of great teams—men and women of character who invested in their training and were prepared to jump in and do whatever was necessary to ensure the safety of our ship and crew."
"Walking the boat is the term we use for slowly and carefully moving a vessel from side to side toward its berth. If you need to move three feet to the right, for example, you turn the rudder to the right, then you put the starboard right throttle forward and the port left throttle astern back, then thrust your bow to the right as if to pivot to the left, opposing the engines, turning and throttling as you slide your way in. Except that’s not exactly what I was doing. “You know, Scot, I was actually walking it away from the dock,” I told him. The wind was pushing so hard that I needed to slow the momentum. I had to use the conditions I was given and work with them, pushing against the power of the wind to get to where I wanted to go."
"As I’ve learned on the many panels and forums I’ve attended over the years, leadership, even and especially in the corporate world, requires that you give back or contribute beyond the four walls of your organization, whether that’s through mentorship, community outreach, or somehow improving the environment in which you operate. The most successful Fortune 500 CEOs lead with empathy. That’s not to say they don’t expect accountability or a healthy balance sheet. But we live in a world with so much inequity and existential threats such as pollution and climate change that those of us in positions of power must do something to influence positive change, or at least develop and promote the next generation of leaders who are willing and able, because long-term success won’t be sustainable if they don’t."
March 5, 2023
Fantastic book. Loved the simple leadership lessons at the end of each chapter. Huge respect for captain sandy… have learnt more from watching her on tv than in 20 years of watching corporate leaders
February 2, 2023
Absolutely loved this book! Very inspiring and relatable
April 12, 2023
Perhaps my mood is a bit sensitive so this grew on me. Sandy is clearly a friend of Bill W. so it felt relevant to me.
March 17, 2024
A classic combination of a reality star cash-in book and a post-recovery evangelical self-help book, this reads like a million other books that have been written before. I read it for research on Megayachts and there were a couple interesting stories buried in the sameness.
March 16, 2023
My first Non Fiction book of 2023 is based around my obsession with Reality TV Captain Sandy Yawn - Hello, Below Deck! Haha! In all seriousness - I actually LOVE Captain Sandy for a few reasons. I love how calm and inspirational she is on the show. I have also always loved her leadership style. So, when she came out with a book about her own leadership, I had to read it! Plus it's March - so what a way to celebrate a strong woman!
Topics: NonFic, Girl Power, Leadership, Self Improvement
Quick Plot Reference: Captain Sandy tell us all about her life changing moments, her career building experiences, and her leadership beliefs.
My Struggle: Of course this book is based on nautical moments of a superyacht captain, but sometimes I got a little lost in the boating/yachting lingo and stories. I knew what I was getting myself into and that would be a focus of the book... but I kind of wanted to hear more personal (non career) stories about Sandy. Maybe she will write a biography! :)
My Favs: I wanted to read this book to learn more about leadership... and it fulfilled that purpose! Personally, I hope to take on some new leadership responsibilities in my career future, and I thought this book would help inspire me and give me things to think about. I love her leadership style and I made sure to take notes on some of those beliefs! Hopefully I can be as confident as she is in her leadership!
My Surprise: I got to read a few stories about her life that really surprised me. I loved it! I also love how she "recapped" things at the end of each chapter - that really makes my organized side happy when it comes to nonfiction books! I also loved this because It was very much in her "voice". I could see her personality in this as if she was literally speaking it to me. Much better than those who go with a ghost writer.
Great book for anyone (especially women) wanting to work on leadership skills!
Topics: NonFic, Girl Power, Leadership, Self Improvement
Quick Plot Reference: Captain Sandy tell us all about her life changing moments, her career building experiences, and her leadership beliefs.
My Struggle: Of course this book is based on nautical moments of a superyacht captain, but sometimes I got a little lost in the boating/yachting lingo and stories. I knew what I was getting myself into and that would be a focus of the book... but I kind of wanted to hear more personal (non career) stories about Sandy. Maybe she will write a biography! :)
My Favs: I wanted to read this book to learn more about leadership... and it fulfilled that purpose! Personally, I hope to take on some new leadership responsibilities in my career future, and I thought this book would help inspire me and give me things to think about. I love her leadership style and I made sure to take notes on some of those beliefs! Hopefully I can be as confident as she is in her leadership!
My Surprise: I got to read a few stories about her life that really surprised me. I loved it! I also love how she "recapped" things at the end of each chapter - that really makes my organized side happy when it comes to nonfiction books! I also loved this because It was very much in her "voice". I could see her personality in this as if she was literally speaking it to me. Much better than those who go with a ghost writer.
Great book for anyone (especially women) wanting to work on leadership skills!
January 13, 2023
Captain Sandy is an inspiration and a natural leader. Love the practical takeaways you can easily reference at the end of each chapter. I’m already putting some of her knowledge to use in my everyday decision making and train of thought. Her faith makes her that much more relatable. Five stars for sure!
March 5, 2023
Great read. (As a quick disclaimer, this book was the first time I learned about both Sandy Yawn and the Below Deck Reality TV series.) Be the Calm or Be the Storm is a masterclass on how to improve your effectiveness as a leader, covering mental aspects, such as mindset and skill mastery, practical aspects, such as specific techniques on how to communicate and motivate others, and advice on how to recruit, retain and develop your workforce. This book will motivate you to achieve excellence as a leader, with applications to your professional and personal life.
I think the most important concept Sandy Yawn covered in this book was the idea of “Seven-Star Service”. As a leader, your number one job is satisfying your customer. The customer might be a funding sponsor, a boss or even a significant other! Put a little extra time and effort in on nights and weekends. Reach those objective goals, not just the requirements. There is no better way to capture future business than for your customer to know you went the extra mile for them. Details matter! People talk and there are few things in life as valuable as a stellar reputation.
Be the Calm or Be the Storm is a reminder that we can choose between sunny days or cloudy skies. Choose to be the calm and reap the benefits not only personally, but from those who look up to you.
I think the most important concept Sandy Yawn covered in this book was the idea of “Seven-Star Service”. As a leader, your number one job is satisfying your customer. The customer might be a funding sponsor, a boss or even a significant other! Put a little extra time and effort in on nights and weekends. Reach those objective goals, not just the requirements. There is no better way to capture future business than for your customer to know you went the extra mile for them. Details matter! People talk and there are few things in life as valuable as a stellar reputation.
Be the Calm or Be the Storm is a reminder that we can choose between sunny days or cloudy skies. Choose to be the calm and reap the benefits not only personally, but from those who look up to you.
January 17, 2025
A wonderful run through Captain Sandy’s experiences as a Captain on super yachts across the World.
As an amateur sailor myself, I was enthralled by her stories of seafaring adventures and was encouraged to reflect upon the nuggets of wisdom she shared at the end of each adventure. I don’t feel that this is necessarily a “leadership book” but more one which shares a persons life story with a few paragraphs of worldly wisdom which certainly can translate to leadership in the business world.
With a have bias towards sharing her journey to sobriety (which is by no means a critique) it was refreshing to see how perseverance and hard work, and a touch of faith, can help lift people from their darkest low into places of brilliant light.
A lovely, easy read if you are looking for something slightly more off piste, however it’s not a book I would necessarily rush back to re read at any point. Very enjoyable to also listen to (which I did for a few chapters) as it is read by Captain Sandy.
As an amateur sailor myself, I was enthralled by her stories of seafaring adventures and was encouraged to reflect upon the nuggets of wisdom she shared at the end of each adventure. I don’t feel that this is necessarily a “leadership book” but more one which shares a persons life story with a few paragraphs of worldly wisdom which certainly can translate to leadership in the business world.
With a have bias towards sharing her journey to sobriety (which is by no means a critique) it was refreshing to see how perseverance and hard work, and a touch of faith, can help lift people from their darkest low into places of brilliant light.
A lovely, easy read if you are looking for something slightly more off piste, however it’s not a book I would necessarily rush back to re read at any point. Very enjoyable to also listen to (which I did for a few chapters) as it is read by Captain Sandy.
January 21, 2025
Captain Sandy's book has more yachting and Below Deck stories in it than Captain Lee's did (if I'm remembering correctly), which is what I was looking for. At the title states, it's filled with lessons, stories, and tidbits about how to be a good leader. I know she's a fair captain from the show, but this further cemented the fact; she's the type of person I would want to work for. I was mainly reading for the yachting stories, but her childhood and early adulthood stories were very interesting and VERY surprising - she really turned things around and made a name for herself. If you like Below Deck, you'll like this.
Sandy also narrated the audio and it was wonderful.
Sandy also narrated the audio and it was wonderful.
January 12, 2023
Respect
I enjoyed watching Captain Sandy on Below Deck Mediteranean, so when I learned she had written a book, I immediately ordered it. The book is well written and I felt like I was having a conversation with her.
Her life story is both horrible and empowering. How she overcame her addiction problems and became one of the best super yacht captains in the industry is empowering for everyone.
Her management style should be made mandatory reading for all supervisors everywhere.
I enjoyed watching Captain Sandy on Below Deck Mediteranean, so when I learned she had written a book, I immediately ordered it. The book is well written and I felt like I was having a conversation with her.
Her life story is both horrible and empowering. How she overcame her addiction problems and became one of the best super yacht captains in the industry is empowering for everyone.
Her management style should be made mandatory reading for all supervisors everywhere.
April 20, 2024
This is truly an inspiring book and I loved the captivating stories that Captain Sandy shares throughout the book. At times I forgot this is a book about leadership and I was getting super into the stories. It’s great to have the “lessons” of leadership at the end of each chapter. Initially read this book for a work book club and I wasn’t too thrilled to begin with as I haven’t been much of a reader but was pleasantly surprised.
January 8, 2026
I applaud the hard work Captain Sandy has done in her life—her journey to become sober was hard fought. With that being said this book is a “self help” type book for those interested in lessons on leadership. She is pretty clear about that
In the title—Unfortunately, It felt as if she was repeating the same lessons just using different words in each chapter. There was nothing groundbreaking or new.
In the title—Unfortunately, It felt as if she was repeating the same lessons just using different words in each chapter. There was nothing groundbreaking or new.
January 5, 2024
Boring and repetitive and the bits where she did little quotes from people saying 'Sandy you inspired me to do x' made me cringe, as did her constantly wanging on about her kids TV show The Ocean Rangers.
Below Deck remains my favourite reality TV franchise ever and genuinely has way better leadership lessons in it than this book.
Below Deck remains my favourite reality TV franchise ever and genuinely has way better leadership lessons in it than this book.
August 30, 2024
I really enjoyed listening to the audio version. Captain Sandy is a true Girl Boss. I love Below Deck Med and appreciate her leadership style. She seamlessly manages to garner respect and be tough when she needs to be, while really caring about her crew and helping them develop.
Captain Sandy talks about her upbringing, her struggles with addiction, and the challenges she has faced on the sea.
Captain Sandy talks about her upbringing, her struggles with addiction, and the challenges she has faced on the sea.
April 30, 2025
It’s entirely possible I didn’t read this in the right state of mind, but whole this book has some good pearls, I didn’t find it compelling. This is a story about a strong woman’s ability to manage stress and intensity in very difficult situations. She’s impressive, however I didn’t find a lot of great or unique leadership lessons in here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2024
I love the log at the end of each chapter. I think it’s amazing what Captain Sandy has been able to achieve. She is an inspiration for me! Badass woman for sure. Anyone who leads people can take a lot of lessons from this book.
February 4, 2024
needed a self help book for a slot on a local library bingo card. had a (signed 💁♀️) copy and figured i’d read it. sandy’s a bad bitch and it’s cool to see all she’s gone through and the faith she puts in her people. but at the end of this day it’s a book about boats.
December 2, 2024
I adore Captain Sandy on Below Deck and following her on social media. This book took me 9 months to read. It felt like a lot of the book should have been chunked together at different parts. I hope she writes another book, but it’s much more fluid than this was!
April 10, 2025
some good takeaways but I can not get over how this book jumped forward & backward & forward & backward in time… why was there no continuity and progression through her life/career?? the lessons would’ve hit that much harder
May 6, 2025
A book about the very mundane life of a ship captain….quite boring and hard to stay with. The author seems to give herself kudos for many things, however reading through it is a struggle. Would not recommend.
August 3, 2023
Love you
I really would love your good bad and ugly for your below deck members - show us how it really works for you beyond what we see on tv
I really would love your good bad and ugly for your below deck members - show us how it really works for you beyond what we see on tv
August 27, 2023
Real Life leadership lessons! 💯 should be read by anyone who is in a leadership position!
October 14, 2023
She's a great story, the book less so.
January 1, 2024
It was pretty repetitive.
January 1, 2024
I expected more of a memoir but this was really about leadership and management. What a great book! I may read this one again.
January 6, 2024
Good lessons which are summarized at the end of each chapter. Some repetition in her stories which is why I gave 4/5.
February 8, 2024
This was a great book with lots of insight in leadership styles and personal development as a business woman in a male dominated industry.
June 12, 2024
This one is a keeper. I have earmarked this book up for references. I really connected with these strategies
July 2, 2024
fun learning more about captain sandy. was hoping for more stories about below deck or at seas but it was good! leadership insight was pretty basic but never hurts to rehear in a different style
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews