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Center for Army LeadershipCenter for Army Leadership Army Leader Development Survey Now Available
 The Center for Army Leadership Army Leadership Annual Survey of Army Leadership (CASAL) in now available online. Please check your e-mail to see if you have been selected. The CASAL Survey is constructed by the Center for Army Leadership (CAL), an effort supported by the Combined Arms Center (CAC) in Ft. Leavenworth, KS. This survey has been administered annually since 2005 and is used to assess and track trends in Army leader attitudes that affect leader development, the quality of leadership, and the contribution of leadership to mission accomplishment. Each year varying leadership topics become the main focus. CASAL evaluates quality of leadership (overall quality differences deployed and non deployed, effectiveness on core leader competencies and attributes)and leader development (support for leader development, efficacy of practices, unit training efficiency). Click to visit survey site and Information New Leader Transition Handbook"This handbook is intended to help leaders build a strategy and bridge the gap to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of leader transitions. Ulitmately, how well a leader transitions will significantly impact how well they run the organization." -COL Bruce Reider, Former Director, Center for Army Leadership
Download your free copy today! | Leader Transition Handbook Press Release
Leadership Development SummitSuggested Reading List Crucial Conversations- Kerry PattersonRecommended by LTC Adrian Gamez, Protocol Office, HQ, US Africa Command. The authors define crucial conversations as those where 1) stakes are high, 2) opinions vary, and 3) emotions run strong, or in other words, much of both our professional and personal lives. We're all involved in crucial conversations at home and at work but most of us are not very aware of the interpersonal dynamics at play and/or we're unskilled in how to respond differently. The book helps the reader first understand the principles involved in "crucial conversations" but then also helps the reader develop real skills and abilities to choose or change their communication patterns. 
Influencer- Kerry PattersonRecommended by LTC Adrian Gamez, Protocol Office, HQ, US Africa Command. Influencing people isn't easy. This book looks at several influence success stories and analyzes why they were successful. It's a compelling study of human nature and why people do the things they do. 
Practice of Adaptive Leadership- Ronald HeifetzRecommended by LTC Adrian Gamez, Protocol Office, HQ, US Africa Command. A just in time, well written book for our current operating enviroment. A handbook to meet the challenges of leadership in a complex and dynamic world. This book offers relevant stories, diagrams, and techniques that will help you think more clearly and execute better decisions. It offers a comprehensive systematic approach to candidly assess yourself, the situation, and then take action. 
Streetlights and Shadows- Gary KleinRecommended by LTC Adrian Gamez, Protocol Office, HQ, US Africa Command. When should you go with your gut and when should you analyze every option? Gary Klein debunks conventional wisdom of decision making and shows that most analytical processes are better suited for a lab than real life. Another great book for professional development and for those who practice adaptive decision making. 
The Power of Intuition- Gary KleinRecommended by LTC Adrian Gamez, Protocol Office, HQ, US Africa Command. The Author reveals the role intuition plays in decision making and how it (intuition) can be developed. Intuition is a tangible skill that allows us to reconize patterns and subtle cues that help us make better decisions. Another great read for those who practice decision making and leadership. 
Blink- Malcolm GladwellRecommended by LTC Adrian Gamez, Protocol Office, HQ, US Africa Command. Blink! is about intuition, and illustrates the power, and flaws with intuitive thinking. Gladwell cites 3 main points in this book: 1) "the adaptive unconscious" has a much greater influence on our judgments as well as on our pre-judgments (or prejudices) than most of us realize; 2) "Paralysis by analysis" can result in what Gladwell refers to as "momentary autism" (i.e. a non-decision), which may or may not prove beneficial; 3) In certain crises (e.g. an ambush, a train wreck, a medical emergency), snap decisions must often be made without benefit of sufficient information. "The power of knowing, in that first two seconds, is not a gift given magically to a fortunate few. It is an ability that we can all cultivate for ourselves." 
The Logic of Failure- Dietrich DornerRecommended by LTC Adrian Gamez, Protocol Office, HQ, US Africa Command. Believe it or not but failure has its own logic. The author shows how good intentions come to naught and demonstrates just how hard decision making can be. 
Primal Leadership- Daniel GolemanRecommended by LTC Adrian Gamez, Protocol Office, HQ, US Africa Command. Think of the leaders you admire. Think of the leaders you hold in disdain. What are the comparisons and contrasts? This book makes the case that sensitivity to emotions in the workplace and mastering interpersonal communication skills are the essential competencies for a leader's success. 
Drive- Daniel PinkRecommended by LTC Adrian Gamez, Protocol Office, HQ, US Africa Command. Daniel Pink opens our eyes to other motivation methods beside the basic carrot and stick approach that has been around since the stone age. He explains that our tendency to seek rewards and avoid punishment is pretty primitive and that a deeper drive exists. Pink cites that people are motivated by autonomy (to have control over their lives and destiny), mastery (the need to learn to master the tasks they are undertaking), and purpose (the need to "buy in" to why they are doing things). This doesn't mean that carrots and sticks never work, just that we need to question whether or not there's a better way. 
The Leadership Challenge- James KouzesRecommended by LTC Adrian Gamez, Protocol Office, HQ, US Africa Command. This book is filled with good ideas and suggestions for taking a leadership role in any organization. Challenging the Process, Inspiring a Shared Vision, Enabling Others to Act, Modeling the Way, and Encouraging the Heart provide a game plan for leaders to use to positively influence the behavior of others. Leadership is a practice and anyone interested in becoming a leader must work each day at building leadership skills. The authors recommend the reader to: 1. Pay attention, really pay attention to what is going on in their organization; 2. Take risks that separate them from the play it safe folks who consider hiding the safest form of management; 3. Seek feedback; and 4. Accept responsibility. 
How We Decide- Jonah LehrerRecommended by LTC Adrian Gamez, Protocol Office, HQ, US Africa Command. An entertaining read that shows that we should make decisions using the right tool - sometimes based on reason (for fairly simple decisions) or sometimes using our emotions (for more complex ideas). It sounds a bit counterintuitive until Lehrer introduces you to some of the studies conducted in the field. He spends a lot of time discussing the errors of feeling certain and the limitations of both reason and emotional decision making (while using interesting examples from poker players to airline cockpits to NFL quarterbacks) so that the reader can better understand what is happening inside their brain to avoid errors of cognition. 
Organizational Culture and Leadership- Edgar ScheinRecommended by LTC Adrian Gamez, Protocol Office, HQ, US Africa Command. The Army places great merit in understanding and influencing organizational climate. Edgar Schein teaches us that climate is a component of culture and that leaders must first understand organizational culture to influence climate and bring about change within an organization. This book is a seminal work on leadership and should be a fixture in the library of all military professionals. 
Leading Change- John KotterRecommended by LTC Adrian Gamez, Protocol Office, HQ, US Africa Command. Leading change is hard but not impossible. Kotter provides an eight-stage process for overcoming resistence and implementing lasting change within an organization. This is a proven model adopted by the Army and incorporated within its leadership doctrine. “Leading Change“ is a timeless classic that can serve leaders at all levels. Leadership Thought
Last Reviewed: October 27, 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
