• Publisher: Dexterity (May 18, 2021)
• Length: 213 pages
• Jacketed Hardcover ISBN: 9781736158104
• eBook ISBN: 9781736158111

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• Nonfiction > Business & Leadership > Christian Living

RANDY LINVILLE earned dual bachelor’s degrees in agricultural economics and business finance and a master’s in agricultural economics from Kansas State University. His thirty-year career includes his tenure as CEO of Scoular, where he diversified and steadied the agriculture supply chain company across the US and in international markets. He has served on several nonprofit boards such as The FarmHouse Foundation and The Halftime Institute. Randy grew up on a farm in Holcomb, Kansas; today he lives with his family in Leawood, Kansas. Plan of Action is his first book.

“So many of us are dissatisfied with our lives. We need to change, but how? Randy Linville shows you how. He has led businesses at the highest level and has a storehouse of wisdom to share. Plan of Action distills the key principles that made Linville successful. My advice is to get this book and follow its advice!”

—Seth Barnes, founder, Adventures in Missions and World Race

“Like reading a modern-day Book of Proverbs, Randy Linville’s Plan of Action is filled with wisdom gained through lived experience. It is an inspiring, practical, and helpful guide to living the good life.”

—Adam Hamilton, senior pastor, The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection; best-selling author of The Walk

“Randy’s text is what I sometimes call Kool-Aid without water: valuable information richly condensed. My highest compliment is that I’ll give copies to my three sons, each of whom can ‘water’ the guidance from his own life experience and be richly blessed for it.”

—Jay Bennett, chairman of the board, National Christian Foundation

“Everyone who knew Bob knew he had no idea he’d have a legacy. He just thought he did what he was called to do for his time. He’d be pleased to know that his work with leaders lives on in their influence and in new generations.”

—Linda Buford, wife of Bob Buford, founder of The Halftime Institute

“Randy has lived an extraordinary life, gained valuable wisdom, and now shares his life lessons with clarity and brevity. Having had the pleasure of working with Randy, I know him to be a man of immense competence, character, and meaningful contributions. Enjoy your journey.”

—Joe Calhoon, author of Prioritize!, On the Same Page, and The One Hour Plan for Growth

“Every farmer understands the value of good soil and nutrients as the foundation for a great crop, and without those, nothing will grow. Randy has been a farmer and CEO and involved in numerous nonprofit and industry organizations. His experiences and thoughts highlighted in this book can help us reflect on ourselves and the soil into which we are sewing. With planning and effort, we can improve our crops, whether that be in our personal, family, spiritual, or professional lives by following the steps of action Randy has laid out in this book.”

—Kent Horsager, CEO, Compass Strategic Investments

“I have known Randy Linville for decades. Randy is a highly respected business leader and an incredibly disciplined person who is grounded in his Midwestern agricultural roots. Randy’s natural instincts are to find effective processes to help simplify the complex, to clarify and align the goals, and ultimately to improve the outcomes. All of that shines through in his book, Plan of Action. I recommend reading the book with pen in hand to learn from this proven leader.”

—Todd McQueen, board member, The Scoular Company

“In a time when we are inundated with more information than we ever imagined possible, it is refreshing to encounter rare nuggets of timeless wisdom we so desperately need. As a faithful follower of Jesus and a seasoned business leader, Randy Linville has patiently discovered and generously shared bite-size pieces of practical guidance for the challenges and complexities of daily life in the modern marketplace. Plan of Action will inspire and enrich your life and work.”

—Tom Nelson, pastor, Christ Community Church and president, Made To Flourish

“Randy Linville is a walking billboard of The Halftime Institute message, another legacy to Bob Buford’s influential life. You can’t read Plan of Action without being better for it.”

—Dean Niewolney, CEO, The Halftime Institute

“We all need a plan of action today to help guide us to tomorrow. Few writers bring this level of insight and collected wisdom.”

—Clayton Smith, pastor, speaker, and author of At the Crossroads: Leadership Lessons for the Second Half of Life

“Randy draws on over four decades of leadership experience in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors in this very practical guide to living and leading well. He weaves together his and other leaders’ experiences, biblical principles, and reflections, culminating in practical suggestions to get you thinking about how you, too, can skillfully develop a plan of action for life.”

—Dr. Stan W. Wallace, CEO, Global Scholars and host of the College Faith podcast

“This book is a practical collection of lessons and ideas that are not theory but are so important for us all to practice. Randy’s personal stories enhance the lessons he has to teach.”

—Kevin Rauckman, executive director, KC Fellows; retired CFO and treasurer, Garmin Ltd.

“Plan of Action is an incredible collection of life insights from someone who has led well—from the highest levels of corporate America to the church and other service organizations. Read this book once, and you’ll find challenge, encouragement, and redirection. Then come back to it over and over for one-chapter-at-a-time reminders of why you found it so useful in the first place. Every role on the team (leader, supporter, teammate) in every arena (business, church, not-for-profit, school, family) will benefit from Plan of Action.”

—Brent Vander Ark, vice president of financial service, Kansas City Southern Railway

“Randy has written an incredible ‘Checklist for Life’ that is truly a personal development guide for everyone seeking their North Star and accepting the challenges of rebalancing their lives with reliance on faith, family, and fellowship. Our shared experiences of growing up on a farm with Christian parents in a task-oriented life taught us the value of hard work and making decisions that developed our leadership skills at an early age. The hardships experienced in farming prepared us for challenges in our food and agriculture careers, and for these experiences we are forever grateful. Our mutual experiences with FarmHouse Fraternity and its mission as a ‘builder of men’ with a faith-based purpose no doubt shaped our lives to become servant leaders in our personal lives and professional careers. Randy’s application of Scripture to our daily routines are time tested and fundamental to the checklists he has shared with his readers. I am thankful for Randy’s humble and candid sharing of personal and thoughtful insights on how to organize our daily lives and plan for the future.”

—Jeff Muchow, managing partner, Bio-Clean Solutions LLC

“Randy offers some very practical and wise guidance as you navigate daily life in the marketplace. It is great to see someone with his experiences be able to communicate such important lessons that all of us need to hear in a very clear and concise way.”

—Rod Brenneman, former CEO of Butterball and Seaboard Foods

“Randy’s generosity and humor in sharing pivotal moments during his transition will ease this fragile and important stage of life for many. The cadence of his storytelling and easy dialogue bring the reader along, offering that much-needed pause to consider what brings joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment in a next phase of life. Transitions are hard, and this book helps with practical insight and humor.”

—Debbie Dellinger, director of external engagement, My Next Season

“Plan of Action is a best practice manual for living a life of wisdom and significance. Randy’s blend of the practical and spiritual is inviting and inspirational. I love the generational aspect of paying forward Randy’s life lessons to help the next generation run well. The Toolbox at the end is a rich resource for life and godliness. I look forward to using the book in our disciple-making networks in Kansas City.”

—David Wooddell, The Navigators, Kansas City 

“So many great tools. So many great stories.”

—Dr. Rhonda Kehlbeck, vice president of admissions, The Halftime Institute

“I read Plan of Action thinking how a business student or classroom full of business students would gain from this book.” 

—Shari Wilkins, program director of adult Sunday school and group connections, The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection

“Randy’s wisdom and practical advice are a guide to living a life of purpose. Plan to Action is filled with nuggets that will help you navigate life especially in times of change.”

—Mark Linsz, cofounder and managing partner, My Next Season

“Plan of Action could well be titled A Life Well Lived: A Timeless Manuscript for Living a Successful, Fulfilling, and Rich Life That Glorifies God! This book is a trove of practical, proven, and time-tested principles guaranteed to ignite new levels of vision, passion, conviction, and action in your life.”

—Drew Hiss, founder and CEO, Acumen

• Publisher: Dexterity (January 14, 2025)
• Length: 240 pages
• Jacketed Hardcover ISBN: 9781947297999
• eBook ISBN:
• Audiobook ISBN:

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• Nonfiction > Self-Help

MICHELE RIGBY ASSAD is an international corporate advisor and keynote speaker. She parlayed a ten-year career as a CIA operative in the Middle East to consulting for multinational companies facing complex geopolitical challenges. Her extensive experience in the Arab World drives her ability to interpret and navigate risk to design safe and effective operations.

Michele has played a pivotal role in high-stakes missions both as a counterterrorism official and as a human rights defender in the civilian world, culminating in the 2015 airlift operation and relocation of 149 persecuted Iraqi Christians. Michele also provides security advice to nonprofit organizations working against human trafficking and in support of women rebuilding their lives.

Hailing from a small town in Central Florida, Michele determined that her simple beginnings would not define her future. She quickly learned how to push through fear and other obstacles to defy her own expectations and live a life of meaning and purpose. Her early pushes off the X to serve on college mission teams and study abroad in Egypt, Israel, Russia and Ukraine, resulted in a lifetime of travel to over 52 countries.

Michele holds a master’s degree in Contemporary Arab Studies from Georgetown University and a political science degree from Palm Beach Atlantic University. Get Off the X is her second book. She is also the author of Breaking Cover, her memoir. Michele lives in Florida with her husband Joseph.

Download the Get Off the X discussion guide here.

“The ideas in this book challenge popular narratives that if the path is hard, it hurts, or is unclear, it’s not worth it. But I have seen in my own life, in Michele’s life, and others around me, that success has more to do with perseverance than anything else. It doesn’t matter if you are a singer, a CEO, or someone who has yet to find their way in the world. You can find purpose and meaning if you are willing to go where others won’t go and challenge yourself to live with uncertainty until the right door opens. Waiting for that breakthrough and surviving the “in-betweens” is a crucial part of that process. Michele provides not only the inspiration to move through anxiety and fear, but the tools necessary to fight whatever is holding you back. It’s time to stop waiting and wondering and time to Get Off the X and work for your dreams!”

—Howie Dorough, Singer in Backstreet Boys and Real Estate Developer

“As a former CIA intelligence officer, I can personally attest to the critical importance of getting off of the X to accomplish our operational mission. Michele has masterfully parlayed this concept into her book, Get Off the X: CIA Secrets for Conquering Obstacles and Achieving Your Life’s Mission, which is a must-read for everyone, no matter where they are on their life’s journey. What most resonated with me was the emphasis on patience when we find ourselves overly anxious and yearning for clarity in the road ahead. I only wish I had the wisdom gleaned from this book much earlier in my personal and professional life. Let this book serve readers as an invaluable guide for navigating the uncertainties of life’s journey with faith and resilience.”

—Peter Warmka, Founder Counterintelligence Institute and author of Confessions of a CIA Spy

“Get Off the X is the perfect book to change the way you think about obstacles in your life. Michele’s personal stories and advice for achieving your goals will make you motivated, happier, and more productive. I can’t recommend this book enough.”

—Eric DeCosta, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Baltimore Ravens