OFF THE SHELF R E COMME NDED R E ADI N G L I S T N
umerous Army leaders over the years, officers and enlisted alike, have commended the practice of reading to their Soldiers. Even—especially—in this age of information overload, the pursuit of
knowledge through books is essential to gain a fuller under- standing of acquisition, logistics, and technology. In the words of GEN Gordon R. Sullivan (USA, Ret.), 32nd Chief of Staff of the Army, “At no time in history has the volume of informa- tion available to the human race been as accessible as it is today,
MONEYBALL: THE ART OF WINNING AN UNFAIR GAME by Michael Lewis (New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Co., 2004, 320 pages)
Who says you have to spend megabucks to win? Moneyball comes recommended by LTG Robert P. Lennox, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-8, and LTG William N. Phillips, Principal Military Deputy to the ASAALT and Director, Acquisition Career Manage- ment. LTG Lennox describes it as a book that “shows that analysis of the facts can have dramatically good results.” This best-seller by former Salomon Brothers investment adviser-turned-financial journalist Michael Lewis, illustrates, in play-by-play detail, how Oakland Athletics General Manager Billy Beane built a winning team with a smaller budget than that of nearly every other Major League Baseball team. Play- ers with certain carefully selected stats held more value, he believed, than big-name, highly paid young superstars. Putting that principle into practice was another story. But defying conventional wisdom paid off: Beane and his staff won affordably, with an astonishing record in 2002.
nor as essential. ... Reading teaches conceptual analysis, offers insights to ponder, and expands both the imagination and the potential of the mind.” With this issue, Army AL&T Magazine is introducing Off the Shelf as a regular feature to bring you recommendations for reading from Army AL&T professionals.
Is there a book you’d like to recommend for this column? Send us an email at
USAASCWEB-AR@conus.army.mil. Please include your name and daytime contact information.
THINK TWICE: HARNESSING THE POWER OF COUNTERINTUITION by Michael J. Mauboussin (Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press, 2009, 204 pages)
Michael J. Mauboussin, Chief Investment Strategist at Legg Mason Capital Management, uses his business expertise to explore why leaders mismanage decision making. With
examples from the business world and beyond, he outlines eight common deci- sion-making mistakes and offers advice on how to “think twice” and recognize these cognitive errors, then to adopt more effective strategies. Recommended by LTG Lennox, Think Twice aims to equip leaders with the tools to make sounder decisions that will improve, instead of hinder, their organizations. The book is a relatively short read, making it an excellent resource for busy professionals.
LEADING CHANGE by John P. Kotter (Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press, 1996, 208 pages)
John P. Kotter’s eight-step framework for executing change is a road map that any person in business or government— whether working at an executive level or as a first-year student—should know and implement. Recommended by
LTG Phillips, Kotter’s book explains the intangibles of the ever-evolving 21st- century business environment.
The Konosuke Matsushita Professor of Leadership, Emeritus, at the Harvard Busi- ness School, Kotter is an international expert on leadership and change. Leading Change examines the characteristics of true leadership and stresses that effective business professionals don’t react to change for the sake of trying to manage it, but instead stay ahead of change and usher it in. It’s a distinction that not only saves valuable time and resources, but also improves the likelihood of success.
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