2022 Professional Reading List Revealed

The WFLDP is announcing the 2022 Professional Reading List! The four books chosen for this year are: The Hero Code by Admiral William H. McRaven (USN Ret.); The Stress Effect by Henry L. Thompson; Fully Present by Susan L. Smalley and Diana Winston; and Bringing Columbia Home by Michael D. Leinbach and Jonathan H. Ward.

The intent of the challenge is to promote the reading and discussion of the books throughout the year. Discussions are encouraged on the WFLDP Facebook page and anywhere you can find two or more people willing to chat about books and leadership.

There are discussion guides for these titles, and discussion guides for books selections in previous years, at the Professional Reading Program (PRP) webpage. 

For a video overview and introduction to the PRP, check out this video:

How to use the reading program

There’s no right or wrong way to read, or to use this program. It’s a tool that we’ve made available for anyone to use as they see fit. Most professional organizations maintain some sort of reading program, and reading followed by reflection is a valuable tool for leadership development.

You don’t need to read all the books on the list, although that’s great if you do. For each of this year’s titles we’ve put together a basic “why should I read this” document with some simple questions meant to spark discussion. Feel free to use these discussion questions or come up with your own. You don’t have to agree with the authors, or even like what they have to say. The important part is to read, think about it, and talk about it!

This year we are working to integrate the Wildland Fire Leadership Levels with the reading list. Each book will be associated with the leadership level that would most benefit from the information and topics in the book. However, this shouldn’t limit the readers choice of books, as all of the books on the list can be useful at all levels of leadership. Some might just be more relevant and applicable at the identified leadership level.

Self-development is an important part of being a leader, and reading and reflection are valuable tools in the kit that can help you improve your leadership skills. Leadership skills need to be continuously learned, refined, and practiced, and there is a mental component as well as a physical component. Reading and reflection are two of the ways we can work on the mental aspect of leadership, and get better at implementing the physical aspects of being a good leader.

Many local libraries offer digital access to digital books and audio books to their members. There are also many options for purchasing the books in hard copy or digital format.

Happy reading!


The 2022 Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program Professional Reading List

The Hero Code by Admiral William H. McRaven (USN Ret.)

Best Wildland Fire Leadership Level to read this book:

• Level 1, Follower
• Level 2, New Leader

This is an excellent and easy to read book about the importance of simple actions and virtues in leadership, and takes a look at ten traits that contribute to the “heroic” leadership that we see around us every day. The author is a well-respected leader who served in many leadership roles thought his career, including serving as the Commander for all Special Operations Forces.

The Stress Effect by Henry L. Thompson

Best Wildland Fire Leadership Level to read this book:

• Level 3, Leader of People
• Level 4, Leader of Leaders
• Could be a good read for level 1 and level 2 leaders who want to take a deeper dive

Leaders in the wildland fire service are required to make important decisions quickly and while under stress. It’s critical to understand how a leaders cognitive and emotional intelligence are affected by stress, and what you can do to mitigate the effects of stress on your ability to lead others and make good decisions. This book contains information that’s valuable for anyone who wants to better understand and manage stress in their lives.

Fully Present by Susan L. Smalley and Diana Winston

Best Wildland Fire Leadership Level to read this book:

• Any, but earlier is better since mindfulness is a tool that can be used at all levels

All leaders and followers should have a “toolkit” of skills and knowledge that go beyond the technical aspects of the work and of leadership and can be applied in other parts of life. An understanding of the concept of mindfulness is a valuable addition to any leaders toolkit, and the practice itself can be hugely beneficial personally and professionally. Many respected fire leaders have advocated for firefighters to practice mindfulness, and it can be valuable at any level of leadership.

Bringing Columbia Home by Michael D. Leinbach and Jonathan H. Ward.

Best Wildland Fire Leadership Level to read this book:

• Level 4, Leaders of Leaders
• Level 5, Leaders of Organizations

While this is not a book that has a primary focus on leadership, you can see many examples of leadership in action throughout the book. This is an especially good read for leaders of teams or organizations that can be expected to provide leadership in new or unfamiliar settings (the wildland fire community was a huge player in the response to the disaster). The lessons learned from NASA’s experience in responding to the event could be scaled and applied to any organization that conducts operations in the wildland fire environment.

If you have questions regarding the Professional Reading Program, send an e-mail to BLM_FA_Leadership_Feedback@blm.gov.

Articles and official documents that are on the Web, such as accident investigations, are linked here. Many can be downloaded and printed. Many of the books are available in libraries. Most books listed are currently available through local booksellers or on the internet.

All branches of the United States military have professional reading programs and a key part of those programs is the recommendation that every leader read at least two books a year. Many corporations have required readings for their supervisors and managers. For around one hundred dollars, a fire organization can put together a library from the titles on this list (and other titles on the master list at the website) and implement a reading program on their home unit. How many of our young firefighters know what happened at South Canyon? How many have read anything that discusses the principles of sound leadership? How many have read stories from other disciplines or endeavors that describe leaders in action?

This is not busy work; this is not drudgery. These readings will provoke reflection, discussion, and debate. The selected titles have been chosen for their intrinsic excitement as well as their content. Many of the books will be hard to put down. Let this be your roadmap to an enjoyable and rewarding reading program.

The NWCG Leadership Committee is the sponsor for this resource.