Foreword

There are many challenges today that confront all levels of the leadership in the Canadian Forces (CF), ranging from resource shortfalls, high operational tempo, quality of life issues to the Revolution in Military Affairs. As such, the present and future leadership of the CF, from Master-Corporal/Master-Seaman to the Chief of the Defence Staff, are and will continue to find their leadership skills taxed in many ways. Nevertheless, despite these challenges, each of us has a professional obligation as leaders to continually improve our understanding and our subsequent successful application of sound military leadership. Experience is one of the best methods to achieve this, but we must remember experience can also be gleaned through a number of ways, one of the best being literature.

Therefore, to assist leaders at all levels in the area of self-development this Professional Studies Reading List has been assembled, by the Canadian Defence Academy’s Canadian Forces Leadership Institute, as a guide to assist all leaders in the CF in the development of their knowledge, skills and attitudes about leadership. This list is by no means exhaustive. Moreover, based on your feedback and the release of new publications it will be amended on a continual basis. As already noted, this list is not finite or intended to limit your personal study. Instead it is intended to provide leaders at all levels in the CF with a start point for what should be a career-long desire to continually improve one’s professional knowledge of leadership.

In summary, leaders at all levels in the CF are encouraged to read their way through this list as a personal self-development program. Please take the time to discuss, debate and think about leadership in your personal study, at the mess or at formal or informal professional development sessions. Only through a life-long study of leadership theory, doctrine and practice can each of us seek self-improvement in order to meet our primary obligation; namely, to be the best possible leader and the greatest asset possible to the Canadian Forces. In addition, we need to be continually improving our professional knowledge, skills and attitudes as leaders in order to provide the best possible leadership to the men and women who serve in our Canadian profession of arms.

P. R. Hussey
Major-General
Commander, Canadian Defence Academy