The Vested Way

There is a reason the cover of this book features birds flying in V formation. Each bird benefits from the uplift of the one ahead. They conserve energy, rotate leadership and go farther together than they could alone. That is the Vested way.

Later, when I joined the University of Tennessee, I had the opportunity to study some of the world’s most successful business partnerships, and that research eventually evolved into a methodology called Vested.

Over time, Vested grew from university research into a global movement, much like Lean, Six Sigma and Agile before it. I’ve taught the rules to over 13,000 leaders from more than 900 organizations, and in 2025, Vested was selected by Thinkers50 as one of the Breakthrough Ideas in management.

Leading organizations across five continents have adopted Vested to transform how they work with their most strategic partners, including Intel, bp, JLL, EY, IBM, Securitas, and the Canadian government. Today, 48 universities teach Vested principles, our research has been featured four times in Harvard Business Review, and what started as a study funded by the U.S. Air Force has become a cultural movement transforming how business is done.
Vested is about building relationships where both sides have a real stake in each other’s success. At its core, Vested is about moving beyond us versus them and choosing a what’s in it for We mindset. I wrote The Vested Way to make that kind of collaboration practical, usable and real.

You’ll see real stories and case studies throughout the book, because I want you to see what’s possible when people choose to collaborate in a highly effective way.

You’ll see real stories and case studies throughout the book, because I want you to see what’s possible when people choose to collaborate in a highly effective way.

My ask is simple. Do not fall into the trap of doing nothing. I am confident you will find at least one insight you can use to make an important relationship better.