read – “The Chaos Imperative” but ask yourself first these questions, as they may shape your reading lists. Consider the questions below, they’re drawn from my reflections as a JO, but really as an OC/T at a unique CTC:

1. If seniors say that Captains can’t train their units and aren’t given a fair chance to train their units, what can I do to prepare, now as a brand-new 2LT? learn how to train, set priorities?

2. If seniors say that Majors, are struggling as S3s and XOs across the Army because they lack the shaping experiences, what can I do to prepare/what steps do I need to take, now as a brand-new 2LT? [example from LTCs: when you get to SSC, you’ll find there’s lots of options and they come with long lists of prerequisites to get into say Harvard, Yale, Maxwell or Japan; imagine if you knew what those were and started a decade in advance, then its easier, same goes for every other gate before-hand]

3. Can I plan while in contact? What happens to my platoon, company, battalion if we’re fighting a near-peer continuously for 9 days? Can I lead an organization with a tent, a map, and mostly analog systems? Take away the pretty slides, and perfectly-working digital systems….can I disperse, camouflage, combine indirect and non-lethal fire systems (CALL Handbook: Musicians from Mars 2) – this one will save your Soldiers’ lives, spend time here before Dale Carnegie’s maxims on manners and using people’s names.

4. Can I receive information, process/analyze, (understand, visualize, describe, direct) synchronize, integrate and disseminate; communicate? [this is the bane of all organizations, what everyone can do better] Watching a large group of people, without sleep, under pressure of time with multiple moving pieces communicate leads me to consider the importance of clear communication.

5. Am I so busy (on RAF, or 2CR or 173rd which are continuously deployed with no dwell) that I am exhausted? How do I accomplish tasks in a 25M target op-tempo? Buying time is key through prioritization, emotional intelligence, intellectual honesty, technical competence and uncommon sense.

6. How can I “lead-up”? (The No-A Hole Rule, 5 Dysfunctions of a team, 360 degree Leader books cover some); how can I be innovative, develop into an agile leader, build agile adaptive teams?

Bottom-Line: I’ve read 25-30 books from corporate America to military full of the maxims and clichés; as Americans were obsessed with leadership as is right. While its nice to be a kind, inspirational leader, I think what subordinates and the American taxpayer expect is, an effective leader and to be that, you already have a very long reading list and things to internalize, understand and be shaped by. Not saying to take my questions, but maybe develop your own list AND those can be your goals, end-state, targets to get after and read books that get you there.