2025 CMC Reading List: Leadership

A true story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times— How nine working-class boys from the American West showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really meant.
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This book tackles the challenges of inattention, interruptions, and impatience that every professional faces. The author suggests strategies to help summarize lengthy information, tell a short story, harness the power of infographics and videos, and turn monologue presentations into controlled conversations.
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Memoir of a life of warfighting and lifelong learning to lead, and a story about how Mattis, through constant study and action, developed a unique leadership philosophy. Mattis distills lessons learned into 3 parts: Direct Leadership, Executive Leadership, and Strategic Leadership.
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Leaders Eat Last explains where humanity has gone wrong in how we lead others, and helps leaders unlearn the mistakes of the past in order to make a positive change in today’s world of business. Simon explores why there is a human need for safety, why we’ve become so dangerously out of balance, and how you can become a true leader that makes a difference.
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With real-world examples and actionable strategies, “Performance Conversations” empowers readers to enhance their leadership skills and foster cultures of excellence.
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This book explores the science of productivity, and why managing how you think is more important than what you think.

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Combining history, psychology, and anthropology, TRIBE explores what we can learn from tribal societies about loyalty, belonging, and the eternal human quest for meaning.
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A journey of leadership innovation, offering invaluable lessons from the author's experience as a Navy captain on how to empower a team, foster a culture of excellence, and steer an organization towards success.
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The true story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who survived a plane crash in the Pacific during World War II, endured weeks adrift on a raft, and then spent years as a prisoner of war in brutal Japanese camps, demonstrating extraordinary resilience throughout his ordeal; the title highlights his ability to remain "unbroken" despite the extreme hardships he faced.
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This is a story about a Marine, written and illustrated by a Marine, and is the first graphic novel about the war in Iraq from a veteran. The White Donkey explores the experience of being a Marine, as well as the challenges that veterans face upon their return home.
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The first story to be written by a company commander in the Falklands War, the book gives a compelling, vivid description of the 'yomp' and infantry fighting, and it also offers penetrating insights into the realities of war at higher levels.
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You Are Worth It is a memoir about the war in Afghanistan and a Lance Corporal's heroics, and it is also a manual for living. The author encourages us to become our best selves in the time we’ve been given on earth, regardless of the hurdles that may block our way.
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