By Rob Cooney (@EMEducation)
The Wisdom of the Bullfrog
by Admiral William H. McRaven
I first learned of Admiral William H. McRaven through his viral 2014 University of Texas commencement address, where he distilled life lessons from Navy SEAL training into ten memorable principles, starting with“make your bed.” In The Wisdom of the Bullfrog, he returns with a broader, deeper collection of leadership advice, honed over nearly four decades of military service.
The book is structured around short chapters, each anchored by a principle, such as “The only easy day was yesterday or Always have a swim buddy,” and each grounded in a story from McRaven’s career. These tales are not simple war stories but rather humble, clear-eyed accounts of leadership in the real world, where information is imperfect, stakes are high, and people are watching. That candor makes the lessons stick.
McRaven’s emphasis on decisiveness, accountability, and clarity has particular relevance in medical education, where ambiguity and competing priorities often dominate. His principles dovetail with modern leadership science. For example, in the “You Can’t Surge Trust” chapter, he shares reflections that highlight accountability and creating psychological safety. His insistence that hope alone is not a strategy overlaps with great advice for teaching or quality improvement
Fortunately, while the book does expect a level of personal toughness (or maybe taking accountability is a better term), there’s humility, reflections on the power of calm in chaos, and on how quiet consistency, like showing up early, listening carefully, and following through, builds long-term trust. McRaven’s tone is measured, never boastful, and his leadership philosophy is as much an example of restraint as it is about command. For educators, that balance is key: influence comes not from rank, but from credibility earned from our learners over time.
Crucially, McRaven’s stories model how to lead when you don’t have all the answers, a feeling we all will recognize. In those moments, he reminds us, character trumps charisma. The bullfrog, the callsign assigned to the longest-serving Navy SEAL on active duty (a role McRaven fulfilled) isn’t flashy, but it endures as an example of the role of wisdom gained through reflections on experience.
Actionable Ideas for Medical Educators from The Wisdom of the Bullfrog
- Embody the principle of ‘Death Before Dishonor’ by modeling accountability. Own your lapses and know that culture starts with you.
- Establish team credibility through calm, consistent behavior—arriving on time, being prepared, following through on promises.
- Use ‘Hope is Not a Strategy’ as a touchstone in planning—ask what systems, supports, and metrics back the goal.
- Find it, fix it. Fixing problems is an expectation of you as a leader.
- “Be prepared, Murphy was an optimist (pg 106)”
- Know the expected competencies, make a plan to inspect and do it regularly, acknowledge the hard work people are investing by ensuring they know you value the effort.
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