UnshakenResolve

Hi Michael,

I just had to reach out and tell you how much I'm loving your book. Yesterday, in the middle of cleaning, I was dusting the shelves and spotted it. When Don first ordered it, I assumed it wouldn't really apply to me, I thought it was strictly about military leadership. But once I started flipping through the pages, I was hooked. Dusting was forgotten as I found myself three chapters in :)

I am really enjoying how each chapter offers clear, practical lessons that apply not only to Don and Jake, but to my own life as well. The way you ground every message in Scripture, with thoughtful takeaways and even an action plan, makes it so meaningful and easy to process.

I can't wait to finish "Unshaken Resolve", and I fully plan to have Jake read it before he heads off to his own basic training.

It is an honor to introduce this work by Lieutenant Colonel (R) Michael Payne—a leader I had the privilege to serve alongside in combat.

In those moments where decisions carry real consequence, character is revealed quickly and without pretense. Michael Payne led with clarity, humility, and an unwavering commitment to those in his charge. What you will find in these pages reflects exactly what I witnessed firsthand—leadership grounded in experience, strengthened by faith, and guided by a deep sense of purpose.

This book bridges the military and corporate worlds with practical wisdom that applies wherever people are led. More importantly, it reminds us that true leadership is not about rank, title or position, but about service, accountability, and trust in something greater than ourselves.

Michael's writing could stand alone as a leadership seminar. Each chapter challenges you to put your own leadership and faith under the microscope.

Unshaken Resolve is a master class in leadership. Michael Payne delivers a steady stream of bursts of precision. No fluff, just honest, direct, and actionable ways to lead. Each chapter is a lightning bolt of compelling concepts from 'small hinges open big doors', the '80 percent solution', to 'leading from the middle'. You'll enjoy heartfelt stories from the battlefield to the boardroom that bring the lessons in each chapter to life.

Unlike many leadership books that may inspire but not provide a 'how to', Payne delivers clear and poignant action steps at the close of each chapter. One of my favorite quotes was "The true test of leadership is not how well you performed. It is how well others perform as a result of you." This powerful book provides the blueprint on how to do just that – with compassion, purpose, and lasting impact.

Unshaken Resolve is the sort of book I wish I had found in the PX bookstore as a lieutenant.

It is well organized, detailed, relatable, and easy to understand. It is written by a successful, hands-on, combat-proven leader who has not only led under pressure but has studied leadership deeply through the experiences of others and the unique situations they have faced.

No single publication can provide a solution to every leadership challenge, and this book does not pretend to do that. What Unshaken Resolve does provide are detailed observations, practical lessons, and key elements of leadership that can help leaders formulate their own decisions and solutions when pressure rises.

The Scripture passages at the beginning of each chapter are inspiring and tied in well. The personal stories are also well integrated, relevant, and meaningful.

I would highly recommend this book to every leader — military, government, and civilian — at every level.