Overview

Build the Culture That Drives Elite Performance""Jon Becker is a national treasure."" -John Dowd, Former Navy SEAL, Founder of Forge SOFware Why do some teams perform at an elite level while others-given the same resources, training, and talent-struggle? The answer isn't strategy, talent, or technology. It's culture. Culture is your organization's operating system. It determines how decisions get made, how people treat each other, and whether your best performers stay or leave. Get it right and everything else gets easier. ""Culture isn't a slogan-it's the operating system that drives standards, decisions, trust, and accountability under pressure."" -Rich Diviney, Retired Navy SEAL Commander, Bestselling Author What Elite Teams Know That Most Organizations Don'tFor four decades, Jon Becker has had unusual access to organizations that cannot afford to fail-where the cost of poor leadership is measured in lives, not quarterly earnings. What he discovered: the principles that build elite performance are universal. Whether you run a SWAT team, a tech startup, a sales organization, or a sports program, the fundamentals are identical. ""Jon offers the lessons articulated herein with a rare level of credibility that makes Culture First an enduring work."" -Brian Driscoll, Former Acting FBI Director Nine Practices Any Leader Can Implement Build culture intentionally - because the default is dysfunction Develop selfless leaders - who place mission and team above ego Select the right people - protect culture through rigorous standards Embrace strong people - who challenge assumptions Enforce high standards - what you tolerate becomes your standard Collaborate deliberately - harvest the best thinking regardless of title Build a decision machine - push authority to where information lives Improve continuously - build systems that sustain excellence Take risks and embrace failure - learn without excuses ""Want your business to succeed? Build a great culture. In this book Jon Becker shows you how."" -Pete Blaber, Former Delta Force Commander Practical Tools, Not Theory Each chapter delivers real stories, clear explanations, and ""How to Start"" sections with actions you can implement Monday morning. ""Jon is extraordinarily credible on building a high-performing team-the reason we have him present to our entire team."" -Lt. Lee McMillion, Commander, LAPD SWAT Elite teams don't happen by accident. If you want to build an organization capable of performing at the highest level, culture must come first.

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Reviews

Brian Driscoll, Former Acting FBI Director ""Culture First is a uniquely thorough look into a community that is often misunderstood by the uninitiated. Jon has earned access to exclusive, elite teams that do not operate in an effort to earn notoriety, but protect their culture with the same vigor as they do the public they serve. Jon is welcomed into our tribe based on earned trust, proven selflessness, and a shared sense of purpose. For these reasons, Jon offers the lessons articulated herein with a rare level of credibility that makes Culture First an enduring work of literature that I hope will be referenced by generations to come."" Rich Diviney, Retired Navy SEAL CDR and Bestselling Author of Masters of Uncertainty ""Culture First is a no-excuses guide to building teams that win when it counts. Becker makes the point plain: culture isn't a slogan-it's the operating system that drives standards, decisions, trust, and accountability under pressure. Clear, actionable, and built for leaders who want results, this book shows you how to set the bar, reinforce the right behaviors, and make excellence non-negotiable."" Michael Lumpkin, US Navy SEAL (Ret.), Former Assistant Secretary of Defense, Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict, Former Corporate President and CEO ""As a former tactical operator, senior member of government, and business executive, I can attest that Jon Becker nails it in his understanding that organizational culture is the operating system that drives the success or failure of any organization. His use of real-life examples in both tactical no-fail missions as well as the business world demonstrates that it is central to every organization regardless of mission. As he highlights...everyone is the keeper of the standards, so the standards must be clear, well-known, and non-negotiable. Mr. Becker expertly uses his vast experience to make his argument with passion and delivers a 'must read' for every person in every organization that strives for successful outcomes."" Pete Blaber, Former Special Mission Unit Commander, Author of The Mission, the Men, & Me and Common Sense Leadership ""Want your business to succeed? Want to build best teams? Want to be known as a great Leader? Build a great culture. In this book Jon Becker shows you how by sharing great stories that tell you why. A must read for all common sense leaders."" Lt. Lee McMillion, Commander, LAPD D-Platoon (SWAT) ""The 9 Practices are not just catch-phrases for this book. They are how Jon Becker has built, sustains, and leads his private business, and the reason we have him present Culture Centric Leadership to our entire team. Jon is extraordinarily credible on building a high-performing team, grounded in individual leadership and selflessness, promoting a culture where innovation thrives, and motives are focused on team success."" John Dowd, Founder SOFware LLC Former Navy SEAL ""Jon Becker is a national treasure. He'll tell you that he's been serving elite units within law enforcement and the military for 40 years, but that undersells it-he's been shaping them. They know what I know: when you have a leadership or culture challenge your first call is to Jon. In Culture First, Jon lays out nine essential practices about leadership and culture building. They are practical, hard-won, and immediately applicable. Read this book. Put each chapter into practice.""

Author Information

Jon Becker founded AARDVARK Tactical at 17 and has spent nearly four decades in the tactical community, working with four generations of operators at the DOD, federal, state, county, and local levels of government. From municipal SWAT teams to military special operations and international counterterrorism units, Jon has equipped and trained alongside the pioneers who built LAPD SWAT, LA County Sheriff's SEB, and the NTOA. He describes his unlikely journey as ""Tactical Forrest Gump.""Jon is the creator of Project7 Armor, a recipient of the Spirit of the NTOA Award from the National Tactical Officers Association, and a columnist for Tactical Edge magazine. His work has been published in over a dozen magazines and professional journals. He has taught for both law enforcement and business organizations across North America. Jon hosts The Debrief with Jon Becker podcast, interviewing the world's top tactical leaders, and is a filmmaker who directed the documentary Confronting Hate: Responding to The Tree of Life Attack.A graduate of Loyola Law School and attorney admitted to practice in California, Jon is also a multi-time Ironman triathlete and race-winning sports car driver. He has been happily married since 1990 and has two children.

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