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Home : Library : Chairmans Leadership Library : Leadership
Books

The Infinite Game

Simon Sinek

Summary: Argues that leaders thrive not by winning short-term battles but by adopting an "infinite mindset" focused on long-term values and resilience. Sinek contrasts finite games with infinite ones to rethink competition and strategy and uses a broad range of case-studies (Apple, Patagonia, and U.S. Marine Corps) to support his theories.

Reasons to Read: Reinforces that leadership is about more than winning today’s contest—it’s about building organizations and teams that endure. Sinek’s call to adopt an “infinite mindset” speaks directly to leaders charged with balancing immediate demands against long-term purpose, adaptability, and trust.

The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done

Peter Drucker

Summary: Teaches that effectiveness, not intelligence or effort, is the key to success, and it can be cultivated through disciplined habits like time management, prioritization, and decision-making.

Reasons to Read: A master class in disciplined leadership. Drucker’s principles on focus, prioritization, and decision-making are as relevant to senior commanders as they are to corporate executives. This is a guide to doing what matters most—consistently and well.

 

The Leaders Bookshelf

James G. Stavridis and R. Manning Ancell

Summary: The Leader’s Bookshelf compiles insights from over 200 four-star military leaders to identify consensus on the influential books that shaped their leadership philosophies. The insights include summaries and key lessons from each of the 50 recommended books with additional practical advice on how to read with purpose, build a personal library, and apply literary wisdom to real-world leadership challenges

Reasons to Read: A curated tour through the essential books that have shaped military and civilian leaders alike. This volume blends wisdom from history, literature, and biography into practical leadership insights, making it a ready reference for inspiration and guidance.

Chairman's Corner

 

In a short video, Gen Caine explains why he recommends these "Leadership" titles.


 

Additional Recommendations

 

 

Dare to Lead — “Simon Sinek on Developing an Infinite Mindset”

Unpacks five essential practices of enduring leaders, aligning perfectly with the charge to balance purpose with flexibility.

 

Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL) Podcast — “Leadership in Times of Crisis: The Drucker Playbook”
 Brings Drucker’s timeless principles into the arena of crisis leadership, emphasizing clarity, focus, and service under pressure.

 

 

 

 

 

"The Now, New, and Next of Digital Leadership: How Artificial Intelligence (AI) Will Take Over and Change Leadership as We Know It," Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies


 The authors argue against the romanticized view that "true leadership"—motivating and enabling people—is inherently human.