About the Book
You've seen it happen.
A promising leader flames out.
A high-performing team slowly unravels.
A thriving culture erodes into silence, mistrust, and confusion.
Not with a bang-but with the quiet weight of what's left unsaid.
Why Smart Leaders Do Stupid Things names this crisis-and shows leaders how to stop it before it destroys performance, culture, and trust.
This isn't another "inspiration-only" leadership book. It's bold. It's disruptive. It's different.
Written by award-winning executive coach and disruptive thought leader Michael E. Krumpak, this book introduces the Legendary Leader Flight Plan(TM)-a practical, evidence-based roadmap for navigating leadership under real-world pressure. More than a framework, it provides the runway to transformation, helping leaders accelerate from everyday leadership struggles to building cultures of clarity, trust, and lasting impact.
What Makes This Book Different
1. Legendary Leader Flight Plan(TM) - A tested framework that provides the runway for leaders to launch sustainable transformation.
2. Black Box Reflections(TM) - Each chapter ends with beautifully crafted prompts that spark deep reflection and drive meaningful action.
3. Unfiltered stories of failure and recovery - Bold lessons from 30+ years coaching senior executives, founders, and rising leaders across Fortune 100 companies, global brands, and government institutions.
You'll learn how to:
Reset your leadership presence when credibility is lost.
Rebuild trust and culture in high-stakes environments.
Lead with clarity, empathy, and measurable impact-even under pressure.
Avoid the quiet traps that silently destroy leaders, teams, and organizations.
No matter your role-CEO, founder, seasoned executive, or new and fast-track leader-this book is your runway for moving beyond "smart" leadership to becoming a Legendary Leader(TM) who inspires trust, accelerates performance, and builds cultures worth staying for.
You don't need to be flawless. But you do need to be bold, honest, and willing to change.
Start here.
About the Author :
Michael E. Krumpak is an award-winning author, speaker, and graduate professor. A credentialed executive coach with a Master's in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and numerous advanced certifications, he is widely recognized for blending human-centered insight with bold, disruptive strategies that drive measurable results.As founder and CEO of L4 Learning Solutions, Michael has spent more than three decades transforming leadership pipelines in some of the world's most demanding environments-including Samsung, Nike, American Airlines, Unilever, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Defense Intelligence Agency.He is the creator of the Legendary Leader Flight Plan(TM)️, the Legendary Leader Radar Assessment(TM)️ the Legendary Leader RADAR 360, and Black Box Reflections(TM)️. These frameworks redefine how leaders build trust, align culture, and deliver lasting performance. From keynote stages to boardrooms, his work is trusted by executives who want more than theory-they want practical transformation, enduring impact, and a leadership legacy that lasts.
Review :
"Why Smart Leaders Do Stupid Things isn't just clever - it's critical. Michael delivers a sharp, unfiltered diagnosis of the blind spots that derail even the brightest leaders. This book gives you the mindset, tools, and truth serum you didn't know you needed. If you're brave enough to lead with integrity and impact - start here." -Angelique Rewers, CEO, BoldHaus
"A bold and necessary guide for leaders ready to move beyond smart and start leading with purpose, courage, and consistency. This book cuts through the noise with clarity -and that's exactly why it works."-Dr. Darnell Lee, EdD, Chief Human Resources Officer, U.S. House of Representatives
"True leadership is not about authority-it's about awakening the potential within others. Extraordinary leaders unlock greatness in everyone. This book shows that leading with purpose transforms lives, not just careers. By tapping human potential-personally, professionally, emotionally, spiritually-we strengthen individuals, elevate teams, and enrich communities.Too often, leaders overlook the power of their presence, words, and actions. This is a call to refocus, reenergize, and reconnect with the original "why" behind leadership."-Tom Saccomanno, Chief Operating Officer, New York Life (New Jersey General Office)
"Michael's book tackles the hard truths leaders often avoid, showing exactly how to turn missteps into momentum. It's a practical, no-fluff guide to leading with clarity, courage, and lasting impact. Michael uses real-life examples of leadership mistakes that harmed the performance of organizations with practical lists of "Dos" and "Don'ts" aligned with each of the nine vectors of his Legendary Leader Flight Plan(TM) that will resonate with the reader."-Alex Rogers, Former Director of Finance, Global Technology Business Planning, Nike
"True transformation starts with the courage to develop the self-awareness needed to face what isn't working. This book gives leaders that mirror-and the tools, examples, and a new model to make the bold changes needed for success. With honesty and heart, Michael reveals why even the smartest leaders can fall short, and how they can unlock their potential to master real and impactful leadership."-Dr. Marcia Reynolds, Author of Coach the Person, Not the Problem and Breakthrough Coaching"The assessment is worth the price of admission alone: part mirror, part map, it sparks the kind of dialogue executive teams urgently need. Michael combines boldness with real behavioral insight-this is a serious, no-nonsense contribution to the leadership field."-Mike Mears, Author of Certainty, Retired CIA Chief of Human Capital"A rare leadership book that balances academic rigor with real-world impact. The Legendary Leader Flight Plan(TM) turns complex theory into a clear, actionable framework any leader can apply-whether in the classroom, the boardroom, or the field."-Dr. Cheryl Wood, Retired Faculty, The George Washington University
