Coming February 2027
The five-tool
Creative leader
How to Guide Artists, Thinkers, and Doers to Greatness
“I heard Jonathan speak at a One Club for Creativity conference a few years ago. It was a master class on becoming an effective creative leader. And now we have a masterful book on the same subject.”
Susan Credle, Lion of St. Mark Honoree, Former Global CCO FCB, CCO Leo Burnett
“The best leadership book to come out of the ad world in years. Cude writes like he leads — sharp, honest, and with no wasted words. His five-tool framework does for creative leadership what a good coach does for a talented team: it turns raw instinct into repeatable skill. Vision and communication aren't separate from collaboration and resilience — they're one job, done well. This is the book I wish every new creative director read on day one.”
David Grossman, Founder & CEO of The Grossman Group & Bestselling Author of The Heart Work of Modern Leadership
“Jonathan, all by himself, is a worthy story to be told. So there’s no surprise he’s crafted a memoir of sorts about what he’s learned from his experiences and how to help others do so, too. His generosity is our gain. No notes. Only admiration.”
Chuck McBride, Founder, CCO Cutwater, Former ECD North America TBWA, CD Wieden + Kennedy
“As Jonathan writes in these pages, creative leaders are built, not born. And this is the blueprint. I got firsthand experience with Jonathan’s principles of creative leadership working for him for nearly a decade. He’s mentored me for 23 years as I grew from doer to leader. So, I can say that the lessons in these pages aren’t business book bullshit, they’re real foundational models for how to become a cultivator of creativity.”
Stevie Archer, CCO M+C Saatchi North America
“I’ve always believed that clients get the creative they deserve - Jonathan has stubbornly always given me better than that. Turns out being brilliant at the work and being brilliant at leading the work are two different games, and nobody tells you until you’ve already struck out a few times. As someone who’s hired him twice, I can confirm Jonathan is dangerously good at both. Insightful, and far funnier than a leadership book deserves to be.”
Jeff Klein, CMO Subway
“I've had the good fortune of working with some incredibly talented creative people over the years. The best inevitably get thrust into leadership roles, and I've watched more than a few struggle because nobody gave them a way to think about the very different job of leading. Now Jonathan has. What I didn't expect from a book built on a baseball metaphor is how honestly it deals with the parts of leading creative people that nobody tells you about before you take the job. And it does so in a way that makes you feel less like you're reading a leadership book and more like you're talking to a friend. I can't wait to share it with my team.”
Lee Newman, CEO GSD&M, Former CEO MullenLowe, President Ogilvy
“I heard Jonathan speak at a One Club for Creativity conference a few years ago. It was a master class on becoming an effective creative leader. And now we have a masterful book on the same subject.”
Susan Credle, Lion of St. Mark Honoree, Former Global CCO FCB, CCO Leo Burnett
“The best leadership book to come out of the ad world in years. Cude writes like he leads — sharp, honest, and with no wasted words. His five-tool framework does for creative leadership what a good coach does for a talented team: it turns raw instinct into repeatable skill. Vision and communication aren't separate from collaboration and resilience — they're one job, done well. This is the book I wish every new creative director read on day one.”
David Grossman, Founder & CEO of The Grossman Group & Bestselling Author of The Heart Work of Modern Leadership
“Jonathan, all by himself, is a worthy story to be told. So there’s no surprise he’s crafted a memoir of sorts about what he’s learned from his experiences and how to help others do so, too. His generosity is our gain. No notes. Only admiration.”
Chuck McBride, Founder, CCO Cutwater, Former ECD North America TBWA, CD Wieden + Kennedy
“As Jonathan writes in these pages, creative leaders are built, not born. And this is the blueprint. I got firsthand experience with Jonathan’s principles of creative leadership working for him for nearly a decade. He’s mentored me for 23 years as I grew from doer to leader. So, I can say that the lessons in these pages aren’t business book bullshit, they’re real foundational models for how to become a cultivator of creativity.”
Stevie Archer, CCO M+C Saatchi North America
“I’ve always believed that clients get the creative they deserve - Jonathan has stubbornly always given me better than that. Turns out being brilliant at the work and being brilliant at leading the work are two different games, and nobody tells you until you’ve already struck out a few times. As someone who’s hired him twice, I can confirm Jonathan is dangerously good at both. Insightful, and far funnier than a leadership book deserves to be.”
Jeff Klein, CMO Subway
“I've had the good fortune of working with some incredibly talented creative people over the years. The best inevitably get thrust into leadership roles, and I've watched more than a few struggle because nobody gave them a way to think about the very different job of leading. Now Jonathan has. What I didn't expect from a book built on a baseball metaphor is how honestly it deals with the parts of leading creative people that nobody tells you about before you take the job. And it does so in a way that makes you feel less like you're reading a leadership book and more like you're talking to a friend. I can't wait to share it with my team.”
Lee Newman, CEO GSD&M, Former CEO MullenLowe, President Ogilvy
“I heard Jonathan speak at a One Club for Creativity conference a few years ago. It was a master class on becoming an effective creative leader. And now we have a masterful book on the same subject.”
Susan Credle, Lion of St. Mark Honoree, Former Global CCO FCB, CCO Leo Burnett
“The best leadership book to come out of the ad world in years. Cude writes like he leads — sharp, honest, and with no wasted words. His five-tool framework does for creative leadership what a good coach does for a talented team: it turns raw instinct into repeatable skill. Vision and communication aren't separate from collaboration and resilience — they're one job, done well. This is the book I wish every new creative director read on day one.”
David Grossman, Founder & CEO of The Grossman Group & Bestselling Author of The Heart Work of Modern Leadership
“Jonathan, all by himself, is a worthy story to be told. So there’s no surprise he’s crafted a memoir of sorts about what he’s learned from his experiences and how to help others do so, too. His generosity is our gain. No notes. Only admiration.”
Chuck McBride, Founder, CCO Cutwater, Former ECD North America TBWA, CD Wieden + Kennedy
“As Jonathan writes in these pages, creative leaders are built, not born. And this is the blueprint. I got firsthand experience with Jonathan’s principles of creative leadership working for him for nearly a decade. He’s mentored me for 23 years as I grew from doer to leader. So, I can say that the lessons in these pages aren’t business book bullshit, they’re real foundational models for how to become a cultivator of creativity.”
Stevie Archer, CCO M+C Saatchi North America
“I’ve always believed that clients get the creative they deserve - Jonathan has stubbornly always given me better than that. Turns out being brilliant at the work and being brilliant at leading the work are two different games, and nobody tells you until you’ve already struck out a few times. As someone who’s hired him twice, I can confirm Jonathan is dangerously good at both. Insightful, and far funnier than a leadership book deserves to be.”
Jeff Klein, CMO Subway
“I've had the good fortune of working with some incredibly talented creative people over the years. The best inevitably get thrust into leadership roles, and I've watched more than a few struggle because nobody gave them a way to think about the very different job of leading. Now Jonathan has. What I didn't expect from a book built on a baseball metaphor is how honestly it deals with the parts of leading creative people that nobody tells you about before you take the job. And it does so in a way that makes you feel less like you're reading a leadership book and more like you're talking to a friend. I can't wait to share it with my team.”
Lee Newman, CEO GSD&M, Former CEO MullenLowe, President Ogilvy
Being great at your craft doesn’t automatically prepare you to lead others. The instincts that make you a great writer, designer, or musician don’t always translate to managing people, giving feedback, or inspiring teams under pressure.
In The Five-Tool Creative Leader, Jonathan Cude offers a sharp, funny, and unflinchingly honest look at what it takes to lead creative work and the people who make it. Drawing on three decades in the advertising world, where he has led projects for Nike, Diet Coke, Samsung, Nationwide Insurance, and more, Cude breaks down the five essential tools every leader needs to develop: vision, communication, collaboration, innovation, and resilience.
Through personal stories, candid insights, and interviews with leaders across industries, he reveals what separates the truly great from the merely good. He shares the hard lessons learned from real-world successes (and a few spectacular failures) and explores how creative leadership is not just about having ideas, but about building the environment where the best ideas can happen again and again.
In The Five-Tool Creative Leader, Jonathan Cude offers a sharp, funny, and unflinchingly honest look at what it takes to lead creative work and the people who make it. Drawing on three decades in the advertising world, where he has led projects for Nike, Diet Coke, Samsung, Nationwide Insurance, and more, Cude breaks down the five essential tools every leader needs to develop: vision, communication, collaboration, innovation, and resilience.
Through personal stories, candid insights, and interviews with leaders across industries, he reveals what separates the truly great from the merely good. He shares the hard lessons learned from real-world successes (and a few spectacular failures) and explores how creative leadership is not just about having ideas, but about building the environment where the best ideas can happen again and again.
More Praise
A masterful book...
“I heard Jonathan speak at a One Club for Creativity conference a few years ago. It was a master class on becoming an effective creative leader. And now we have a masterful book on the same subject.”
Susan Credle, Lion of St. Mark Honoree, Former Global CCO FCB, CCO Leo Burnett
Insightful, and far funnier than a leadership book deserves to be.
“I’ve always believed that clients get the creative they deserve - Jonathan has stubbornly always given me better than that. Turns out being brilliant at the work and being brilliant at leading the work are two different games, and nobody tells you until you’ve already struck out a few times. As someone who’s hired him twice, I can confirm Jonathan is dangerously good at both. Insightful, and far funnier than a leadership book deserves to be.”
Jeff Klein, CMO Subway
You feel less like you're reading a leadership book and more like you're talking to a friend.
“I've had the good fortune of working with some incredibly talented creative people over the years. The best inevitably get thrust into leadership roles, and I've watched more than a few struggle because nobody gave them a way to think about the very different job of leading. Now Jonathan has. What I didn't expect from a book built on a baseball metaphor is how honestly it deals with the parts of leading creative people that nobody tells you about before you take the job. And it does so in a way that makes you feel less like you're reading a leadership book and more like you're talking to a friend. I can't wait to share it with my team.”
Lee Newman, CEO GSD&M, Former CEO MullenLowe, President Ogilvy
Cude writes like he leads — sharp, honest, and with no wasted words.
“The best leadership book to come out of the ad world in years. Cude writes like he leads — sharp, honest, and with no wasted words. His five-tool framework does for creative leadership what a good coach does for a talented team: it turns raw instinct into repeatable skill. Vision and communication aren't separate from collaboration and resilience — they're one job, done well. This is the book I wish every new creative director read on day one.”
David Grossman, Founder & CEO of The Grossman Group & Bestselling Author of The Heart Work of Modern Leadership
No notes. Only admiration.
“Jonathan, all by himself, is a worthy story to be told. So there’s no surprise he’s crafted a memoir of sorts about what he’s learned from his experiences and how to help others do so, too. His generosity is our gain. No notes. Only admiration.”
Chuck McBride, Founder, CCO Cutwater, Former ECD North America TBWA, CD Wieden + Kennedy
The lessons in these pages aren’t business book bullshit...
“As Jonathan writes in these pages, creative leaders are built, not born. And this is the blueprint. I got firsthand experience with Jonathan’s principles of creative leadership working for him for nearly a decade. He’s mentored me for 23 years as I grew from doer to leader. So, I can say that the lessons in these pages aren’t business book bullshit, they’re real foundational models for how to become a cultivator of creativity.”
Stevie Archer, CCO M+C Saatchi North America
Featured Interviews
Marin Alsop
Artistic Director and Globally Renowned Chief Symphony Conductor
Michael Conrad
Former Global Chief Creative Officer at Leo Burnett
Kristin Naiman
Chief Brand Officer at The RealReal
Diane Quinn
Former Chief Creative Officer at Cirque du Soleil (currently CEO at Kravis Center for the Performing Arts)
Kiki Wolfkill
Head of Xbox Film & TV
Brad Cloepfil
Architect and Founder of Allied Works
Aaron Cooper
Former Director of Nike Innovation (currently founder/innovation consultant at Moonshot Molecules)
Andy Pearson
Vice President of Creative at Liquid Death
Dax Shepard
Actor, writer, producer, and podcast host
Media & Speaking Requests
Being great at your craft doesn’t automatically prepare you to lead others. The instincts that make you a great writer, designer, or musician don’t always translate to managing people, giving feedback, or inspiring teams under pressure.
In The Five-Tool Creative Leader, Jonathan Cude offers a sharp, funny, and unflinchingly honest look at what it takes to lead creative work and the people who make it. Drawing on three decades in the advertising world, where he has led projects for Nike, Diet Coke, Samsung, Nationwide Insurance, and more, Cude breaks down the five essential tools every leader needs to develop: vision, communication, collaboration, innovation, and resilience.
Through personal stories, candid insights, and interviews with leaders across industries, he reveals what separates the truly great from the merely good. He shares the hard lessons learned from real-world successes (and a few spectacular failures) and explores how creative leadership is not just about having ideas, but about building the environment where the best ideas can happen again and again.
More Praise
A masterful book...
“I heard Jonathan speak at a One Club for Creativity conference a few years ago. It was a master class on becoming an effective creative leader. And now we have a masterful book on the same subject.”
Susan Credle, Lion of St. Mark Honoree, Former Global CCO FCB, CCO Leo Burnett
Insightful, and far funnier than a leadership book deserves to be.
“I’ve always believed that clients get the creative they deserve - Jonathan has stubbornly always given me better than that. Turns out being brilliant at the work and being brilliant at leading the work are two different games, and nobody tells you until you’ve already struck out a few times. As someone who’s hired him twice, I can confirm Jonathan is dangerously good at both. Insightful, and far funnier than a leadership book deserves to be.”
Jeff Klein, CMO Subway
You feel less like you're reading a leadership book and more like you're talking to a friend.
“I've had the good fortune of working with some incredibly talented creative people over the years. The best inevitably get thrust into leadership roles, and I've watched more than a few struggle because nobody gave them a way to think about the very different job of leading. Now Jonathan has. What I didn't expect from a book built on a baseball metaphor is how honestly it deals with the parts of leading creative people that nobody tells you about before you take the job. And it does so in a way that makes you feel less like you're reading a leadership book and more like you're talking to a friend. I can't wait to share it with my team.”
Lee Newman, CEO GSD&M, Former CEO MullenLowe, President Ogilvy
Cude writes like he leads — sharp, honest, and with no wasted words.
“The best leadership book to come out of the ad world in years. Cude writes like he leads — sharp, honest, and with no wasted words. His five-tool framework does for creative leadership what a good coach does for a talented team: it turns raw instinct into repeatable skill. Vision and communication aren't separate from collaboration and resilience — they're one job, done well. This is the book I wish every new creative director read on day one.”
David Grossman, Founder & CEO of The Grossman Group & Bestselling Author of The Heart Work of Modern Leadership
No notes. Only admiration.
“Jonathan, all by himself, is a worthy story to be told. So there’s no surprise he’s crafted a memoir of sorts about what he’s learned from his experiences and how to help others do so, too. His generosity is our gain. No notes. Only admiration.”
Chuck McBride, Founder, CCO Cutwater, Former ECD North America TBWA, CD Wieden + Kennedy
The lessons in these pages aren’t business book bullshit...
“As Jonathan writes in these pages, creative leaders are built, not born. And this is the blueprint. I got firsthand experience with Jonathan’s principles of creative leadership working for him for nearly a decade. He’s mentored me for 23 years as I grew from doer to leader. So, I can say that the lessons in these pages aren’t business book bullshit, they’re real foundational models for how to become a cultivator of creativity.”
Stevie Archer, CCO M+C Saatchi North America
Featured Interviews
Marin Alsop
Artistic Director and Globally Renowned Chief Symphony Conductor
Michael Conrad
Former Global Chief Creative Officer at Leo Burnett
Kristin Naiman
Chief Brand Officer at The RealReal
Diane Quinn
Former Chief Creative Officer at Cirque du Soleil (currently CEO at Kravis Center for the Performing Arts)
Kiki Wolfkill
Head of Xbox Film & TV
Brad Cloepfil
Architect and Founder of Allied Works
Aaron Cooper
Former Director of Nike Innovation (currently founder/innovation consultant at Moonshot Molecules)
Andy Pearson
Vice President of Creative at Liquid Death
Dax Shepard
Actor, writer, producer, and podcast host
Media & Speaking Requests
Being great at your craft doesn’t automatically prepare you to lead others. The instincts that make you a great writer, designer, or musician don’t always translate to managing people, giving feedback, or inspiring teams under pressure.
In The Five-Tool Creative Leader, Jonathan Cude offers a sharp, funny, and unflinchingly honest look at what it takes to lead creative work and the people who make it. Drawing on three decades in the advertising world, where he has led projects for Nike, Diet Coke, Samsung, Nationwide Insurance, and more, Cude breaks down the five essential tools every leader needs to develop: vision, communication, collaboration, innovation, and resilience.
Through personal stories, candid insights, and interviews with leaders across industries, he reveals what separates the truly great from the merely good. He shares the hard lessons learned from real-world successes (and a few spectacular failures) and explores how creative leadership is not just about having ideas, but about building the environment where the best ideas can happen again and again.
More Praise
A masterful book...
“I heard Jonathan speak at a One Club for Creativity conference a few years ago. It was a master class on becoming an effective creative leader. And now we have a masterful book on the same subject.”
Susan Credle, Lion of St. Mark Honoree, Former Global CCO FCB, CCO Leo Burnett
Cude writes like he leads — sharp, honest, and with no wasted words.
“The best leadership book to come out of the ad world in years. Cude writes like he leads — sharp, honest, and with no wasted words. His five-tool framework does for creative leadership what a good coach does for a talented team: it turns raw instinct into repeatable skill. Vision and communication aren't separate from collaboration and resilience — they're one job, done well. This is the book I wish every new creative director read on day one.”
David Grossman, Founder & CEO of The Grossman Group & Bestselling Author of The Heart Work of Modern Leadership
Insightful, and far funnier than a leadership book deserves to be.
“I’ve always believed that clients get the creative they deserve - Jonathan has stubbornly always given me better than that. Turns out being brilliant at the work and being brilliant at leading the work are two different games, and nobody tells you until you’ve already struck out a few times. As someone who’s hired him twice, I can confirm Jonathan is dangerously good at both. Insightful, and far funnier than a leadership book deserves to be.”
Jeff Klein, CMO Subway
No notes. Only admiration.
“Jonathan, all by himself, is a worthy story to be told. So there’s no surprise he’s crafted a memoir of sorts about what he’s learned from his experiences and how to help others do so, too. His generosity is our gain. No notes. Only admiration.”
Chuck McBride, Founder, CCO Cutwater, Former ECD North America TBWA, CD Wieden + Kennedy
You feel less like you're reading a leadership book and more like you're talking to a friend.
“I've had the good fortune of working with some incredibly talented creative people over the years. The best inevitably get thrust into leadership roles, and I've watched more than a few struggle because nobody gave them a way to think about the very different job of leading. Now Jonathan has. What I didn't expect from a book built on a baseball metaphor is how honestly it deals with the parts of leading creative people that nobody tells you about before you take the job. And it does so in a way that makes you feel less like you're reading a leadership book and more like you're talking to a friend. I can't wait to share it with my team.”
Lee Newman, CEO GSD&M, Former CEO MullenLowe, President Ogilvy
The lessons in these pages aren’t business book bullshit...
“As Jonathan writes in these pages, creative leaders are built, not born. And this is the blueprint. I got firsthand experience with Jonathan’s principles of creative leadership working for him for nearly a decade. He’s mentored me for 23 years as I grew from doer to leader. So, I can say that the lessons in these pages aren’t business book bullshit, they’re real foundational models for how to become a cultivator of creativity.”
Stevie Archer, CCO M+C Saatchi North America
Featured Interviews
Marin Alsop
Artistic Director and Globally Renowned Chief Symphony Conductor
Michael Conrad
Former Global Chief Creative Officer at Leo Burnett
Kristin Naiman
Chief Brand Officer at The RealReal
Diane Quinn
Former Chief Creative Officer at Cirque du Soleil (currently CEO at Kravis Center for the Performing Arts)
Kiki Wolfkill
Head of Xbox Film & TV
Brad Cloepfil
Architect and Founder of Allied Works
Aaron Cooper
Former Director of Nike Innovation (currently founder/innovation consultant at Moonshot Molecules)
Andy Pearson
Vice President of Creative at Liquid Death
Dax Shepard
Actor, writer, producer, and podcast host
