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Embassy Consulting’s 100 Must-Read Leadership & Resilience Books

101 of Embassy's Essential Readings for Leadership, Resilience, and Operational Excellence

Featured Books

Produced by Embassy’s very own instructors!

Fractured by Kevin Rice

Fractured: Beset by Frustration

Frustration touches everyone. It shows up in traffic jams, difficult conversations, workplace pressure, broken expectations, and moments when life refuses to cooperate. Yet despite how common it is, frustration remains one of the least…

Burning Shield: The Jason Schechterle Story

When a taxi smashed into police officer Jason Schechterle’s patrol car, the fireball that consumed the vehicle should have killed him. But by a series of small miracles, Schechterle survived: Dying would have been easier. As he would learn…

The List

  1. Abrashoff, D. M. (2002). It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy. New York, NY: Hachette Book Group.

  2. Alison, L., & Crego, J. (2021). Decision Time: How to Make the Choices Your Life Depends On. London, UK: Penguin Business.

  3. Amdahl, T., & Braun, D. (2012). Oola: Find Balance in an Unbalanced World. OM Publishing.

  4. Arbinger Institute (2018). Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box. Oakland, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

  5. Babin, L., & Willink, J. (2015). Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.

  6. Babin, L., & Willink, J. (2018). The Dichotomy of Leadership: Balancing the Challenges of Extreme Ownership to Lead and Win. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.

  7. Berger, J. (2016). Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

  8. Bradberry, T., & Greaves, J. (2009). Emotional Intelligence 2.0. San Diego, CA: TalentSmart.

  9. Carnegie, D. (2022). How to Win Friends and Influence People: Updated for the Next Generation of Leaders. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

  10. Carroll, R. (2021). The Bullet Journal Method: Track the Past, Order the Present, Plan the Future. London, UK: Fourth Estate.

  11. Ciaramitaro, N. (2021). Critical Incident Management: A Complete Response Guide. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

  12. Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. New York, NY: Avery.

  13. Collins, J. C. (2011). Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck – Why Some Thrive Despite Them All. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

  14. Covey, S. R. (1989/2004). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. New York, NY: Free Press.

  15. Covey, S. R., McChesney, C., & Huling, J. (2012). The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals. New York, NY: Free Press.

  16. Coyle, D. (2018). The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups. New York, NY: Bantam Books.

  17. Crenshaw, D. (2020). Fortitude: American Resilience in the Era of Outrage. New York, NY: Hachette Book Group.

  18. Donald, M. (2025). The Anxious Generation: Impact of the Great Rewiring on the Rise of Mental Illness. Independently Published.

  19. Dungy, T. (2010). The Mentor Leader: Secrets to Building People and Teams That Win Consistently. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House.

  20. Enter, J. (2006). Challenging the Law Enforcement Organization: Proactive Leadership Strategies. Dacula, GA: Narrow Road Press.

  21. Erikson, T. (2025). Surrounded by Idiots: The Four Types of Human Behavior…. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.

  22. Ferriss, T. (2021). Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers. Audible Studios.

  23. Fitch, B. D. (2014). Law Enforcement Ethics: Classic and Contemporary Issues. Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications.

  24. Friedman, C. (2005). Spiritual Survival for Law Enforcement. Linden, NJ: Compass Books.

  25. Frueh, C., & Smith, D. (2020). “Operator Syndrome.” International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 55(4), 281–298.

  26. Fuller, C. (2009). Jditarod Leadership: Unleashing the Power of the Team. Arlington, TX: Fufluence Leadership.

  27. Gilmartin, K. M. (2002). Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement: A Guide for Officers and Their Families. Tucson, AZ: E-S Press.

  28. Giuliani, R. (2002). Leadership. New York, NY: Hyperion.

  29. Gladwell, M. (2007). Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company.

  30. Gladwell, M. (2010). What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company.

  31. Gladwell, M. (2013). David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company.

  32. Godin, S. (2008). Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us. New York, NY: Penguin Group.

  33. Godin, S. (2011). Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? New York, NY: Penguin Group.

  34. Goldsmith, M. (2007). What Got You Here Won’t Get You There. New York, NY: Hyperion.

  35. Goldsmith, M. (2009). Mojo: How to Get It, How to Keep It, How to Get It Back If You Lose It. New York, NY: Hyperion.

  36. Goleman, D. (2013). Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

  37. Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R., & McKee, A. (2013). Primal Leadership: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.

  38. Green, J. (2019). Perception: Understanding Human Connectivity Through the DISC Behavioral Model. Williamsburg, VA: Glocal Press.

  39. Greitens, E. (2015). Resilience: Hard-Won Wisdom for Living a Better Life. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

  40. Grenny, J., Patterson, K., McMillan, R., & Switzler, A. (2002). Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

  41. Grossman, D. (1995). On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society. Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Company.

  42. Grover, T. S., & Wenk, S. L. (2020). Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable. Yakaboo Publishing.

  43. Hames, C. (2025). Leveraged Leadership: Unlocking the Power of Influence, Impact, and AI. Spirit Driven.

  44. Hanes, C. (2022). Endure: How to Work Hard, Outlast, and Keep Hammering. MacMillan Audio.

  45. Heal, S. (2002). Sound Doctrine: A Tactical Primer. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.

  46. Heal, S. (2020). Field Command. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.

  47. Holiday, R. (2023). Discipline Is Destiny. London, UK: Profile Books.

  48. Holiday, R. (2024). The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph. Penguin Audiobooks.

  49. Holiday, R., & Hanselman, S. (2025). The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living. London, UK: Profile Books.

  50. Irwin, T. (2012). Derailed: Five Lessons Learned from Catastrophic Failures of Leadership. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

  51. Jayalwal, R. S. (2025). The Power of Now: Building a Life of Purpose and Continuous Learning. Independently Published.

  52. Johnson, S. (1998). Who Moved My Cheese? New York, NY: Putnam.

  53. Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

  54. Kane, C. (2025). The Pause Principle: How to Keep Your Cool in Tough Situations. Ascent Audio.

  55. Kern, M. (2021). Going Pro: The Deliberate Practice of Professionalism. Seattle, WA: Amazon Digital Services.

  56. Kerr, J. (2013/2023). Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About the Business of Life. London, UK: Constable / Little, Brown Book Group.

  57. Klein, G. (1998). Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

  58. Klein, G. (2009). Streetlights and Shadows: Searching for the Keys to Adaptive Decision Making. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

  59. Koegel, T. (2007). The Exceptional Presenter. Austin, TX: Greenleaf Book Group Press.

  60. Koonce, B. (2023). Get Real, Get Better: A Navy SEAL’s Guide to Leadership and a High-Performance Life. New York, NY: HarperCollins Leadership.

  61. Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2008). The Leadership Challenge (4th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

  62. Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2011). Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

  63. Larkin, T. (2017). When Violence Is the Answer. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company.

  64. Lavery, N. (2022). Objective Secure: The Battle-Tested Guide to Goal Achievement. Precision Components.

  65. Lencioni, P. M. (2002). The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

  66. Lencioni, P. M. (2006). Three Signs of a Miserable Job. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

  67. Marquet, L. D. (2012). Turn the Ship Around!: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders. New York, NY: Portfolio.

  68. Mattingly, J. (2022). 12 Seconds in the Dark: A Police Officer’s Firsthand Account of the Breonna Taylor Raid. Washington, DC: DW Books.

  69. Mattis, J., & West, B. (2019). Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead. New York, NY: Random House.

  70. Maurer, R. (2012). The Spirit of Kaizen. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

  71. Maxwell, J. C. (1993). Developing the Leader Within You. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

  72. Maxwell, J. C. (1998). The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

  73. Maxwell, J. C. (2005). The 360 Degree Leader. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

  74. Maxwell, J. C. (2007). Talent Is Never Enough. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

  75. McCarthy, R. M., & Mijares, T. C. (2009). Significant Tactical Police Cases. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.

  76. McChrystal, S., et al. (2015). Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World. New York, NY: Portfolio.

  77. McRaven, W. (2017). Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World. New York, NY: Grand Central Publishing.

  78. Napoleon, L. J. (2014). Burning shield: The Jason Schechterle story. Avery Press.

  79. Pink, D. H. (2005). A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future. New York, NY: Penguin Group.

  80. Pink, D. H. (2022). The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward. New York, NY: Diversified Publishing.

  81. Powell, C. (2012). It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

  82. Qualman, E. (2011). Digital Leader: 5 Simple Keys to Success and Influence. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

  83. Rice, Kevin. (2025) Fractured: Beset by Frustration. BookBaby.

  84. Sanborn, M. (2004). The Fred Factor. New York, NY: Currency/Doubleday.

  85. Sanborn, M. (2006). You Don’t Need a Title to Be a Leader. New York, NY: Doubleday.

  86. Satterly, T., & Satterly, J. (2019). All Secure. New York, NY: Center Street.

  87. Seligman, M. (1998). Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life. New York, NY: Penguin Books.

  88. Sharma, R. S. (2001). Leadership Wisdom from the Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. Toronto, ON: HarperCollins.

  89. Shults, T. J. (2021). Nerves of Steel. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

  90. Sinek, S. (2009). Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. New York, NY: Portfolio/Penguin.

  91. Sinek, S. (2019). The Infinite Game. New York, NY: Portfolio.

  92. Struecker, J., & Elmore, D. (2006). The Road to Unafraid. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

  93. Sullenberger, C. B., & Zaslow, J. (2009). Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

  94. Sun Tzu (c. 5th century BCE/2009). The Art of War (L. Giles, Trans.). New York, NY: Filiquarian Publishing.

  95. Ware, B. (2022). The Top Five Regrets of the Dying. Manjul Publishing House.

  96. Weick, K. E., & Sutcliffe, K. M. (2015). Managing the Unexpected (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

  97. Willink, J. (2020). Leadership Strategy and Tactics: Field Manual. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.

  98. Wooden, J. R., & Yaeger, D. (2009). A Game Plan for Life: The Power of Mentoring. New York, NY: Bloomsbury.

  99. Zaffron, S., & Logan, D. (2019). The Three Laws of Performance. ReadHowYouWant (large-print ed.).

  100. Zenko, M. (2015). Red Team: How to Succeed by Thinking Like the Enemy. New York, NY: Basic Books.

  101. Zheng, M. (2023). The Leadership Brain: Leveraging Neuroscience for Effective Leadership. Independently Published.