Jean-Michel Blais, former chief of Halifax Regional Municipality police, member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and a veteran of emergency relief and humanitarian efforts after a devastating earthquake in Haiti, gives a master-class in leadership. Blais draws on his experiences in the RCMP, with the United Nations, and as a hockey referee to distill the characteristics a good leader needs to lead well, and how to use both good and bad experiences to develop them.

Each chapter has a list of "calls from the blue line" to summarize the chapter's message and give the reader encouragement in how to move toward becoming a better leader.