Tactical Influence: How I Countered An Insurgency With Words

What if the most powerful weapon in a war zone wasn't a rifle - it was communication?

2021 Military Writers Society of America Award Winner

When infantry platoon leader Mitchell Hockenbury arrived in Mosul, Iraq - then called "al Qaeda's last stand" - he quickly realized that firepower alone couldn't win the fight. The enemy wore no uniform, hid among civilians, and vanished into a city of terrified people who had every reason not to talk. Intelligence was the real currency of this war, and nobody was spending it.

Then, in a care package sent from home, he found an unlikely answer: Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini - the same book billionaire investor Charlie Munger credited as foundational to his understanding of human psychology. Hockenbury asked a radical question: could the principles that make the world's greatest salespeople effective - reciprocity, trust, liking, authority - work in one of the most dangerous cities on earth?

They could. And they did.

Tactical Influence is the gripping true story of how one leader applied the science of persuasion and strategic communication to counter an insurgency - and brought his platoon home safe. By the end of his deployment, democratic elections were held in his sector without a single act of violence, and his men came home with medals.

The lessons reach far beyond the battlefield. Whether you lead a platoon, a boardroom, or a difficult conversation, this book will change how you think about influence, trust, and what it really takes to get people on your side when the stakes are high.