Working Theory of Leadership
The shelf
The 28 books behind the pieces, and where to read them free.
How to get these free
Open the DoD collection in your browser, or add “Department of Defense” in Libby, choose “Sign In With My Card,” select “DoD MWR Libraries,” and authenticate with your DoD ID and birthdate. No physical library card is needed. Active duty, Guard, Reserve, retirees, and eligible sponsored family members can use the collection. DoD civilian access depends on location and resource availability. Official setup instructions and eligibility details.
Each title below links straight to the book in the DoD collection. If it isn’t there, the entry says so and links to the publisher.
New to leading
For the first months in the seat.
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Becoming a ManagerLinda A. HillWhat actually changes when you go from doing the work to leading the people who do it, from a study of first-time managers.
Not in DoD Libby; publisher page · Cited in Leadership for People Who Just Got Handed It, What I’ve learned over the years that you can learn right now
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Radical CandorKim ScottCare personally and challenge directly. The clearest book on giving feedback people can use.
Free in Libby (audiobook) · Cited in Leadership for People Who Just Got Handed It
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MultipliersLiz WisemanWhy some leaders make their teams smarter and others shut them down without meaning to.
Free in Libby (audiobook) · Cited in Leadership for People Who Just Got Handed It, What I’ve learned over the years that you can learn right now
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The First 90 DaysMichael D. WatkinsDiagnose what you walked into before you start changing it.
Free in Libby (ebook) · Cited in The New Rule After One Mistake
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Turn the Ship Around!L. David MarquetA submarine captain stops giving orders and starts giving control. Commander’s intent, told as a story.
Free in Libby (ebook) · Cited in Everything Is Priority One
Ownership, blame, and mistakes
What to do when something breaks.
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Extreme OwnershipJocko Willink and Leif BabinIf it happened on your team, it’s yours. Combat stories with the lesson spelled out.
Free in Libby (ebook) · Cited in Blame, What I’ve learned over the years that you can learn right now
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The Dichotomy of LeadershipJocko Willink and Leif BabinThe follow-up that adds the balance: own everything, but don’t smother your people doing it.
Free in Libby (ebook) · Cited in Leadership for People Who Just Got Handed It
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Good to GreatJim CollinsSource of the window and the mirror: credit goes out the window, blame goes in the mirror.
Free in Libby (ebook) · Cited in Blame
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Leadership on the LineRonald A. Heifetz and Marty LinskyLeading gets you attacked. How to take the hit, separate your role from yourself, and stay in the game.
Free in Libby (audiobook) · Cited in Blame
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The Right Kind of WrongAmy C. EdmondsonNot all failures are equal. How to tell an intelligent failure from a preventable one.
Free in Libby (audiobook) · Cited in Dropping the Hammer, What I’ve learned over the years that you can learn right now
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The Field Guide to Understanding ‘Human Error’Sidney DekkerHuman error is a symptom, not a cause. The book behind blameless investigations.
Not in DoD Libby; publisher page · Cited in Blame
- Whack-a-MoleDavid Marx
The just culture model: console the honest error, coach the risky habit, punish the reckless choice.
Not in DoD Libby; book listing · Cited in Dropping the Hammer
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Site Reliability Engineering, Chapter 15GoogleHow Google writes blameless postmortems after outages. One chapter, free online.
Free online · Cited in Blame
Culture and creativity
Why some shops feel safe to try things and others don’t.
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The Culture CodeDaniel CoyleHow strong groups build safety, share vulnerability, and set purpose. Reads like stories.
Free in Libby (ebook) · Cited in Stop Controlling People, Change the Culture, What I’ve learned over the years that you can learn right now
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The Fearless OrganizationAmy C. EdmondsonPsychological safety, from the researcher who named it.
Not in DoD Libby; publisher page · Cited in Stop Controlling People, Change the Culture
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Organizational Culture and LeadershipEdgar H. Schein with Peter ScheinThe textbook on how leaders create culture through what they pay attention to. Dense, but it is the source.
Not in DoD Libby; publisher page · Cited in Stop Controlling People, Change the Culture
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Skunk WorksBen R. Rich and Leo JanosHow a small protected team inside Lockheed built the U-2, the SR-71, and the stealth fighter.
Free in Libby (ebook) · Cited in Why the Air Force Is Bad at Creativity
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OriginalsAdam GrantHow people with new ideas survive inside institutions. Less risk-taking than you’d think.
Free in Libby (ebook) · Cited in Why the Air Force Is Bad at Creativity
Motivation and doing work that matters
Why people work hard, and what rewards do to that.
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DriveDaniel H. PinkAutonomy, mastery, and purpose beat carrots and sticks for work that takes judgment.
Free in Libby (ebook) · Cited in Make Rank Because of the Work, What I’ve learned over the years that you can learn right now
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So Good They Can’t Ignore YouCal NewportStop chasing the position. Build rare and valuable skills and let the position follow.
Free in Libby (ebook) · Cited in Make Rank Because of the Work
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The Tyranny of MetricsJerry Z. MullerWhat happens when a measure becomes a target and people start working the measure.
Free in Libby (ebook) · Cited in Make Rank Because of the Work
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Give and TakeAdam GrantIncludes the call-center study: people work harder when they meet who their work is for.
Free in Libby (audiobook) · Cited in We’re Not Curing Cancer
Focus and doing less
Fewer priorities, fewer rules, less noise.
- E
EssentialismGreg McKeownYou can only put one thing first. A case for doing fewer things better.
Free in Libby (ebook) · Cited in Everything Is Priority One
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The 4 Disciplines of ExecutionChris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim HulingTwo or three goals get done. Ten don’t. A method for executing on top of the daily whirlwind.
Free in Libby (audiobook) · Cited in Everything Is Priority One
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SubtractLeidy KlotzPeople add when they should take away. The research behind it, and how to catch yourself.
Free in Libby (ebook) · Cited in The New Rule After One Mistake
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The Friction ProjectRobert I. Sutton and Huggy RaoHow organizations pile up rules and steps, and how leaders clear them out.
Free in Libby (audiobook) · Cited in The New Rule After One Mistake
Your own head
For when the problem is how hard you are on yourself.
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The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ckMark MansonYou only have so much caring to spend. Decide what you are willing to struggle for.
Free in Libby (ebook) · Cited in Leadership for People Who Just Got Handed It, Make Rank Because of the Work
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Can’t Hurt MeDavid GogginsA memoir about building tolerance for hard things. Source of “callusing your mind.”
Free in Libby (ebook) · Cited in Blame
Research papers and articles are linked in the sources at the bottom of each piece. Libby availability checked November 2026.