Drawing on original interviews with athletes, general managers, coaches, and team-building experts, Sam Walker identifies the seven core qualities of the captain class--from extreme doggedness and emotional control to tactical aggression and the courage to stand apart.

Originally published as The captain class: the hidden force that creates the world's greatest teams, 2017.

Alpha lions: Identifying the world's greatest teams -- Captain theory: The importance of "glue guys" -- Talent, money, and culture: Alternative explanations -- Do coaches matter?: The Vince Lombardi effect -- They just keep coming: Doggedness and its ancillary benefits -- Intelligent fouls: Playing to the edge of the rules -- Carrying water: The hidden art of leading from the back -- Boxing ears and wiping noses: Practical communication -- Calculated acts: The power of nonverbal displays -- Uncomfortable truths: The courage to stand apart -- The kill switch: Regulating emotion -- False idols: Flawed captains and why we love them -- The captaincy in winter: leadership's decline, and how to revive it.