Recommended Reading

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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