Christopher Kolenda

Christopher Kolenda works with leaders wanting to build unshakeable business endurance.

His clients—CEOs, Cabinet-level officials, four-star generals, police and fire chiefs, and National Football League teams—have unlocked over $100 million in new growth by leveraging his battle-tested and business-proven strategies.

A West Point graduate, internationally renowned combat leader, and retired Army colonel, Kolenda developed a game-changing strategy in Afghanistan that motivated an insurgent force to switch sides—the only successful case in the war’s 20-year history. As a trusted advisor to three four-star generals and two Secretaries of Defense, he became the first American to both fight the Taliban in combat and negotiate successfully with them.

Dissatisfied with the complacency of Washington decision-makers, Kolenda challenged conventional wisdom, influenced U.S. military strategy, and helped drive diplomatic breakthroughs. He now brings that same warrior-diplomacy to the private sector, working with CEOs to gain unbeatable positioning, forge an unstoppable workforce, and provide unwavering inspiration.

He has been featured on the front pages of the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post, written about in The New York Times, The Economist, London Times, and many others, and he has appeared on nearly every major news network in the U.S. and UK.

His books include "Leadership: The Warrior's Art," which has sold over 60,000 copies, "The Counterinsurgency Challenge," and the national book award-winning "Zero-Sum Victory: What We’re Getting Wrong About War."

Kolenda created the Saber Six Foundation in honor of the six paratroopers from his unit who were killed in action in Afghanistan to help veterans turn post-combat stress into growth.