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.

Jean-Michel Blais' profile page

Jean-Michel "JM" Blais spent 31 years in policing as a senior executive with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the United Nations, and as chief of Halifax Regional Police. He has worked throughout Canada and was posted in four different provinces. He spent almost two years in Haiti, working as a frontline police officer and senior executive.

Of Franco-Ontarian background, from Sudbury, JM grew up in Montréal and Toronto. He obtained his undergraduate degree from McGill University in Montréal and his law degree from Université Laval in Québec City. Since 2005, JM has officiated minor hockey as a Hockey Canada Level III official. He initiated both his youngest daughter and son into the world of officiating; both have since surpassed their father in the levels they have officiated. He still regularly officiates out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he resides with his wife and two dogs.

JM has published several works on international and national police-related topics and lectured extensively on leadership and modern police management, including mental health and wellness. He has a TEDx talk to his credit. Working the Blue Lines is his first published book. He is also one of the co-authors of a novel, Less Than Innocent, which Moose House will publish in the fall of 2022.

Jean-Michel marries management best practice with life lessons on mental health and positive thinking.
Murray Rowe Jr, President, Forrest Green Group of Companies

Biting, unvarnished, and wry...Blais lays out frank behavioral observations while uncovering painful vulnerabilities from his extraordinary career.
Broadcaster Jordi Morgan

This work is not to be missed as it is a rare find in the leadership studies field and guaranteed to “light the lamp” of aspiring leaders of all stripes!
Richard Biehl, Chief, Dayton Police Department (retired)

A must-read for aspiring and currently serving leaders….A unique perspec-tive through the lens of an insightful and principled leader.
Bill Fordy, O.O.M., Assistant Commissioner, RCMP (retired)
Deputy Chief, Niagara Regional Police Service

An excellent viewpoint on leadership...The competencies required to lead an entire police service are the very same skills that can be developed in our local community rink.
Sean Reid, Level VI Hockey Canada official

In this book, you will discover crucial leadership traits that apply not only to police and hockey, but to anyone who wants to enhance this crucial skill called “leadership”!
Ben Maure, author and former Canadian diplomat

Useful reading for anyone aspiring to or simply interested in issues related to leadership.
Maria Appelblom, Chief Superintendent, Swedish Police Authority,
former Director of United Nations Standing Police Capacity