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Bo's Lasting Lessons: The Legendary Coach Teaches the Timeless Fundamentals of Leadership
There are very few coaches held higher esteem than Bo Schembechler. As coach of the University of Michigan football team, he won 13 Big Ten titles and finished as the winningest coach in their storied history. But beyond the wins and losses, Bo is best remembered for the remarkable impact he had on his players and fans alike.
In BO'S LASTING LESSONS, the coach draws on his years of experience, using first-person anecdotes to deliver timeless lessons on leadership, motivation and responsibility. His distinctive gruff voice leaps from the page.
With pithy language, Bo explains that true leadership requires the compassion to actively listen to your people, and then to have the courage to do what is right every time.
A big believer in peer pressure and in always making his players accountable for their actions, Schembechler has coached athletes who went on to become professional football players, doctors, lawyers and CEOs.
In BO'S LASTING LESSONS, the coach draws on his years of experience, using first-person anecdotes to deliver timeless lessons on leadership, motivation and responsibility. His distinctive gruff voice leaps from the page.
With pithy language, Bo explains that true leadership requires the compassion to actively listen to your people, and then to have the courage to do what is right every time.
A big believer in peer pressure and in always making his players accountable for their actions, Schembechler has coached athletes who went on to become professional football players, doctors, lawyers and CEOs.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
40 people are currently reading
450 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
August 3, 2014
“Lasting Lessons” is an interesting book and a must for hardcore Michigan football fans. If you are at all familiar with Bo you will quickly notice the book is written in Bo's distinctive voice. To Bo, the world is shaped like a football and this apparent he talks about his lessons; like tips on how to run a business, build personal relationships or, be a good person -- there is always an analogy or a way to connect it to football. The wisdom is folksy and might sound like something your Dad or Grandpa might say, but it is has a certain charm.
In fact, the book showcases how many people Bo touched in his life and it is global. The only thing that trumps football in Bo's world is relationships. Michigan football was a big family to Bo, with a new batch of family arriving every fall.
Bo died just as he and co-author John U. Bacon were finishing it in November 2006. It is very difficult not to shed a tear in the last few chapters that includes Bo reflecting on his career just before his death and those he touched commenting on his life. Bo wasn't any more exceptional than many of his generation. He was exceptional because he was unrelenting in his execution of his beliefs. With Bo’s outlook on life, his priorities and his principals… it is easy to see why Bo was such a beloved person. The book leaves a lasting impact.
In fact, the book showcases how many people Bo touched in his life and it is global. The only thing that trumps football in Bo's world is relationships. Michigan football was a big family to Bo, with a new batch of family arriving every fall.
Bo died just as he and co-author John U. Bacon were finishing it in November 2006. It is very difficult not to shed a tear in the last few chapters that includes Bo reflecting on his career just before his death and those he touched commenting on his life. Bo wasn't any more exceptional than many of his generation. He was exceptional because he was unrelenting in his execution of his beliefs. With Bo’s outlook on life, his priorities and his principals… it is easy to see why Bo was such a beloved person. The book leaves a lasting impact.
October 13, 2017
I'm an Ohio State fan to the core ,but i'll tell you this book was great. Throughout the book he tells stories about his time in Michigan and the lessons learned through them. This book particularly,I think, has many great examples on how to take charge, how to stand up for whats right, how not to be prideful, and overall teaches you how to be a leader. This book has outclassed most books of its kind and for good reason. Chapter 4, I feel, is one of the strongest chapters I read during the book. "Listen Before You Lead", "Know Your People", and "Don't Sleep on it, and don't hold grudges" basically capture the message Bo is trying to convey. On top of that each chapter is like its own little story with more little stories within the chapters. Theirs always something catching your attention when reading this book. That's one aspect I very much loved about how he wrote this, he knows how to read people and draw them in almost as if he knew you in particular. Almost every lesson he teaches are ones he learned the hard way, now he told us so we don't have too. Overall a really good book to anyone who might read it.
April 12, 2013
"Bo's Lasting Lessons" exposes the inner mindset of a successful coach. The story imbues a certain sense of enthusiasm and integrity. Bo Schembechler appears, at first blush, to be a simple and straight forward man, yet the author, John Bacon, brings to light a studied, compound thinker.
The lessons in leadership are exhibited by examples from the coaches career and not presented as a guide. Some of the key points are both unorthodox and, in a way, "good ol' boy". The coach had no interest in being politically correct or business conventional. A resume wasn't worth the paper and he worked in a close-knit community with tight connections. In that respect, this is not a tale that can be told across more market oriented industries, or at least, not entirely.
November 10, 2023
A classic on the formative lessons that made a legendary college footfall coach.
May 8, 2018
For any Michigan fan, this is a book that explains the culture behind Michigan football. Many of the traditions and philosophies of Michigan football that still exist today were cultivated by Bo and his teams. He leaps off the pages in this book as Bacon does a fantastic job of capturing Bo’s spirit and energy in these chapters. It feels like you’re sitting and listening to Bo lecture to an audience.
January 14, 2019
Great book that teaches more about how to manage an organization than about football. If I had been old enough and around when Bo was at Michigan you can bet your money that I would have tried to work for him. He was a great leader and motivator of people. If you are looking for something to help your business grow or want to know how to manage people I would suggest you read this book.
August 22, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️: An informative tale on leadership that can be applicable to any industry and level of leadership. However, it is hard to reconcile the recent revelations regarding Bo and what went on at UM during his time there with many of the lessons in the book.
February 22, 2017
One of my all-time favorite books.
December 12, 2017
Some great philosophies on coaching and how to do it the right way - instilling in kids ideals that will not only help them be successful in sports but also in life.
January 31, 2018
Simply the best of all books on leadership and values
Whatever your role in life, the lessons in this little book will help you set and meet your objectives and live a better life.
Whatever your role in life, the lessons in this little book will help you set and meet your objectives and live a better life.
May 15, 2019
Great lessons and quotes from coaching football that apply to leadership at work.
October 10, 2019
Inspirational. The man is clearly one-of-a-kind, but only makes you love him and his legacy at Michigan even more.
May 8, 2020
Go Blue
June 30, 2020
Learn how a true leader develops the people around him/herself through genuine care. Bo was great at developing players on the field, but developed a lot of men off of it.
January 12, 2023
All I need to say is “Bo”. He’s amazing and this book is as well.
July 19, 2023
I loved this book. It’s full of humor, wit, and heart. Bo and Bacon really unpacked the magic that is a great team culture.
Read
February 29, 2024An easy read, but more of a coaching biography. Thought it might be more of a leadership book and I wasn’t disappointed, but would only recommend to Michigan fans.
May 25, 2025
Fun stories, and good read. Definitely enlivened the spirit of Bo. Go Blue!
January 4, 2008
In the interest of full disclosure, I have to say that I received an undergraduate degree from UM ('87) as well as my Masters ('06). I saw Bo Schembechler coach and I remember thinking that he was old school and didn't care who knew it.
When I was a freshman, my mother forced me to buy season football tickets, so I slogged to almost every game that year and sat in the student section. This was about the time the wave was becoming popular and let me tell you, when 100,000+ people start screaming in a giant bowl - it makes a big noise. The players on the field couldn't hear the audible calls and it was a problem. Bo sounded off and the next week, we were all supposed to be more controlled during the game.
When a particularly important play was being run, the students used to pull out their keys and jangle them (key play - get it?). The Saturday after the "too much noise" game, we all reached into our pockets and pulled out ... nothing. We shook our hands and were (relatively) silent. The student newspaper even ran the words to Coach Schembechler's "new" fight song - it was an empty box on the front page. He was a hard ass.
My mother has always been a fan. She knows more about football than a lot of men I know. When this book came out last fall, I sent her a copy. She read it in less than a week - which is a huge feat for my slow-as-molasses reading mother. The next time I saw her, she said, "I'm giving you Bo's book. You should read it and then you should give it to your boss to read."
The subtitle of this book is "The Legendary Coach Teaches the Timeless Fundamentals of Leadership". I have to tell you, I've read a lot of leadership books in my time. This one feels real. Not only does the old coach talk about what it means to be a leader, he gives example after example after example of how he dealt with staff, players, administration, alums, press, and anyone else who managed to fall into his orbit. He knew how to pick people, how to motivate them, how to set goals, and how to meet those goals. This books feels like Coach Bo is sitting in the room with you talking (okay, sometimes shouting).
I must admit, I'm a Wolverine and I'm proud of my connection to the University, but I've never been a giant Bo fan. I never made an effort to go to a book signing or attend any of his speeches. I'm a little sad now that I didn't meet him while he was alive. I think I really missed something. I am grateful that someone was paying attention and managed to get this man to put his secrets down on paper.
Buy this book if you're interested in leadership. Buy it if you're a former Wolverine. Buy it if you're not a Wolverine. Buy it if you hate the Wolverines ... buy the book. You're bound to find something in here you can apply to your own life and work.
When I was a freshman, my mother forced me to buy season football tickets, so I slogged to almost every game that year and sat in the student section. This was about the time the wave was becoming popular and let me tell you, when 100,000+ people start screaming in a giant bowl - it makes a big noise. The players on the field couldn't hear the audible calls and it was a problem. Bo sounded off and the next week, we were all supposed to be more controlled during the game.
When a particularly important play was being run, the students used to pull out their keys and jangle them (key play - get it?). The Saturday after the "too much noise" game, we all reached into our pockets and pulled out ... nothing. We shook our hands and were (relatively) silent. The student newspaper even ran the words to Coach Schembechler's "new" fight song - it was an empty box on the front page. He was a hard ass.
My mother has always been a fan. She knows more about football than a lot of men I know. When this book came out last fall, I sent her a copy. She read it in less than a week - which is a huge feat for my slow-as-molasses reading mother. The next time I saw her, she said, "I'm giving you Bo's book. You should read it and then you should give it to your boss to read."
The subtitle of this book is "The Legendary Coach Teaches the Timeless Fundamentals of Leadership". I have to tell you, I've read a lot of leadership books in my time. This one feels real. Not only does the old coach talk about what it means to be a leader, he gives example after example after example of how he dealt with staff, players, administration, alums, press, and anyone else who managed to fall into his orbit. He knew how to pick people, how to motivate them, how to set goals, and how to meet those goals. This books feels like Coach Bo is sitting in the room with you talking (okay, sometimes shouting).
I must admit, I'm a Wolverine and I'm proud of my connection to the University, but I've never been a giant Bo fan. I never made an effort to go to a book signing or attend any of his speeches. I'm a little sad now that I didn't meet him while he was alive. I think I really missed something. I am grateful that someone was paying attention and managed to get this man to put his secrets down on paper.
Buy this book if you're interested in leadership. Buy it if you're a former Wolverine. Buy it if you're not a Wolverine. Buy it if you hate the Wolverines ... buy the book. You're bound to find something in here you can apply to your own life and work.
February 15, 2017
This book was on my "To Read" list for years and finally got a chance to finish it.
Overall it's an easy read. If you want to get into the heads of great coaches and how they lead teams to championships consistently, it is important to understand the philosophies and standards they put in place. It becomes the very culture of the organization they create. This is true for Bo Schembechler or Bill Walsh or Bill Bellichick.
In this book, the key takeaways for me are:
Importance of preparation: Whether it's the Super Bowl or a regular season game, it's the preparation that determines the outcome. Bo explains how it applies to every situation in life. It resonated with me at many levels.
Importance of giving everyone a role: The key message is to make everyone feel part of the larger organization. Often times, leaders forget how to make individual goals relate to the organizational goals. Giving everyone a role and making it important for them is critical.
Importance of knowing your people: Seasoned leaders will tell, one cannot motivate top-down. In order to engage the team Bo explains the importance of knowing them. Each and EVERY ONE of them. If you're a top leader, he emphasizes it's not enough to lead the managers. It's important to lead ALL of them.
Execution before innovation: Like the game of football, sound basics win games. Playing mistake-free football wins championships. Sounds very simple, but harder to achieve.
Overall it's an easy read. If you want to get into the heads of great coaches and how they lead teams to championships consistently, it is important to understand the philosophies and standards they put in place. It becomes the very culture of the organization they create. This is true for Bo Schembechler or Bill Walsh or Bill Bellichick.
In this book, the key takeaways for me are:
Importance of preparation: Whether it's the Super Bowl or a regular season game, it's the preparation that determines the outcome. Bo explains how it applies to every situation in life. It resonated with me at many levels.
Importance of giving everyone a role: The key message is to make everyone feel part of the larger organization. Often times, leaders forget how to make individual goals relate to the organizational goals. Giving everyone a role and making it important for them is critical.
Importance of knowing your people: Seasoned leaders will tell, one cannot motivate top-down. In order to engage the team Bo explains the importance of knowing them. Each and EVERY ONE of them. If you're a top leader, he emphasizes it's not enough to lead the managers. It's important to lead ALL of them.
Execution before innovation: Like the game of football, sound basics win games. Playing mistake-free football wins championships. Sounds very simple, but harder to achieve.
May 1, 2025
CHARACTER & FIRST IMPRESSIONS. True character is what you do when nobody’s watching. As a leader, set your expectations clearly on day one - dump the “cold bucket” now, not by gradually turning up the heat later. When you join a new organization, honor the legacy and culture of your predecessors; know it so well that you become the teacher for the next generation.
NO COMPROMISES ON INTEGRITY. Absolute honesty is a non-negotiable - if you cheat or lie, you’re out, no matter how talented. Hire people for their character, not just their skills. Don’t recruit someone just because they’re hunting a better deal - if they’ll leave their current employer for money, they’ll do the same to you. Involve the family, hire people who actually want to join your specific team.
TRUST, LISTENING & PRESENCE. Trust your people enough to let go of micromanagement. You need to genuinely like and listen to your people; you only get real insight into motivation by knowing them personally. Make everyone feel your time is available for them, regardless of status - even if they rarely ask, they should feel you’re there.
CONFLICT & TOUGH LOVE. Don’t sit on problems - address them as they arise. Sometimes you have to kick people off the team for wrongdoing, but you may be able to welcome them back with honor if they prove themselves. Every employee sometimes needs a “kick in the butt,” but never when they’re already down. After a loss, don’t make life harder - they’re already pushing themselves; after a win, you can push a bit for extra focus.
CONFIDENCE, CRITICS & PREPARATION. Ignore the critics - real confidence comes from thorough preparation and doing your best. Teach your people that, no matter what the outside world says, their job is to shine for the team - all for one, one for all.
GENUINE MOTIVATION. Bo made players believe he wasn’t in it for the money - but because he genuinely cared for the team and their progress. When your people believe you care for them and the mission, they’ll buy in at a much deeper level.
NO COMPROMISES ON INTEGRITY. Absolute honesty is a non-negotiable - if you cheat or lie, you’re out, no matter how talented. Hire people for their character, not just their skills. Don’t recruit someone just because they’re hunting a better deal - if they’ll leave their current employer for money, they’ll do the same to you. Involve the family, hire people who actually want to join your specific team.
TRUST, LISTENING & PRESENCE. Trust your people enough to let go of micromanagement. You need to genuinely like and listen to your people; you only get real insight into motivation by knowing them personally. Make everyone feel your time is available for them, regardless of status - even if they rarely ask, they should feel you’re there.
CONFLICT & TOUGH LOVE. Don’t sit on problems - address them as they arise. Sometimes you have to kick people off the team for wrongdoing, but you may be able to welcome them back with honor if they prove themselves. Every employee sometimes needs a “kick in the butt,” but never when they’re already down. After a loss, don’t make life harder - they’re already pushing themselves; after a win, you can push a bit for extra focus.
CONFIDENCE, CRITICS & PREPARATION. Ignore the critics - real confidence comes from thorough preparation and doing your best. Teach your people that, no matter what the outside world says, their job is to shine for the team - all for one, one for all.
GENUINE MOTIVATION. Bo made players believe he wasn’t in it for the money - but because he genuinely cared for the team and their progress. When your people believe you care for them and the mission, they’ll buy in at a much deeper level.
January 1, 2012
I could easily give this book five stars - I really do love it! Yet it is a tad simplistic but leaving out the technical in a book that was really meant for the business world is not a bad thing. "Bo's Lasting Lessons" was really the documented culmination of all that Bo learned and taught when it came to mentoring and coaching at the University of Michigan, including his stints as UM athletic director and president of the Detroit Tigers. This book came about because the author, John Bacon, was trying to get Bo to do some type of memoir for years, but in typical Bo fashion, he said no. Yet late in his life Bo finally came to John Bacon and said it was time to write. What resulted was a valuable work in promoting integrity, teamwork, tier leadership, team management, respecting traditions, and many other worthy topics that enhance leaders' awareness in all these areas and more. The more I refer to concerns the great stories of the teams he coached and players. Having watched many of those players from the time I was in my early teens, always kept my interest keen. Though there are many stories about UM football and the players in "Bo's Lasting Lessons," don't think of it as a biography or an overview of the UM football program during Bo Schembechler's years as coach there. This is only coincidental. It really is a valuable and understandable work when it comes to giving leaders tools to help them do their jobs better. This book is well worth reading and applying - especially in a time when business ethics and integrity is in short supply.
February 14, 2011
Great values to live by, and some entertaining anecdotes about Michigan football. I probably rated the book a little high, but c'mon, it's Bo Schembechler and Michigan Football. During the UM coaching search in early 2011, I thought that the media emphasis on the importance of finding a 'Michigan Man' was overblown. Then I read this:
If finding a coach who is a Michigan man means finding someone who judges his team by whether the players graduate, become men of integrity, and contribute to the community, and not just the coach's relation to the Bo coaching tree and his W-L record, I'm in, and would love to read another book about Michigan Football played according to these principles.
In 1985, . . . we'd had such a good season, with such a good feeling in that locker room, that our quarterback, Jim Harbaugh, was nervous that maybe the team wouldn't live up to all that the next year, when he was a senior. So that spring, he went up to [UM Assistant Coach] Jerry Hanlon and asked him what kind of team we were going to have that year. . . . He said, "Jim, come back in 20 years, and I'll tell you. Only then will we know how you and your classmates turned out. Did you get good jobs? Are you hardworking and honest? Were you good husbands and fathers? Did you contribute to your community? Did you make the world a better place?" (emphasis in original) p. 291-292
If finding a coach who is a Michigan man means finding someone who judges his team by whether the players graduate, become men of integrity, and contribute to the community, and not just the coach's relation to the Bo coaching tree and his W-L record, I'm in, and would love to read another book about Michigan Football played according to these principles.
July 31, 2011
I grew up with Bo Schembechler as a household name, since the University of Michigan football program was all-important to my dad and brothers. As a youngster I admired his ability to develop one of the winningest football teams in the history of college football. As an adult, I stepped away from him, perceiving him as arrogant.
This book gave me back to my childhood hero, as I saw that was could be perceived as arrogance could also be interpreted as an unyielding adherance to excellence. In fact, Bo could not have built the program he did without his extremely high standards. If more coaches would follow Bo's examples of integrity, there would not be the NCAA sanctions and shame-faced resignations such as Ohio State's Jim Tressle's recent debacle. Even if it was his best player before the crucial game, if Bo caught him breaking a rule, he was out. Another rule Bo had was to treat the "best" and the "worst" players equally because it was always about the team.
When Bo was athletic director at the University of Michigan, he turned in his own friend for violating the rules.
Bo's Lasting Lessons reads as if Bo is talking right to you, and John Bacon did an excellent job of editing Bo's own words to create a heart-warming saga. Now I know why 15,000 people braved the freezing cold (I was one of them) to attend Bo's memorial service and why so many players considered him a second father.
This book gave me back to my childhood hero, as I saw that was could be perceived as arrogance could also be interpreted as an unyielding adherance to excellence. In fact, Bo could not have built the program he did without his extremely high standards. If more coaches would follow Bo's examples of integrity, there would not be the NCAA sanctions and shame-faced resignations such as Ohio State's Jim Tressle's recent debacle. Even if it was his best player before the crucial game, if Bo caught him breaking a rule, he was out. Another rule Bo had was to treat the "best" and the "worst" players equally because it was always about the team.
When Bo was athletic director at the University of Michigan, he turned in his own friend for violating the rules.
Bo's Lasting Lessons reads as if Bo is talking right to you, and John Bacon did an excellent job of editing Bo's own words to create a heart-warming saga. Now I know why 15,000 people braved the freezing cold (I was one of them) to attend Bo's memorial service and why so many players considered him a second father.
August 9, 2015
The three biggest things I learned from this book were first of all what it really means to be a michigan man related to the university of michigan football team. It's about character integrity and hard work not about what you are entitled to because of the helmet you wear. I also learned the value of standing for what you believe in. Bo was big on being who he was and not wavering on that even when results weren't there. It didn't mean he couldn't learn but he wasn't out looking for a fad or the next big thing.
I loved the whole book - Bo isn't an amazing writer but that didn't detract from the book for me and brought through his authenticity even more.
Now that I've read this book I will focus more on fundamentals and process instead of new things that will give me instant results.
Someone else should read this book if they enjoy Michigan football and want to know what it really stands for.
I'm going to recommend this book to any Michigan football fan.
I loved the whole book - Bo isn't an amazing writer but that didn't detract from the book for me and brought through his authenticity even more.
Now that I've read this book I will focus more on fundamentals and process instead of new things that will give me instant results.
Someone else should read this book if they enjoy Michigan football and want to know what it really stands for.
I'm going to recommend this book to any Michigan football fan.
November 15, 2016
I read Bo's Lasting Lessons by Bo Shembechler and John U. Bacon, which is about Bo Shembechler teaching football teams leadership and leading NCAA teams to become champions. He is head coach at the University of Michigan for twenty years starting with almost nothing to train and meet at. Bo coached many All-Americans All-Big Ten players throuout his career.
My favorite part is when they beat their rival, Ohio State, on Bo's first year in 1969. The team had very few workout machines, and no official place to have team meetings. He laid down the rules and worked the players to become champions.
I recommend this book to people all ages who have an interest in football and biographies because this book is all about football and is written about an important person in history who changed the sport of football.
My favorite part is when they beat their rival, Ohio State, on Bo's first year in 1969. The team had very few workout machines, and no official place to have team meetings. He laid down the rules and worked the players to become champions.
I recommend this book to people all ages who have an interest in football and biographies because this book is all about football and is written about an important person in history who changed the sport of football.
January 24, 2008
I grew up watching Michigan football. It's cool seeing Bo's perspective on many issues related to leadership. I really enjoyed his stories about old players/coaches. I actually recognized a few names and situations from the mid 80s. This was a pivotal time in developing my "fan-dom", my "sports puberty" if you will... I found it very interesting to read about the method to his madness. I always thought he was just a fiesty old fooball coach. As a Michigan football fanatic this is a must read! Bacon does a great job capturing his essense.
March 22, 2011
The field of "inspirational" literature is a crowded one, with anyone who has even flirted with fame offering their slant on the path to success. This slim book stands out in that crowd! Mr. Bacon has captured the voice and the essence of Glenn "Bo" Schembechler, the legendary Michigan football coach.
Bo was an honest and ethical man, with a straight-forward approach to life. These "lasting lessons" should be must reading for anyone who would choose to lead other people in any venture; business, sports, or life itself.
Bo was an honest and ethical man, with a straight-forward approach to life. These "lasting lessons" should be must reading for anyone who would choose to lead other people in any venture; business, sports, or life itself.
January 6, 2012
Have you ever heard Bo Schembechler talk? Did you ever have a personal conversation with him? Chances are, the second one never happened. This book allows it to happen. The entire time reading this book I was either smiling, laughing, crying, and even saying things to the pages as if Bo were speaking directly to me. His ideas presented are definitely old school, roughneck coaching things, but they still apply to many people today. I loved reading this book and never wanted to end it so I could keep talking to Bo.
January 28, 2012
Who better to take leadership advice from than the man that ran U of M football for over 20 years. Bo talks more about leadership and how to lead than Michigan Football. The stories cover the team but the principles could be applied to any team. That was the point of the book I believe. Very few people will lead football programs but use the advice given in this book and your team will be successful in any area. A good read for any person with leadership responsibilities and for a Michigan fan that wants to learn more about Bo.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews