Books & Curriculum Systems — Rusty Davidson
Books & Curriculum Systems

The frameworks
behind the keynotes.

Three published leadership books. Seven companion guides. Complete curriculum systems designed so the learning doesn’t stop when the event ends.

The ABCs of Leadership for College Students
The ABCs of
Leadership
The WILD Leader
The WILD Leader
Excellence
in Leadership
Coming 2027
Excellence in
Leadership
The WILD Leader by Rusty Davidson
Available Now
Order / Inquire → Campus Bulk Order

Bulk pricing available for campuses, corporate teams & associations

The WILD Leader Series · Book 1

The WILD Leader

Watch · Interpret · Lead · Develop — Wisdom Inspired by Living Dynamics

Most leadership books tell you what great leaders do. The WILD Leader shows you how they think — and gives you a repeatable framework for doing the same. Built around five animals whose natural behaviors illuminate five concrete leadership moves, the book is structured as a field guide: observe, understand, apply, develop.

The five moves — Courage (Bison), Trust (Wolves), Ownership (Lions), Focus (Orangutans), Boundaries (Bears) — are organized around the WILD cycle: Watch, Interpret, Lead, Develop. It’s not a checklist. It’s an ongoing observational practice that becomes more precise with every repetition. Written specifically for the reluctant leader — the person who leads effectively while quietly wondering if they’re doing it right.

Framework
W·I·L·D Cycle + 5 Leadership Moves
The Five Moves
Courage · Trust · Ownership · Focus · Boundaries
Ideal Audience
All leadership levels — especially reluctant & emerging leaders
Companion Guides
4 resources — Study, Workbook+Journal, Facilitator, Field
Complete 4-Resource Curriculum System
WILD Leader Study Guide
Companion Guide
Study Guide
Chapter-by-chapter guided reflection and discussion questions
Small groups · Classes
WILD Leader Workbook & Journal
Companion Guide
Workbook + Journal
Applied exercises and personal leadership journaling tool
Individual readers
WILD Leader Facilitator Guide
Companion Guide
Facilitator Guide
Run the full WILD Leader program yourself — complete session plans included
Coordinators · Coaches · Advisors
WILD Leader Field Guide
Companion Guide
Field Guide
On-the-job leadership reference and quick-action tool
Daily use · On the go

The WILD Leader Complete System

Core book + all 4 companion guides — available as a bundle for campuses, corporate teams, and leadership programs. Ask about bulk pricing.

Inquire About Bundles →
The ABCs of Leadership Series · Book 1

The ABCs of Leadership for College Students

26 principles. One framework. A lifetime of leadership.

Most leadership books teach skills and tactics. The ABCs of Leadership for College Students starts somewhere more foundational — character. The premise is simple: skills without character don’t hold. Twenty-six principles, one per letter, each one a character-based leadership commitment that students can own immediately and carry for life.

The chapters tell the story: Accept Responsibility. Be the Standard. Forgive Willingly. Humble Yourself. Respect Without Rank. Serve Everyone. This isn’t a management playbook. It’s a character formation guide for leaders who want to lead well — not just lead effectively. Campus coordinators use it as the foundation for semester-long programs. Student affairs advisors call it the most honest student leadership book they’ve found.

Format
26 alphabetical leadership principles
Ideal Audience
College students · Early-career leaders
Companion Guides
3 resources — Study Guide, Workbook+Journal, Leader’s Guide
Best Used For
Workshop supplement, retreat resource, semester-long programs
Complete 3-Resource Curriculum System
ABCs Study Guide
Companion Guide
Study Guide
Principle-by-principle guided reflection for small groups and student organizations
Small groups · Student orgs
ABCs Workbook + Journal
Companion Guide
Workbook + Journal
Student leadership action planning tool and personal reflection journal
Individual readers
ABCs Leader's Guide
Companion Guide
Leader’s Guide
Session plans for advisors, student affairs staff, and corporate & professional teams
Advisors · Student affairs · L&D teams

The ABCs Complete Campus Package

Core book + all 3 companion guides — designed so your campus can run a full semester-long leadership program independently after Rusty’s visit.

Inquire About Campus Packages →
The ABCs of Leadership for College Students by Rusty Davidson
Available Now
Order / Inquire → Campus Bulk Order

The most requested campus book bundle — ask about semester program packages

Excellence in Leadership
A Principles-Based Guide
for Leaders at Every Level
Rusty Davidson
Expected Publication
Early 2027
Forthcoming · Early 2027

Excellence in
Leadership

The third book in Rusty Davidson’s leadership library — and the most comprehensive. Excellence in Leadership is a principles-based guide written for leaders at every level, from operational team leads stepping into management to seasoned executives seeking to lead with legacy-level impact.

Built from decades of real leadership experience across corporate, ministry, nonprofit, and campus contexts — and drawn from Rusty’s research library of 21,000+ books — this is the leadership reference guide he wishes had existed when he started leading.

Mid-Level Leaders Senior Managers Directors & VPs C-Suite Executives Nonprofit Leaders Board Members
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Where This Is Going

The WILD Leader
is just the beginning.

The current WILD Leader book and its companion system represent Phase 1 of a long-range leadership platform. Future books, courses, and programs will expand the animal framework deeper into organizational leadership, team dynamics, strategic decision-making, and legacy leadership.

The WILD Leadership Academy — a multi-course video program built from the same framework — is in development. Each phase brings new animals, new leadership lenses, and new curriculum systems to the platform.

Foundation · Available Now
The WILD Leader
5 Leadership Moves · The WILD Cycle · Full Curriculum System
Phase 2 · In Development
The WILD Leader: Instinct
Leadership Perception & Judgment · Tier 2 Animals
Phase 3+ · Long Range
WILD Leadership Academy
Multi-course platform · Team, Strategic & Executive Leadership
Stay Informed →
Why It’s Different

Not supplemental.
The foundation.

Most speaker books are afterthoughts — polished handouts that collect dust after the event. Rusty’s books are the other way around. The talks are built from the books. The books outlast the talks.

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Built from 21,000+ Books of Research

Every principle in every book was extracted from real non-fiction sources and real leadership situations — not assembled from recycled frameworks. Rusty’s research library exceeds 21,000 digital titles. It shows.

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Programs That Continue After the Event

The facilitator guides, leader’s guides, and field guides are designed so your organization can run the full program independently after Rusty’s visit. One event starts something. The curriculum sustains it.

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Written for Specific Audiences

The WILD Leader speaks to leaders at any level. The ABCs was written specifically for college students — not adapted, not repurposed. Excellence in Leadership is written specifically for mid-to-executive leaders. Each book has one audience and serves them completely.

Bulk & Campus Orders

Books that work
harder than a talk.

Every campus booking and corporate engagement can be paired with bulk book and companion guide orders — delivered directly to your team or student leaders at discounted pricing.

Discuss a Bulk Order →
🎓
Campus Packages
Core book + companion guides delivered to your campus for orientation, retreats, and semester-long programs. Ask about the full curriculum package with the Leader’s Guide or Facilitator Guide included.
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Corporate & Team Orders
The WILD Leader system with Facilitator Guide — designed so your L&D team can run ongoing leadership programs internally using the published curriculum.
🏕️
Retreat & Conference Bundles
Books pre-ordered and delivered to your retreat or conference venue. Every participant leaves with a physical resource that extends the learning beyond the event.
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Custom Quantities
Whether it’s 25 copies for a student org or 500 for a conference — reach out and Rusty’s team will build a package that fits your budget and your program.
Order & Inquire

Ready to put these
frameworks to work?

Whether you’re ordering books for a campus program, a corporate team, or an upcoming retreat — or you want to bundle books with a keynote or workshop booking — the easiest first step is a quick conversation.

Or reach Rusty directly:  (469) 777-6308 · info@rustydavidson.com