Maverick Author
KRIS YAGEL
CEO. Keynote Speaker. Culture Architect. West Point Graduate. Award Winning Executive
"That moment—when I chose what was right over what was safe—changed how I lead."
About Kris Yagel
Kris Yagel is a sought-after authority on leadership who has forged his unique perspective in the crucible of military service and the complexity of corporate transformation. As founder of Diligent Plans, Kris has become a transformative voice for leaders who refuse to settle for the status quo, developing leaders and teams globally.
Success came early on for Kris. After building a foundation as a scholar-athlete-leader, he became his high school's first attendee of West Point. Upon graduation, he served as a Military Police officer in the Army. Captain Yagel received top honors as a special weapons and tactics (SWAT) team leader, base police chief in the wake of 9/11, and as a unit commander of over 100 active duty soldiers.
Kris later hung up his uniform to join the corporate ranks where he became a multi-award-winning executive before founding his company, Diligent Plans, as a platform to develop leaders and teams, globally. His clients include Fortune 100 companies, all levels of government, small business, and many other unique organizations. He has shared his unique perspectives at inspirational events like TEDx and DisruptHR and at esteemed locations such as The United States Military Academy. He remains grounded in his desire to help make the world a better place one leader at a time.
Chapter: "Becoming a Maverick Leader"
"That moment—when I chose what was right over what was safe—changed how I lead."
In his foundational chapter for Maverick Leadership, Kris Yagel confronts the uncomfortable truth that most leaders have experienced: the moment they stopped leading and started managing. Through raw honesty and battle-tested wisdom, Kris reveals the exact moment when promising leaders settle for compliance—and provides the roadmap to reclaim their courage.
Kris opens with a career-risking decision: submitting paperwork to cancel a soldier's deployment orders, knowing it could end his military career. Throughout the chapter, Kris exposes the devastating pattern: you see a problem, you speak up, the system kicks back, and eventually you stop trying. You settled for compliance. Somewhere along the way, you stopped leading and started managing.
"Only dead fish go with the flow."
But Kris doesn't just diagnose the problem—he provides the cure through his Five Stages of Becoming a Maverick Leader. Drawing on military strategy and his own hard-won lessons, he shows leaders how to question everything, push boundaries, and think outside the box even when the box has a lid. The chapter culminates with a stark reality check: "If you aren't crying alone in the shower at 3 a.m. from time to time, you might not be doing leadership right." Leadership sucks—but the ends justify the means when you're transforming organizations and leaving a legacy that matters.
What You'll Learn
The Settlement Moment: Why most leaders stop leading and start managing—and how to recognize when you've crossed that line in your own career
The Five-Stage Transformation: A proven roadmap from Awakening through Commitment, First Disruption, Running Toward Conflict, to Relentless Momentum
The Maverick vs. Rebel Distinction: Why good intentions separate leaders who create positive change from those who just cause chaos—and how to stay on the right side of that line
Question Everything: How to push boundaries and challenge assumptions without being combative, using techniques tested from fighter jets to tank warfare
The Battle of Your Mind: Why the first and most decisive battle happens internally, and how to win it continuously throughout your leadership journey.
Three Transformative Takeaways:
1. Managing vs. Leading is a Daily Choice
The difference between managing and leading isn't about your title—it's about what you choose when the system kicks back. Managers accept "that's against policy." Leaders ask "does it have to be this way?" and get creative when everyone else settles for compliance.
2. Think Outside the Box, Even When It Has a Lid
Every organization will tell you "no" at some point. Maverick leaders refuse to accept that answer at face value. They discover solutions by questioning everything and refusing to settle for "that's just how we've always done it."
3. Courage is Choosing Right Over Safe
Real leadership requires making the career-risking decision for the right reasons. It's running toward conflict when everyone else is running away. It's measuring success by culture, growth, and legacy instead of approval.
Kris’s Impact
Kris's consulting work through Diligent Plans spans industries and continents, transforming leadership cultures in Fortune 100 companies, government agencies, small businesses, and unique organizations worldwide. His speaking engagements—from TEDx stages to military academies—inspire leaders to stop managing and start leading.
Connect with Kris Yagel
Website: www.DiligentPlans.com
LinkedIn: Kris Yagel
