13 Leadership Books Every Leader Should Read (My Personal All-Time Top Picks)
13 Leadership Books Every Leader Should Read (My Personal All-Time Top Picks)
So you’re a reader, but which books can give you the unique insight you need to make sure not only that the organization you lead is healthy, but that you and your team stay healthy?
I get asked all the time from leaders what my top leadership books are.
I’ve put together my top picks.
These are the books that I may have read recently or years ago, but who’s ideas have left deep marks on my life and leadership, years or even decades later.
Great books shape how we think, and how we think is who we become and how we lead. So read well.
A few quick notes before we get to the list.
First, I’m not claiming these are the top leadership books of all time. They’re simply the books that have most impacted me personally. So it’s totally subjective and you won’t see some of them on any other list of all-time great books. I know that. But still, these are gems I’d recommend everyone read.
Second, just because a well-known book isn’t on the list doesn’t mean it’s not important or that I haven’t read it. Of course, I haven’t read them all by any means, and there are many key books I have read that aren’t on the list. Again, this list contains the books that have most shaped me and that I would recommend.
Finally, except for the first book, the list is not in order…alphabetical or by priority. These are just 13 great reads.
Oh, and one more thing, no the Bible isn’t on this list. I’m a Christian and it’s by far the most important book I’ve ever read. I’ve read it daily for almost all my adult life and regularly as a child. It just goes without saying that it’s the most important book in my view ever. So (commenters), it’s in a league of its own.
Here we go. The top 13 leadership books and what I love about them (and a couple bonuses at the end):
1) Leadership In Turbulent Times Doris Kearns Goodwin
This is a new entry to the list for me and if you were only going to read one book on this list (other than Henri Nouwen’s The Genesse Diary, which is about your soul) Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book is outstanding.
She profiles four US presidents: Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson (who she knew and worked for personally).
Each of the leaders went through profound personal disappointment and struggle before becoming the leader we know them as today, and her portrait of Linoln’s humility, wisdom, courage and selflessness is worth the price of the book alone.
If you think leadership is hard, you’re right, but Goodwin gets to the heart of how crisis can become greatness.
It’s a must-read. Especially now. If you only have the bandwidth to read one book, this is my recommendation. It’s crisis leadership at its finest.
Here’s the link.
2) How the Mighty Fall Jim Collins
This is not Jim Collin’s best-known book, but it’s my favorite book he’s written.
How the Mighty Fall is a study of why once great companies collapse. Collins isolates five stages of decline and doom for once-great companies (including some of his Good to Great companies). The five markers are a chilling reminder of how success goes awry. Collin’s insights into the hubris born of success and the undisciplined pursuit of more are haunting and a great window into the soul and ego of everyone who leads anything.
For anyone who’s leading anything that’s growing or successful, this is a must-read.
Here’s the link.
The Pastoral Succession Toolkit [Free] Succession isn’t urgent until it is. Whether you’re preparing for an upcoming transition or have recently gone through one, the Toolkit will equip you to… Lead a healthy transition without messing it up
without messing it up Respond effectively when people resist change
Negotiate your salary
Thoroughly understand each phase of the transition and the challenges that come with it Get Instant Access
3) Good to Great Jim Collins
This is Collin’s best-known book and for good reason. I can’t tell you how many times his concepts work their way into everyday leadership conversations I have with my team.
From “first who” to ‘confront the brutal facts’ to the ‘flywheel principle’ to ‘level 5 leadership’ and the defining role that humility plays in greatness, Collin’s insights have shaped me and the teams I lead deeply.
Here’s the link.
4) The Advantage Patrick Lencioni
I’ve read pretty much all of Pat’s books, but this is my fave.
If you’re not familiar with Pat’s writings, this is a great place to start because it’s kind of a summary of all his previous work. And being a non-fiction guy, this is one book that doesn’t have a fable.
I found the section on mission, vision and values to be game-changing.
Here’s the link.
Also, if you’re into podcasts, Pat has been on my leadership podcast three times. This interview in particular outlines his personal leadership crash a decade ago that almost took him out, and how he got back. Painful, honest and fascinating.
5) Leading Change John Kotter
This is now a classic from Harvard Business School’s John Kotter that I picked up shortly after its release in 1996. And thank goodness.
I was a young church leader trying to lead some very traditional churches through change, and other than the scriptures, this was my guidebook. Kotter is brilliant on the psychology and dynamics of leading change.
This book was so impactful that I later wrote my own book on change called Leading Change Without Losing It, crediting Kotter and adapting some of his principles to the church/non-profit world.
Here’s the link to Kotter’s classic.
John will also be on my leadership podcast in early 2021 to dissect three decades of expert wisdom on change.
6) The Five Levels of Leadership John C. Maxwell
Of course, there had to be a John Maxwell book on the list. Again, this isn’t his best-known work, but it’s an absolute must-read for anyone who wants to understand how influence works.
It’s a fascinating book because you can instantly recognize how you gain and lose influence as a leader, and what the next step is for you in your development. His framework also shows you why you find some people you work with compelling and others not compelling in their leadership.
Here’s the link.
7) Predictable Success Les McKeown
Every once in a while your life flashes before your eyes when you read a book, and this was one of those books.
When I first read Predictable Success, I thought Les McKeown had been in every meeting and conversation I’d been in over the last 20 years.
Les outlines 7 stages of growth and decline that organizations go through, and again, his framework (the fun stage, whitewater stage, treadmill stage) has worked its way into my everyday leadership vocabulary because it is so incredibly descriptive of the real-world dynamics of leading anything.
Here’s the link.
I’ve had the privilege of interviewing Les McKeown multiple times on my leadership podcast. To hear about the seven stages of the life-cycle of an organization, listen here. For his brilliant work on creating true synergy on a team, listen here.
8) Essentialism Greg McKeown
The first books on this list are leadership books for the organizational side of your leadership.
Now onto some that will shape you as a leader. Probably my fave topic.
So let’s start with Greg McKeown’s Essentialism. I love this little book. It was a paradigm shift for me. McKeown deals with the problem of overwhelm in leadership in a very powerful and direct way.
Most leaders are running at 100 mph and McKeown shows you exactly why that’s so dangerous and how to stop leading that way.
My biggest takeaway? If it’s not a 9 out of 10, it’s a zero. It’s a key to the disciplined pursuit of less. Again, we talk about that concept all the time on our team. It’s become part of our decision-making framework. Hard to live by, but so worth it.
Here’s the link.
I am getting into the habit of chasing down my favorite leaders for interviews. Here’s my leadership podcast episode with Greg McKeown if you’re interested.
9) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Stephen R. Covey
This perennial best-seller is not overhyped. Read it. Then read it again.
Begin with the end in mind has become axiomatic for a generation of leaders, but it’s still so rare. And read to the end to learn about sharpening the saw. So good.
Here’s the link.
10) Emotional Intelligence Daniel Goleman
This book was a gamechanger in 1995 when it was released, and it still is today.
It gives penetrating insight into self-awareness and will help you also see why so many people get stuck.
Hiring for EI has become part of the lexicon in leadership because of this book, and indeed, your emotional intelligence is one of the greatest predictors of your success in life and leadership.
Here’s the link.
11) Margin Richard Swenson
This underground classic was recommended to me when I was recovering from burnout over a decade ago.
While its analogies are a bit dated, the principles are not. It opened up a new way of thinking for me about rest, self-care and what happens when you create space in your life.
In a world that’s only gotten busier and louder since Swenson wrote Margin, this book is even more essential today.
Here’s the link.
12) The Genesee Diary Henry Nouwen
Oh, how I love this little book. Again, not one of his well-known works, The Genesee Diary is just what it suggests, Henri Nouwen’s diary from a six month period in the 1970s.
Nouwen was a professor in NYC whose career was taking off. Caught up in success, ego and the trappings of advancement, he took a sabbatical at a Trappist monastery in Upstate New York to find his soul.
His diaries are refreshingly honest, peculiar and at times mundane, but in them, you see a man wrestling with God and God winning.
In many ways, what you find in this little book is the beginning of the man that would emerge from the struggle, a writer that generations of people who want to get closer to God would go on to love.
Here’s the link.
13) Enemies of the Heart Andy Stanley
So apparently I’m pretty good at putting relatively unknown books on my list.
Andy has written many books that have gone onto become widely read best-sellers. This is one most leaders haven’t heard about.
It’s my favorite book Andy’s written. It’s soul surgery.
I talk to leaders all the time who say they can’t really afford counseling. If that’s you, buy the book instead to get started.
It will move you through all the emotions and twisted craziness you feel when you encounter guilt, anger, greed and jealousy. I promise you if you read it and apply it, you will never struggle with those emotions in the same way again.
Game-changing for me.
Here’s the link.
Andy is a friend and I’ve had the chance to interview him a few times on my leadership podcast. You can listen to the most recent episode here. I also have an interview where Andy talks about his leadership approach here. A fresh interview with Andy will release in early 2021 in which Andy breaks down his framework for great decision making.
The 50 Best Books on Leadership and Management
The 50 Best Books on Leadership and Management
Looking for the best books on leadership and management? These books highlighted in this article will help you successfully manage your team – even in your absence!
Featured Bonus Content: Download the Free Guide on the 7 Software Programs every Manager should Have and Use! Click Here To Download It.
Introduction
As a manager, forming the habit of reading is necessary; it changes your brain, your perspective, and the way you think.
Reading is an essential life skill—it’s how we know the stories of others, pass down history and knowledge, and as a manager, you are probably wondering, “How do I become a great leader? How can I manage and run my department smoothly even when I’m not present, or when an emergency occurs?”
The books listed below have the answers and will guide you through your career journey.
In one of our previous articles titled “7 Books to Read If You Want a Systematized Business That Runs Without You Successfully!,” we looked at the books relevant for any business owner who aspires to run an effective and productive business without having to constantly be present and involved in the activities and operations undertaken by his/her employees.
In this article, we made a comprehensive list of 50 books every smart manager should read to help improve your management and leadership skills, books that will help you develop a clear vision for your team, improve your focus, emotional intelligence. Overall, these books will aid you to run your department like a well-oiled machine without having to constantly supervise your team.
Whether you’re a newbie manager, have been in the game for a long time, want to learn how to think like a manager, or are preparing for a future job, we’ve got you covered.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. Mindset Development Books
2. Emotional Intelligence Books
3. Financial Intelligence Books
4. Leadership Development Books
5. Management Skill Books
Mindset Development Books
The mind is powerful. Our mindsets detect almost everything we do, how we perceive things in our jobs, and while performing our day to day activities. The books below will help you shape your mind and your thoughts.
1. Mastery
Photo from
Author: Robert Greene
Summary:
In the book, Robert Greene talks about how to shape your mind and life toward finding a purpose for yourself, finding a mentor that’s an expert in that field, and becoming a master at what you do. He breaks down each process and explains how to manage your emotions through these stages, the greatest dangers you’ll encounter when mastering your craft, and how to stay focused through it all.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
2. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
Photo from Amazon.de
Author: Elizabeth Gilbert
Summary:
In this book, Elizabeth Gilbert broadly talks about living a life motivated by curiosity instead of fear. It’s a great book to help position your mind to ask for more and get more from life. A wonderful read for everyone, especially for people in the creative field.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
3. Indistractable: How to Control your Attention and Choose your Life
Photo from
Author: Nir Eyal
Summary:
In a world with so many distractions, staying focused is a winning strategy to not get lost or soaked in the chaos. In this book, Nir Eyal talks about how to stay disciplined, and to make the noise and distractions work for you in life and in the work environment.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
4. Thinking, Fast and Slow
Photo from
Author: Daniel Kahneman
Summary:
Kahneman analyzes the two modes of thoughts we have thinking fast or thinking slow) before coming to a conclusion or a decision. He compares how each mode affects what we say, how we think, and our responses to situations around us.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
5. Declutter Your Mind: How to Stop Worrying, Relieve Anxiety, and Eliminate Negative Thinking
Photo from
Authors: S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport
Summary:
The title of this book explains itself. The authors talk about ways to free your mind from stress, anxiety, worry, and negative thinking, which have a terrible effect on your work and how you are as a person. The principles in this book can be used not only for your work life but also a life outside the office.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
6. Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World
Photo from Google Play
Authors: Adam Grant
Summary:
This book talks about how the massive changes done in the world are by people who are able to think differently and can challenge the status quo. Grant uses stories to illustrate how these individuals still fail and also how they succeed. The book largely focuses on how creativity can be nurtured, and we can all begin to think like these people he calls “The Originals,” and how we can also make a greater impact on the world.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
7. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
Photo from
Author: Carol S. Dweck, PhD
Summary:
Dweck explains why it’s not just our abilities and talents that bring us success, but whether we approach them with a fixed or growth mindset. She makes clear why praising intelligence and ability doesn’t foster self-esteem and lead to accomplishment, but instead it may actually jeopardize success.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
8. The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream
Photo from
Author: Paulo Coelho
Summary:
The Alchemist is a metaphoric tale on how to follow your dreams, no matter how crazy and impossible they may seem. It also discusses how to use situations to your advantage and how hard work, persistence, and dedication will take you very far in life.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
9. Meditations
Photo from
Author: Marcus Aurelius
Summary:
Meditations is a collection of 12 books written by Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. The book talks about how to be humble, dedicated, and fearless when handling tasks in life. It is largely about stoic philosophy, the concept of logic, self-discipline, empathy, and patience.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
10. Focal Point: A Proven System to Simplify Your Life, Double Your Productivity, and Achieve All Your Goals
Photo from
Author: Brian Tracy
Summary:
In the book, Brian Tracy teaches readers about the imperativeness of focus and choosing one’s activities conscientiously. This is because not everything you do fuels your goal, and if you want to maximize your potential you have to be able to discern what activities to do away with and the ones to adapt and keep.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
11. Living with the Monks: What Turning Off My Phone Taught Me about Happiness, Gratitude, and Focus
Photo from
Author: Jesse Itzler
Summary:
This book is a blueprint to living a less stressful life by learning how to tune down the noise in this overwhelming world by focusing on the necessary things and being grateful for the life you have.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
12. Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
Photo from
Author: Chip Heath and Dan Heath
Summary:
After 10 years of research, the authors provide the answers to why some ideas succeed and others don’t. The book provides a practical guide and resourceful instructions on how to create ideas that stick, last, and are not forgotten.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
13. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
Photo from
Author: James Clear
Summary:
The book talks about a formula that will help you develop habits that will guide you toward your plans and breaking the bad habits that steer you away from your goals.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
Emotional Intelligence Books
The books below are focused on grooming your emotions. As a leader and manager, it helps you understand team building, communication, self-awareness, and social skills—skills necessary in the everyday life of a manager.
14. The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups
Photo from
Author: Daniel Coyle
Summary:
The book talks about the skills and values used in building and maintaining strong teams and how to implement these tactics with your team or when building a team.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
15. Managing Oneself
Photo from
Author: Peter F. Drucker
Summary:
In this book, Drucker talks about how great achievers know how to manage themselves by not focusing on their weaknesses but on their strengths by giving themselves feedback. He explains how to use feedback analysis to improve your strengths, and how to figure out what you want to achieve with your life.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
16. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Photo from
Author: Stephen R. Covey
Summary:
In the book, Stephen Covey talks about how, before you can change other people, you have to change and improve yourself first. He gives deep insights on how to control major changes in your life, emotional responses to stress, and using your emotional maturity to influence people.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
17. Leadership: The Power of Emotional Intelligence
Photo from
Author: Daniel Goleman
Summary:
Goleman writes on how the most successful leaders have a high E.Q, which helps to improve your ability to lead, manage, and relate to the people in your life and workspaces. With a high E.Q, you are able to effectively manage teams, make more decisions clearly, and improve your overall performance as a person and as a manager.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
18. Man’s Search for Meaning
Photo from
Author: Viktor E. Frankl
Summary:
The book talks about how you can make your life yours, find meaning in the things you do and in the world at large. The author uses his story as a Holocaust survivor in the Nazi concentration camps to help you find the meaning for your existence.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
19. Primal Leadership: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence
Photo from
Authors: Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, and Annie McKee
Summary:
The authors talk about how to manage your emotions in order to make better decisions by understanding and nurturing the elements of Emotional Intelligence, which include: self-awareness, social awareness, and self-improvement. The authors show that with them, you can make well-rounded decisions and improve how you relate with your team members and colleagues.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
20. The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance
Photo from
Author: Josh Waitzkin
Summary:
Author Josh Waitzkin is a master at chess and also a star in the Tai Chi world. The book is based on his life’s journey and the mindset, practices, and habits he adopted to become a professional.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
21. Exactly What to Say: The Magic Words for Influence and Impact
Photo from
Author: Phil M. Jones
Summary:
The book is a collection of magic words and phrases used by successful people, words used for communicating effectively, influencing people in conversations, and making an impact.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
22. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
Photo from
Author: Daniel Pink
Summary:
In the book, Daniel Pink disagrees with old models of motivation which says motivation is driven by reward, fear of punishment, and dominated by extrinsic factors materialistic items).
He talks about how human motivations are least affected by extrinsic values and more of intrinsic values.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
23. Conversational Intelligence: How Great Leaders Build Trust and Get Extraordinary Results
Photo from
Author: Judith E. Glaser
Summary:
Glaser Talks on how to develop conversational intelligence and why it’s a skill every leader/manager should possess. The book explains how having good conversational skills and knowing how to communicate properly in a professional setting can help you build trust and nurture great and beneficial relationships that will be useful to you as a leader and as a person.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
24. Principles: Life and Work
Photo from
Author: Ray Dalio
Summary:
Ray Dalio talks about how having the right principles that govern your life and business will help you form habits and a culture that will steer your life and business in the direction of success. He discusses the right questions to ask yourself to determine these principles and how to apply them.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
Financial Intelligence Books
Knowing how numbers work is an extremely valuable skill every individual should develop. In the corporate world today, managers are being tasked with budget handling.
Knowing about money on a large scale is perfect for today’s multitasking managers. It’s a disservice to not know how it works – but these books can help you become more well-informed.
25. The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World
Photo from
Author: Niall Ferguson
Summary:
This book talks about the history of money and how countries go from poverty to wealth in the space of a generation. It’s a book that helps you understand the flow of money and how it is made and distributed between nations. This book should be read by everyone because of how crucial financial literacy is in our everyday life and in the world that we live in.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
26. Financial Intelligence: A Manager’s Guide to Knowing What the Numbers Really Mean
Photo from
Author: Karen Berman and Joe Knight
Summary:
This book is a guide to mastering the numbers, what the basic and key financial terms mean and stand for, how it affects your life and work, and a practical guide on how to manage financial tasks smartly.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
Leadership Development Books
The books below are rich with principles and information you can use to take your leadership skills from zero to one hundred. Many of these are classics that have stood the test of time, being taught in business schools and passed around board meetings even today.
27. The Prince
Photo from
Author: Niccolo Machiavelli
Summary:
The Prince is mainly centered on things you must and must not do in order to be a successful leader. He gives points and tips on leadership like how you must not be too good as a good leader, and how you should be more merciful than cruel to be a respected leader. The book was written after he was forced to leave Florence as a political exile. This book is Machiavelli’s advice to the current ruler of Florence on how to stay in power, written in 1532 – yet it can also be applied to modern leaders of all kinds.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
28. The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement
Photo from
Authors: Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox
Summary:
In the book, the writers explain how to improve on the processes you undergo in your company, how to work better with teams using your available resources wisely, and also how to manage and overcome dire situations that happen in the workplace
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
29. Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action
Photo from
Author: Simon Sinek
Summary:
Simon Sinek talks about how asking yourself “why,” and also telling others your why, is what separates excellent companies, leaders, and products from the rest. The book says nobody buys what you do or how you do it—they buy why you do it. Telling people your the purpose, values, and beliefs—creates a deeper connection with them. A leader’s why is what attracts people to him and creates an atmosphere of trust and loyalty between people around him. The book explains how this principle works and how to implement it.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
30. The Art Of War
Photo from
Author: Sun Tzu
Summary:
The Art of War has been a best-selling book for 2,500 years, originally written in Chinese in 500 B.C., and it’s still very valuable in modern-day. The book teaches you to know when to fight and when not to fight; to avoid what is strong and strike at what is weak; to know how to deceive the enemy (appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak); and to know your strengths and weaknesses—if you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
31. Strengths-Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why People Follow
Photo from
Authors: Tom Rath and Barry Conchie
Summary:
This book states the similar characteristics of the best and most effective leaders and explains how you can identify and develop your personal strengths in an efficient way, hence be a better leader.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
32. The Score Takes Care of Itself: My Philosophy of Leadership
Photo from
Authors: Bill Walsh, Steve Jamison, and Craig Walsh
Summary:
In the book, the author talks about how being a leader has more to do with your mindset than your skills. Walsh speaks about how champions behave like champions before they are champions by obsessing about improving themselves and their team and focusing on the things within their control. When they do that, the score will take care of itself. Also, it’s a great book for sports fans!
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
33. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable
Photo from
Author: Patrick Lencioni
Summary:
In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni talks about the problems every team faces and how to resolve them. He talks in-depth about the causes of these problems and the solutions and strategies that can be used to curb them.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
34. Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us
Photo from
Author: Seth Godin
Summary:
Seth Godin writes on the importance of having a tribe as a human being, finding like-minded individuals you can talk to, relate to, and share ideas with. He says you can’t be a leader without a tribe, and one of the most powerful survival mechanisms for humans is having one. It’s a good read to understand how to pick and lead a team, and also a good book with important life lessons and tips.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
35. Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead
Photo from
Author: Sheryl Sandberg
Summary:
Sheryl Sandberg is the chief operating officer at Facebook. In this book, she talks about the ambition gap for leadership roles between genders, how more women should not be afraid to take up such roles, to speak up, take constructive criticism, and many other beneficial guidelines essentially for women in the workplace
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
36. Winning
Photo from
Authors: Jack Welch and Suzy Welch
Summary:
This book is the holy grail for managers. It’s a practical guide to becoming an excellent leader and manager. This book contains practical information on how to manage finances, strategies, and your employees/team members.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
37. Developing the Leader Within You 2.0
Photo from
Author: John C. Maxwell
Summary:
John Maxwell drops gems on how to lead and build teams, practical steps, and principles based on years of research and studies on how to become better and excel as a leader.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
38. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You
Photo from
Author: John C. Maxwell
Summary:
The book essentially talks about how becoming an excellent leader is learned with time, not inherited by graciously following the 21 rules of leadership. He explains the 21 laws that will guide you, and how to apply them to become a remarkable leader.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
Management Skills Books
The books below will strategically help you improve your day-to-day managerial skills. These are great for both beginner managers and seasoned managers who want to continually improve their management skills.
39. The New One Minute Manager
Photo from
Authors: Ken Blanchard, PhD and Spencer Johnson, MD
Summary:
The book tells a fable about the recounting three techniques of an effective manager. They include:
One Minute Goals: Creating goals for yourself and the team and reviewing it for one minute every day.
One Minute Praisings: Taking one minute each day to appreciate and reaffirm your staff and employees.
One Minute Redirect: Once you notice a mistake in a project, address it in a minute, and affirm the staff.
The book tells you exactly how to do all this, and then watch your managerial skills improve greatly.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
40. The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t
Photo from
Author: Robert I. Sutton, PhD
Summary:
The book talks about the bullying that goes on at workspaces and how it affects work output and productivity. The No Asshole Rule is based on an essay Sutton wrote for the Harvard Business Review in 2004 called “More Trouble Than They’re Worth,” which talked about the no asshole rule. In the book, Sutton explains more about how the rule should be used to weed out toxic employees during the hiring process and on the job, plus tips for the victims who have been bullied at their workspaces.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
41. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t
Photo from
Author: Jim Collins
Summary:
In Good to Great, Jim defined what it means to be a great company, what you need to do to take you to that point, the kind of companies you can study to get there, why some companies don’t make the transition to greatness, and last but not least, the principles companies can adopt to take them from being good to great. It’s an amazing read for companies that want to improve on their current foundation.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
42. First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently
Photo from
Authors: Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman
Summary:
Based on a mammoth research study conducted by the Gallup Organization involving 80,000 managers across different industries, this book talks about the challenges faced by many companies. It explores how great managers attract, hire, and keep their most talented employees. First, Break All the Rules reveals the secrets to what the world’s greatest managers do differently.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
43. Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable
Photo from
Author: Seth Godin
Summary:
The book argues that authenticity and uniqueness is the best way to excel in the marketing and advertising world today. Seth Godin discusses why a great product and excellent advertising doesn’t cut it anymore—you have to create something fresh, unique, and remarkable to make it hard for people to resist.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
44. Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant
Photo from
Authors: W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne
Summary:
Blue Ocean Strategy is about creating uncontested market spaces that make room for new demands and make the competition irrelevant.
The book talks about red oceans, which are market spaces that have tough competition amongst businesses trying to win customers because there are fixed existing demands of which every company wants a share.
The blue ocean, on the other hand, is an uncontested marketplace that creates demand for itself which is not known to others. This makes competition irrelevant. The goal is to focus on creating, not competing.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
45. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
Photo from
Author: David Allen
Summary:
Getting Things Done (GTD®) teaches a simple system of being more productive without burning out, and also minimizing distractions by asking one simple question: “What is the next concrete step that will bring me closer to my goal?”
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
46. Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It
Photo from
Authors: Chris Voss and Tahl Raz
Summary:
The narrators in the book talk about how to properly negotiate. They equip readers with the necessary questions to ask when negotiating, as well as the tools and techniques to use and not use when closing deals.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
47. Dying for a Paycheck: How Modern Management Harms Employee Health and Company Performance―and What We Can Do About It
Photo from
Author: Jeffrey Pfeffer
Summary:
In this book, the author highlights the management practices that are generally accepted but very harmful for the employees, and in turn reduces their output and affects the company as a whole. He speaks on practices managers should adopt instead to create a healthy working environment for everyone.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
48. My Years with General Motors
Photo from
Author: Alfred P. Sloan, Jr.
Summary:
My Years with General Motors is a must-read. Sloan explains the policies and processes he used to make his company the best-selling motor company. When studying his proven strategies, you can take and implement them in your own business, and this will take your company to greater heights.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
49. The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter
Photo from
Author: Michael D. Watkins
Summary:
In this book, Watkins talks about proven strategies to help you take charge and be on your feet fast and efficiently within the first 90 days during a critical career transition (such as a new management role). The strategies are useful for new managers or experienced managers.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
50. The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done
Photo from
Authors: Peter F. Drucker
Summary:
The author talks about the different ways that executives can handle tasks and activities properly, why effectiveness is very necessary for leaders, and how to become effective by following the basic principles that are mentioned in the book.
Video Summary of the book
Buy the book on Amazon
Conclusion of the 50 Best Books on Leadership and Management
The books above are rich with information, the principles taught in them are priceless, and they are highly recommended by the likes of Bill Gates, Bill Walsh, Ariana Huffington, Jeff Bezos, and many more successful businessmen and women. The points and lessons can also be used for other aspects of your life and passed down to your team members, family, and co-workers.
These books are essential if you want to take your managerial skills to even greater heights and excel as a manager without having to work so hard, and you can trust whole-heartedly that your department is still running productively if you can’t be in the office.
To be an effective manager, you’ll need tools to help you implement what you’ll learn from the books above. Software programs will make your work more efficient and easier. Here’s a list of seven other important software programs you’ll need as a manager:
What’s one of the most important software options for managers looking to up their game? SweetProcess, of course!
In any department of a company, processes are very important and standard operating procedures can get very tricky. SweetProcess makes systematization easy and you can easily make SOPs, share them, and also keep track of how things get done.
Click Here To know More and Signup for a FREE 14-Day Trial of SweetProcess.
Get Your Free Systemization Checklist 5 Essential Steps To Getting a Task Out of Your Head and Into a System So You Can Scale and Grow Your Business!
11 Books Every Young Leader Must Read
Recently, I wrote that leaders should be readers. Reading has a host of benefits for those who wish to occupy positions of leadership and develop into more relaxed, empathetic, and well-rounded people. One of the most common follow-up questions was, “Ok, so what should I read?”
That’s a tough question. There are a number of wonderful reading lists out there. For those interested in engaging classic literature, Wikipedia has a list of “The 100 Best Books of All Time,” and Modern Library has picks for novels and nonfiction. Those interested in leadership might consult the syllabus for David Gergen’s leadership course (PDF) at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government or the syllabus his colleague Ron Heifetz uses for his course on adaptive leadership (PDF).
But if I had to focus on a short list for young business leaders, I’d choose the 11 below. I’ve only included books I’ve actually read, and I tried to compile a list that includes history, literature, psychology, and how-to. Variety is important — novels can enhance empathy; social science and history can illuminate lessons from other times and fields that might be relevant to your own; and at the very least, reading broadly can make you a more interesting conversationalist. But I have tried to make all the choices directly relevant to young businesspeople interested in leadership.
Invariably, many people will think some of the choices are poor or that the list is incomplete, but I hope it can serve as a start for young business leaders looking for literature to help them chart their careers.
Marcus Aurelius, The Emperor’s Handbook. Emperor of Rome from 161 to 180 A.D., Marcus Aurelius is considered one of history’s “philosopher kings,” and his Meditations were perhaps his most lasting legacy. Never meant to be published, Marcus’ writings on Stoicism, life, and leadership were the personal notes he used to make sense of the world. They remain a wonderful insight into the mind of a man who ruled history’s most revered empire at the age of 40 and provide remarkably practical advice for everyday life. This is the translation I’ve found most accessible.
Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning. Viktor Frankl was an Austrian psychiatrist who survived life in the Nazi concentration camps. Man’s Search for Meaning is really two books — one dedicated to recounting his frightening ordeal in the camps (interpreted through his eyes as a psychiatrist) and the other a treatise on his theory, logotherapy. His story alone is worth the read — a reminder of the depths and heights of human nature — and the central contention of logotherapy — that life is primarily about the search for meaning — has inspired leaders for generations.
Tom Wolfe, A Man in Full. Tom Wolfe founded the New Journalism school and was one of America’s most brilliant writers of nonfiction (books and essays like The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test) before he became one of her most notable novelists. Often better known for his portrait of 1980s New York, The Bonfire of the Vanities, A Man in Full is his novel about race, status, business, and a number of other topics in modern Atlanta. It was Wolfe’s attempt, as Michael Lewis noted, at “stuffing of the whole of contemporary America into a single, great, sprawling comic work of art.” It’s sure to inspire reflection in burgeoning leaders.
Michael Lewis, Liar’s Poker. One of the first books I read upon graduating college, Liar’s Poker is acclaimed author Michael Lewis’ first book — a captivating story about his short-lived postcollegiate career as a bond salesman in the 1980s. Lewis has become perhaps the most notable chronicler of modern business, and Liar’s Poker is both a fascinating history of Wall Street (and the broader financial world) in the 1980s and a cautionary tale to ambitious young business leaders about the temptations, challenges, and disappointments (not to mention colorful characters) they may face in their careers.
Jim Collins, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t. What does it take to make a great company, and what traits will young businesspeople need to lead them? Jim Collins introduced new rigor to the evaluation of business leadership in his instant classic Good to Great, with a research team reviewing “6,000 articles and generating 2,000 pages of interview transcripts.” The result is a systematic treatise on making a company great, with particularly interesting findings around what Collins calls “Level 5 Leadership” that have changed the face of modern business.
Robert Cialdini, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. Persuasion is at the heart of business, where leaders must reach clients, customers, suppliers, and employees. Cialdini’s classic on the core principals of persuasion is a sterling example of the cross application of psychological principles to business life. Based on his personal experiences and interviews — with everyone from expert car salesmen to real estate salespeople — Cialdini’s book is riveting and, yes, persuasive. It serves as a great introduction to other works by modern writers like Malcolm Gladwell and Steven Levitt, who translate theories from the social and physical sciences into everyday life.
Richard Tedlow, Giants of Enterprise: Seven Business Innovators and the Empires They Built. Richard Tedlow taught one of my favorite business school classes, The Coming of Managerial Capitalism, and this book is something like a distillation of a few of the high points of that class. Giants of Enterprise chronicles the lives of some of the businesspeople — Carnegie, Ford, Eastman, Walton — who shaped the world we live in today. It’s a brief introduction to the figures and companies who built modern business for the young business leader seeking to shape the future.
Niall Ferguson, The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World. Financial capital is at the heart of capitalism. Any young person aspiring to business leadership should understand the financial world we live in. Ferguson is one of our era’s preeminent popular historians, and The Ascent of Money traces the evolution of money and financial markets from the ancient world to the modern era. It’s an essential primer on the history and current state of finance.
Clayton M. Christensen, The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail. Clay Christensen was recently ranked the world’s greatest business thinker by Thinkers50, and his breakout book was a thoughtful tome on innovation and “disruption” called The Innovator’s Dilemma. All of Christensen’s books are essential reads, but this is perhaps the most foundational for any young leader wondering how to drive business innovation and fight competitors constantly threatening to disrupt his or her business model with new technology.
Stephen R. Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Covey’s book represents the best in self-help. His advice — about prioritization, empathy, self-renewal, and other topics — is both insightful and practical. Seven Habits can be useful to the personal and professional development of anyone charting a career in business.
Bill George, True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership. A hallmark of next-generation business leaders is a focus on authenticity. Bill George has pioneered an approach to authentic leadership development articulated well in his second book, True North. George (who, full disclosure, I’ve coauthored with before) conducted more than 100 interviews with senior leaders in crafting the book, and offers advice for young leaders on knowing themselves and translating that knowledge into a personal set of principles for leadership.
So what are your picks? Aside from a list for “young business leaders,” are there others you’d propose?