10 Best Leadership Books for Learning Leadership Skills
Cracking the code of leadership isn't achieved overnight, folks. It's a journey that requires continuous learning and upgrading your skills. And what better companion for this journey than a powerful dose of literary wisdom! Whether you're a budding leader seeking guidance or an established one looking to broaden your perspective, getting lost in the pages of leadership books can be a game-changer. Our curated list of '10 Best Leadership Books for Learning Leadership Skills' is a buffet of knowledge. It features books that will guide you on how to inspire a team, tackle difficult decisions, and embrace transformation. We've cherry-picked the most insightful and effective books that cover diverse aspects of leadership. No false promises here. We're merely offering you tested wisdom from experienced individuals. So dive headfirst into these books and equip yourself with the necessary skills to navigate the labyrinth of leadership. Remember, a great leader is always a great reader. Let's get started on your path to exceptional leadership!
『Start with Why』
The inspirational bestseller that ignited a movement and asked us to find our WHY Discover the book that is captivating millions on TikTok and that served as the basis for one of the most popular TED Talks of all time—with more than 56 million views and counting. Over a decade ago, Simon Sinek started a movement that inspired millions to demand purpose at work, to ask what was the WHY of their organization. Since then, millions have been touched by the power of his ideas, and these ideas remain as relevant and timely as ever. START WITH WHY asks (and answers) the questions: why are some people and organizations more innovative, more influential, and more profitable than others? Why do some command greater loyalty from customers and employees alike? Even among the successful, why are so few able to repeat their success over and over? People like Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, and the Wright Brothers had little in common, but they all started with WHY. They realized that people won't truly buy into a product, service, movement, or idea until they understand the WHY behind it. START WITH WHY shows that the leaders who have had the greatest influence in the world all think, act and communicate the same way—and it's the opposite of what everyone else does. Sinek calls this powerful idea The Golden Circle, and it provides a framework upon which organizations can be built, movements can be led, and people can be inspired. And it all starts with WHY.
Author | Simon Sinek |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Penguin |
Release Date | Dec 27, 2011 |
Source | Google Books |
『The Five Dysfunctions of a Team』
The New York Times best-selling team leadership handbook for modern executives, managers, and organizations After her first two weeks observing the problems at DecisionTech, Kathryn Petersen, its new CEO, had more than a few moments when she wondered if she should have taken the job. But Kathryn knew there was little chance she would have turned it down. After all, retirement had made her antsy, and nothing excited her more than a challenge. What she could not have known when she accepted the job, however, was just how dysfunctional her team was, and how team members would challenge her in ways that no one ever had before. For twenty years, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team has been engaging audiences with a page-turning, realistic fable that follows the travails of Kathryn Petersen, DecisionTech’s CEO, as she faces the ultimate leadership crisis. She must unite a team in such disarray that it threatens to derail the entire company. Equal parts leadership fable and business handbook, this definitive source on teamwork by Patrick Lencioni reveals the five behavioral tendencies that go to the heart of why even the best teams struggle. He offers a powerful model and step-by-step guide for overcoming those dysfunctions and getting every one rowing in the same direction. Today, the lessons in The Five Dysfunctions of a Team are more relevant than ever. This special anniversary edition celebrates one of the best-selling business books of all time with a new foreword from the author that reflects on its legacy and lessons.
Author | Patrick M. Lencioni |
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Price | $15 |
Publisher | John Wiley & Sons |
Release Date | Jun 03, 2010 |
Source | Google Books |
『Dare to Lead』
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Brené Brown has taught us what it means to dare greatly, rise strong, and brave the wilderness. Now, based on new research conducted with leaders, change makers, and culture shifters, she’s showing us how to put those ideas into practice so we can step up and lead. Don’t miss the five-part HBO Max docuseries Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart! NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY BLOOMBERG Leadership is not about titles, status, and wielding power. A leader is anyone who takes responsibility for recognizing the potential in people and ideas, and has the courage to develop that potential. When we dare to lead, we don’t pretend to have the right answers; we stay curious and ask the right questions. We don’t see power as finite and hoard it; we know that power becomes infinite when we share it with others. We don’t avoid difficult conversations and situations; we lean into vulnerability when it’s necessary to do good work. But daring leadership in a culture defined by scarcity, fear, and uncertainty requires skill-building around traits that are deeply and uniquely human. The irony is that we’re choosing not to invest in developing the hearts and minds of leaders at the exact same time as we’re scrambling to figure out what we have to offer that machines and AI can’t do better and faster. What can we do better? Empathy, connection, and courage, to start. Four-time #1 New York Times bestselling author Brené Brown has spent the past two decades studying the emotions and experiences that give meaning to our lives, and the past seven years working with transformative leaders and teams spanning the globe. She found that leaders in organizations ranging from small entrepreneurial startups and family-owned businesses to nonprofits, civic organizations, and Fortune 50 companies all ask the same question: How do you cultivate braver, more daring leaders, and how do you embed the value of courage in your culture? In this new book, Brown uses research, stories, and examples to answer these questions in the no-BS style that millions of readers have come to expect and love. Brown writes, “One of the most important findings of my career is that daring leadership is a collection of four skill sets that are 100 percent teachable, observable, and measurable. It’s learning and unlearning that requires brave work, tough conversations, and showing up with your whole heart. Easy? No. Because choosing courage over comfort is not always our default. Worth it? Always. We want to be brave with our lives and our work. It’s why we’re here.” Whether you’ve read Daring Greatly and Rising Strong or you’re new to Brené Brown’s work, this book is for anyone who wants to step up and into brave leadership.
Author | Brené Brown |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Random House |
Release Date | Oct 09, 2018 |
Source | Google Books |
『The 5 Levels of Leadership』
Use this helpful book to learn about the leadership tools to fuel success, grow your team, and become the visionary you were meant to be. True leadership isn't a matter of having a certain job or title. In fact, being chosen for a position is only the first of the five levels every effective leader achieves. To become more than "the boss" people follow only because they are required to, you have to master the ability to invest in people and inspire them. To grow further in your role, you must achieve results and build a team that produces. You need to help people to develop their skills to become leaders in their own right. And if you have the skill and dedication, you can reach the pinnacle of leadership—where experience will allow you to extend your influence beyond your immediate reach and time for the benefit of others. The 5 Levels of Leadership are: 1. Position—People follow because they have to. 2. Permission—People follow because they want to. 3. Production—People follow because of what you have done for the organization. 4. People Development—People follow because of what you have done for them personally. 5. Pinnacle—People follow because of who you are and what you represent. Through humor, in-depth insight, and examples, internationally recognized leadership expert John C. Maxwell describes each of these stages of leadership. He shows you how to master each level and rise up to the next to become a more influential, respected, and successful leader.
Author | John C. Maxwell |
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Price | $11.99 |
Publisher | Center Street |
Release Date | Oct 04, 2011 |
Source | Google Books |
『Leaders Eat Last』
Finally in paperback: the New York Times bestseller by the acclaimed, bestselling author of Start With Why and Together is Better. Now with an expanded chapter and appendix on leading millennials, based on Simon Sinek's viral video "Millenials in the workplace" (150+ million views). Imagine a world where almost everyone wakes up inspired to go to work, feels trusted and valued during the day, then returns home feeling fulfilled. This is not a crazy, idealized notion. Today, in many successful organizations, great leaders create environments in which people naturally work together to do remarkable things. In his work with organizations around the world, Simon Sinek noticed that some teams trust each other so deeply that they would literally put their lives on the line for each other. Other teams, no matter what incentives are offered, are doomed to infighting, fragmentation and failure. Why? The answer became clear during a conversation with a Marine Corps general. "Officers eat last," he said. Sinek watched as the most junior Marines ate first while the most senior Marines took their place at the back of the line. What's symbolic in the chow hall is deadly serious on the battlefield: Great leaders sacrifice their own comfort--even their own survival--for the good of those in their care. Too many workplaces are driven by cynicism, paranoia, and self-interest. But the best ones foster trust and cooperation because their leaders build what Sinek calls a "Circle of Safety" that separates the security inside the team from the challenges outside. Sinek illustrates his ideas with fascinating true stories that range from the military to big business, from government to investment banking.
Author | Simon Sinek |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Penguin |
Release Date | May 23, 2017 |
Source | Google Books |
『The Truth about Leadership』
A fresh look at what it means to lead from two of the biggest names in leadership In these turbulent times, when the very foundations of organizations and societies are shaken, leaders need to move beyond pessimistic predictions, trendy fads, and simplistic solutions. They need to turn to what's real and what's proven. In their engaging, personal, and bold new book, bestselling authors James Kouzes and Barry Posner reveal ten time-tested truths that discuss what every leader must know, the questions they must be prepared to answer, and the real-world issues they will likely face. In the book, you’ll find: Material based on thirty years of research, more than one million responses to Kouzes and Posner's leadership assessment, and the questions people most want leaders to answer Explorations of the fundamental, enduring truths of leadership that hold constant regardless of context or circumstance-leaders make a difference, credibility, values, trust, leading by example, heart, and more Demonstrations of emerging leaders and what they need to know to be effective Fans of The Leadership Challenge will find a dynamic new look at the real challenges leaders face today. The book draws from cases spanning three generations of leaders from around the world. It’s an indispensable resource leaders can use to do their real and necessary work-bringing about the essential changes that will renew organizations and communities.
Author | James M. Kouzes/Barry Z. Posner |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | John Wiley & Sons |
Release Date | Aug 16, 2010 |
Source | Google Books |
『On Becoming a Leader』
For many years, Warren Bennis has persuasively argued that leaders are not born - they are made. And for countless readers, On Becoming a Leader has served as a beacon of insight, delving into the qualities that define leadership, the people who exemplify it, and the strategies that anyone can apply to achieve it. In a world increasingly defined by turbulence and uncertainty, the call to leadership is more urgent than ever. Featuring a provocative new epilogue on the challenges and opportunities facing leaders today, this new edition will inspire the next generation and guide us into the future.
Author | Warren Bennis |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | ReadHowYouWant.com |
Release Date | Feb 01, 2010 |
Source | Google Books |
『Discover Your True North』
“One of the 25 Best Leadership Books of All-Time.” – Soundview The Leadership Classic, Discover Your True North, expanded for today's leaders Discover Your True North is the best-selling leadership classic that enables you to become an authentic leader by discovering your True North. Originally based on first-person interviews with 125 leaders, this book instantly became a must-read business classic when it was introduced in 2007. Now expanded and updated to introduce 48 new leaders and new learning about authentic global leaders, this revisited classic includes more diverse, global, and contemporary leaders of all ages. New case studies include Warren Buffett, Indra Nooyi, Arianna Huffington, Jack Ma, Paul Polman, Mike Bloomberg, Mark Zuckerberg, and many others. Alongside these studies, former Medtronic CEO Bill George continues to share his personal stories and his wisdom by describing how you can become the leader you want to be, with helpful exercises included throughout the book. Being a leader is about much more than title and management skills—it's fundamentally a question of who we are as human beings. Discover Your True North offers a concrete and comprehensive program for becoming an authentic leader, and shows how to chart your path to leadership success. Once you discover the purpose of your leadership, you'll find the true leader inside you. This book shows you how to use your natural leadership abilities to inspire and empower others to excellence in today's complex global world. Discover Your True North enables you to become the leader you were born to be, and stay on track of your True North.
Author | Bill George |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | John Wiley & Sons |
Release Date | Aug 10, 2015 |
Source | Google Books |
『The Next Generation of Women Leaders』
A groundbreaking, empowering collection of advice—richly illustrated with the stories of women at top echelons of their fields—that advances the leadership outlook for Generation X and Y women like no book before it. Over the course of a year, Selena Rezvani interviewed women executives in various industries, roles, and job functions, including Jamie McCourt, president of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Denise Incandela, president of Saks Direct at Saks Fifth Avenue, Roxanne Spillett, president and CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and Naomi Earp, chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The result is The Next Generation of Women Leaders, a penetrating, eye-opening, and ultimately empowering narrative, filled with stories of remarkable women who navigated the leadership maze and triumphed. While the leadership landscape may be shifting in women's favor, women are nowhere near an equal presence in leadership roles when compared to men. Rezvani's achievement was to engage some extraordinarily accomplished women as mentors, each of whom provided tools and information that young women can use to shape their own careers. The Next Generation of Women Leaders encourages younger women to be their own advocates when it comes to professional growth and advancement, and it provides tangible how-tos on negotiating the workplace as a woman.
Author | Selena Rezvani |
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Price | $54 |
Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing USA |
Release Date | Dec 22, 2009 |
Source | Google Books |
『The Art of Possibility』
In their playing you hear not only precision, color and balance, but thunder, lightning and the language of the heart. This is what the Boston Globe said about a performance by conductor Benjamin Zander with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, but it could apply equally to the Zanders' inspirational book, the product of a synthesis of the diverse worlds of the symphony orchestra and cutting-edge psychology. The Art of Possibility offers a set of breakthrough practices for creativity in all human enterprises. Infused with the energy of their dynamic partnership, the book joins together Ben's extraordinary talent as a mover and shaker, teacher, and communicator, with Rosamund Stone Zander's genius for creating innovative paradigms for personal and professional fulfillment. In lively counterpoint, the authors provide us with a deep sense of the powerful role that the notion of possibility can play in every aspect of our lives. The Zanders' deceptively simple practices are based on two premises: that life is composed as a story ("it's all invented") and that, with new definitions, much more is possible than people ordinarily think. The book shifts our perspective with uplifting stories, parables, and anecdotes from the authors' personal experiences as well as from famous and everyday heroes. From "Giving an A," to the mysterious "Rule Number 6," to "Leading from Any Chair"-the account of Ben's stunning realization that the conductor/leader's power is directly linked to how much greatness he is willing to grant to others-each practice offers an opportunity for personal and organizational transformation. The Art of Possibility provides a life-altering approach to fulfilling dreams large and small. The Zanders invite us all to become passionate communicators, leaders, and performers whose lives radiate possibility into the world. Rosamund Stone Zander is a family therapist and a landscape painter. Benjamin Zander is the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and a professor at the New England Conservatory of Music. Based on the principles developed through the authors' unique partnership, Mr. Zander gives presentations to managers and executives around the world and Ms. Zander conducts workshops for organizations on practicing the art of possibility.
Author | Rosamund Stone Zander/Benjamin Zander |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Harvard Business Press |
Release Date | Jan 01, 2000 |
Source | Google Books |
Well, there you have it, my friend! The top 10 books that every aspiring leader should delve into. Each book in this roundup promises a treasure trove of wisdom that'll have you stepping into those leadership shoes more confidently and competently. They're packed with practical advice and insightful anecdotes that'll not only immerse you right into the authors' world, but also empower you with tools and tactics to navigate your very own leadership journey. So, whether you're a seasoned professional looking for a fresh infusion of inspiration, or a newbie with dreams of leading a team, these books will serve you well. Remember, leadership isn't about commanding, it's about inspiring, motivating, and driving people towards a common goal. And these books just make that journey a whole lot easier. Go on then, pick one, or heck, even all ten, and get started on bolstering those leadership skills. The leadership realm awaits you with open arms. Happy reading!
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