Professional Growth via Literature: Kickstart Your Career Advancement with Reading Literature
Recommended Reading List for Young Army Leaders
Tom Dull, an infantry officer in the United States Army and currently the executive officer for the Character Integration Advisory Group at West Point, is compiling a reading list aimed at young leaders, soon-to-be lieutenants, and newly commissioned officers. This curated list offers a broad yet complementary perspective to develop young Army leaders holistically in leadership, tactical skills, communication, and understanding geopolitics.
One of the key books on the list is "On the Psychology of Military Incompetence" by Norman F. Dixon. This book explores the psychological traits and institutional factors that lead to failures in military leadership and contrasts those with profiles of successful commanders. It emphasizes the importance of emotional balance, intellectual flexibility, critical thinking, and accountable command systems, making it foundational for understanding effective leadership and organizational culture in the military.
Another recommended read is "Chop that Sh*t Up!" by CSM Daniel L. Pinion. This deeply personal and candid collection of stories from a 28-year Army career shares leadership and life lessons learned through deployments and service. It offers relatable, real-world insights into emotional resilience, communication, and leadership under pressure.
For young leaders interested in tactics and partnership-building, "Training for Victory (Special Forces advisory operations)" is a valuable resource. This book focuses on the difficulties and importance of advisory roles and building partner forces, highlighting the long-term, often complex nature of special operations and military diplomacy.
"Perseverance is Greater than Endurance" by Brandon Young and Blayne Smith offers leadership lessons drawn from Army experience, including strategic thinking and adaptability. It emphasizes that planning is not about predicting the future but preparing for the unpredictable.
"Extreme Leadership" provides a boots-on-the-ground account of what leading in tough, real-world military environments truly entails. It is practical and experience-driven, ideal for leaders preparing for complex operational challenges.
The list also includes books that have influenced the speaker and shaped their thinking about the profession of arms. For instance, "Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne, from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest" by Steven Ambrose discusses cohesion, heroism, tactics, good and bad leadership, and the importance of considering the enemy, the terrain, and friendly forces in tactics.
In addition, "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown conveys the importance of trust in a team, particularly in times of hardship. "One Bullet Away," by Nathaniel Fick, depicts what it's like to fight in battle and the pressure on the junior officer whose decisions may have immediate repercussions and national consequences.
"The Boys in the Boat" and "One Bullet Away" both underscore the importance of trust and teamwork, values that are crucial in the military setting.
"Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics" by Tim Marshall is an easy and interesting read that describes how geographic and human terrain influences global politics and war. This book helps expand one's geopolitical field of expertise.
"Infantry Attacks" by Irwin Rommel is another book on the list, focusing on small-unit tactics in large-scale combat operations. Rommel's book teaches the importance of good reconnaissance, exploiting the enemy, digging in, and quickly laying a base of fire on the enemy before the enemy can lay a base of fire on us.
Lastly, "Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About the Business of Life" by James Kerr is recommended for officers to consider their unit's mindset, values, and purpose. This book offers insights from the successful New Zealand rugby team, the All Blacks, and how their culture of continuous improvement and relentless pursuit of excellence can be applied to military units.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the United States Military Academy, Department of the Army, or Department of Defense. Army Regulation 25-50, "Preparing and Managing Correspondence," is also mentioned as a resource for military correspondence standards.
Retired General James Mattis emphasizes the importance of reading for professional development in the Army. This reading list aims to support that mission by providing a diverse range of books that offer both theoretical insights and practical, experience-based lessons.
- The reading list for young army leaders, compiled by Tom Dull, includes books that focus on effective leadership, such as "On the Psychology of Military Incompetence" by Norman F. Dixon and "Perseverance is Greater than Endurance" by Brandon Young and Blayne Smith.
- For those interested in tactics and partnership-building, "Training for Victory (Special Forces advisory operations)" and "Infantry Attacks" by Irwin Rommel are recommended, as they offer insights into advisory roles and small-unit tactics in large-scale combat operations.
- Books like "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" and "One Bullet Away," depict the importance of trust and teamwork in challenging environments, values that are crucial in military settings.
- To expand one's geopolitical knowledge, "Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics" and "Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About the Business of Life" are suggested, as they provide practical insights into global politics and the culture of continuous improvement and excellence.
