The Tides of Life [eBook]

Learning to Lead and Serve as You Navigate the Currents of Life

The Tides of Life is about the choices we make in life. Choices that require navigating those changing tides and winds of life as we pursue the right choice and avoid those that will result in harm or failure. For the leader there is often only one choice to make, to lead or mislead.

Is there room for God in navigating these choices of life? In writing this book, Bill Pollard responds to this question as he reflects on the lessons and choices of his life and suggests a framework of life for the choices we should make. His journey has involved an active and changing professional life of practicing law, serving as a professor and senior administrator in higher education, and leading a fast growing service company that, during his tenure as CEO, was recognized as the number one service company among the Fortune 500 and was acknowledged as one of the most respected companies in the world by the Financial Times.

Bill has lived a life of learning from his faithful wife and family, from those he has worked with and served, and from teachers and friends including Peter Drucker, Billy Graham and Warren Buffett.

C. William Pollard (JD, Northwestern University School of Law) serves as director of Herman Miller, Inc., is chairman emeritus and advisor to the ServiceMaster Company, and is on the board of a number of educational, religious, and not-for-profit organizations, including Central DuPage Health, Wheaton College, the J. Dennis Hastert Center, the Drucker Institute, and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Pollard practiced law for many years, specializing in corporate finance and tax matters, and also served as vice president of Wheaton College for a time. He is the author of numerous books and articles, including the bestseller The Soul of the Firm. Pollard and his wife, Judy, have been married for over 45 years and have four adult children and fourteen grandchildren.

“‘The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense,’ says Proverbs. The wisdom available in this book bears just such an aroma, the pleasant fragrance of counsel dug from a life’s worth of experience as a Christian leader. The Tides of Life is a written version of some of the things I learned from Bill Pollard as we worked together at Wheaton College, the value of which is marked by how often I find myself passing Bill’s insights on to others. I highly recommend giving this book a close reading.”
—Duane Litfin, President Emeritus, Wheaton College

“This book is vintage Bill Pollard—full of intellectual challenge and ideas, affirming a strong faith yet not dogmatic, based on a lifetime of integrating faith and business while practicing servant leadership. A must for anyone in business.”
—Lord Griffiths of Fforestfach, Vice Chairman, Goldman Sachs International  

“Bill has done a masterful job of translating the lessons he has learned in a lifetime of leadership in a manner that is easily understood and is actionable by any reader. The warm, personal stories of his life’s journey, woven together as vivid pictures of leadership principles, make it real.”
—Don Soderquist, Former COO and Senior Vice Chairman, Walmart Stores, Inc.; Founder, The Soderquist Center for Leadership & Ethics

“Bill Pollard wonderfully shares a lifetime of experiences that help guide and counsel us about the importance of our choices and relationships as we confront a wildly unpredictable world.”
—Michael A. Volkema, Chairman, Herman Miller, Inc.

“My first meeting with Bill Pollard made a lasting impression. We discussed taking our Christian perspective in business to locations around the world that might not have an understanding or an acceptance of our faith. Bill shared with me his experiences in leading ServiceMaster as it expanded its business in the Far East. In The Tides of Life, Bill shares many inspiring lessons through his personal stories that will encourage us to choose to lead well in every circumstance—through joy and sorrow, success and failure. This is a book for those who desire to lead authentically and faithfully in the marketplace and in their personal lives.”
—Mary Andringa, President/CEO, Vermeer Corporation

“The Tides of Life is an excellent prescription for leadership written by a master practitioner of the art. Bill Pollard has been there and done that, and when he speaks people listen. Invest in this book, read it; you will not regret it.”
—Josh Moody, Senior Pastor, College Church, Wheaton, Illinois; author, Journey to Joy: The Psalms of Ascent 

“Life eventually takes us all in unexpected directions. One of my favorite sayings is ‘If you want to make God laugh, just tell Him your plans!’ The Tides of Life captures the critical importance of making wise and moral choices along the way. Bill’s leadership insights and experiences integrating his faith into the ebb and flow of his own life will inspire you on your journey.”
—Bonnie Wurzbacher, Chief Resource Development Officer, World Vision, International; former Senior Vice President, The Coca-Cola Company