Maverick Author
BABE KWASNIAK
West Point Graduate, Former U.S. Army Captain, State Championship Basketball Coach & 2020 Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Inductee
"People who are trying to make a point rarely make a difference. People who are truly out to make a difference in this world don't really need to make a point at all."
About Babe Kwasniak
Babe Kwasniak is a West Point graduate, former U.S. Army Captain, and state championship basketball coach who has built his reputation in the crucible of high-stakes leadership—from the basketball court to the battlefield to the boardroom. After playing Division I basketball at West Point, Babe served five years as an Army officer, coaching the All Armed Forces basketball team to a gold medal and learning from legendary four-star generals who collectively carried 116 years of leading America through its toughest times.
Babe's unique perspective on leadership comes from decades in environments where the stakes couldn't be higher—where his decisions as an Army Captain directly affected thousands of soldiers, where state championships were won or lost on his ability to hold players accountable, and where managing over $46 million in business meant standards couldn't slip. His leadership philosophy was forged under generals Martin Dempsey, Robert Brown, and Carter Ham, who taught him that high expectations never survive low standards, and that standards are worthless if no one is upholding them. From those crucibles of pressure, Babe developed an understanding that most leaders never grasp: discipline is a form of love, and mavericks don't fight against systems—they fight for something greater than themselves.
Chapter: "The Cost Of Conviction"
Rebels fight against. Mavericks fight for. The difference is intention, purpose, and who benefits from the disruption.
In his powerful chapter for Maverick Leadership, Babe Kwasniak reveals what it truly costs to lead with conviction—and why the greatest leaders in history weren't rebels for rebellion's sake, but mavericks fighting for something far bigger than themselves. Through raw stories from West Point, the battlefield, and being "canceled" twice in one year, Babe exposes the critical difference between rebels who tear down and mavericks who build up—and provides the exact framework for leading with unshakeable standards that make people better.
Babe opens with 2025, a year that should have broken him. Fired from a Christian school during Holy Week for not being "Christ-like enough." Terminated from a century-old military program that had served the country since 1922. Two cancellations. Two suspensions. And he never made a single dollar from either position. That's when he learned the hardest lesson of maverick leadership: when you raise the standards, some people will fall away. When you demand accountability, some will resent you. When you stand firm on principle, some will turn against you.
"The Maverick corrects you not because they criticize you, but because they want you to succeed."
Through his five marks of a maverick—clarity over comfort, standards over rules, conviction over compliance, service over self, and results over excuses—Babe provides the framework that separates those who complain about broken systems from those who build better ones. The chapter culminates with a challenge rooted in his coaching philosophy: "This past Father's Day I received 58 messages from former players wishing me a happy Father's Day. They do that because I coach all my kids like they are my own sons. That's the only legacy I will ever need." Maverick leaders don't lower the bar to keep the peace. They raise it so high that only the committed remain. And in the end, that's how greatness is built.
What You'll Learn
The Rebel vs. Maverick Framework: How to identify whether you're fighting against systems or fighting for something greater—and why intention, purpose, and who benefits from disruption determines your leadership legacy
The Five Marks of a Maverick: The exact characteristics that separate maverick leaders from everyone else—clarity over comfort, standards over rules, conviction over compliance, service over self, and results over excuses
The Standard-Setting Principle: Why high expectations never survive low standards, how leaders create the culture that creates the standards that produce the results, and what happens when no one is upholding those standards
From Management to Leadership: The critical distinction between managing things and leading people—and why confusing the two will cost you both authority and influence
The Loneliness of Leadership: What it really costs to raise standards, demand accountability, and refuse to compromise—and why the best people actually want to be held to a higher standard
Three Transformative Takeaways:
1. Rebels Fight Against. Mavericks Fight For
George Washington. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Jesus of Nazareth. These weren't rebels without a cause—they were rebels with a cause. They didn't shake things up for selfish reasons; they did it for the good of others. The difference between a rebel and a maverick isn't style or intensity—it's intention. Rebels are motivated by frustration. Mavericks are motivated by vision. Rebels criticize the system. Mavericks build a better one.
2. High Expectations Never Survive Low Standards
The leader creates the culture, which creates the standards, which produces the results. Standards are worthless if no one is upholding them. Too many organizations lower the bar hoping to keep the peace—all that does is drive away high performers and keep underachievers comfortable. Mavericks flip that script. They raise the bar so high that only the committed remain. And the best ones? They don't resent it. Deep down, they respect the leader who refuses to let them settle.
3. Discipline is a Form of Love
The Maverick corrects you not because they criticize you, but because they want you to succeed. Hate is not the opposite of love—apathy is. If I want you to be great, I have to look you in the eye and tell the truth. I expect you to do the same for me. Leadership isn't about being liked—it's about being effective. And effectiveness almost always requires friction. You will lose friends. You may lose jobs. You will almost certainly lose comfort. But what you gain is far more important: clarity of purpose, integrity of action, and a legacy of impact.
Babe’s Impact
Babe's leadership extends beyond his three state championships at Villa Angela-St. Joseph (2013, 2015, 2017) to his service as one of the youngest people ever appointed as Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army and his 2020 induction into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame alongside Ulysses S. Grant, John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, and Woody Hayes. His expertise in high-pressure decision-making, team development through extreme accountability, and unwavering standards has made him a sought-after leadership coach and motivational speaker.
Connect with Babe Kwasniak
Instagram: @babekwas
Twitter/X: @BabeKwas
