03/31/2026
“The more you read, the better prepared you will be to lead.”
— James Mattis
Leaders in the modern military require a strong body and a sharp mind. Some of the greatest leaders I've worked or followed in the military had a list of books that they recommended.
I asked some of the Green Berets of 519th what books they would recommend to read in the modern world, and I want to share them with those interested in the path of self improvement.
I personally need to commit time to read or listen to more books. Hopefully I can inspire myself to do more reading by sharing these titles.
First book:
"Leaders Eat Last", by Simon Sinek.
“Leadership is not about being in charge. Leadership is about taking care of those in your charge.” -Simon Sinek
A former manager of mine gave me a copy of this book when I left the company. This book changed some of my viewpoints of leadership and how I carry myself as a leader.
Simon Sinek delivers some pretty incredible material about the mindset and responsibilities of modern leadership and the art of influencing others. This book dives into several areas of leadership opportunities like culture, microculture and the real world impacts of culture on businesses.
For a modern leader, this methodology is a great way to shift our focus from results and processes to our people, as the single most important resource in our organizations.
Have you read any leadership books by Simon Sinek?