Being a great leader is not for the faint-hearted. To be successful requires a lot of effort and a desire to never stop evolving and improving oneself every single day. The greatest leaders of this society know they always need to teach, inspire, and guide their team. They also know they have to make hard decisions and find ways to cope with everything that comes their way that is the minimum.
Well, my friends, that’s where books enter the picture to serve as a compass on this tasking journey called leadership. Learning from the success stories of leaders, along with their attitudes and approaches, is a recipe for success. True, experience can teach you some important lessons that you can leverage. Still, it would be rather unwise not to also learn from the leaders who came before you.
Pumping up motivation, making the hard, hard-hitting calls, helping others, and encouraging people to become the best that they can be. These are some of the lessons readers get to learn from these books. So, without further delay, let me tell you about some of the most awesome leadership development books out there!
10 Best Books on Leadership You MUST Read
Leaders don’t reside only in the top management or corporate giants, like the CEOs of the leading MNEs. They are also at operational and strategic levels in business, non-business, and all forms of organizations or institutions. Regardless of which career you are pursuing, or whether you even have a dream career yet there are MANY books that offer fresh ways of thinking about leadership that are all transformative, invigorating, and enabling. Read on for all the details!
Servant Leadership in Action
By Ken Blanchard and Renee Broadwell
Servant leadership means assigning people and the organization as the main subjects instead of self-interest by making people be all they can be. This book, published by Blanchard and Broadwell, can be a good starting point to introduce this revolutionary paradigm of leadership. You will learn how real organizations implement approaches in line with real-life case studies and simple leadership development rules. You will also find out how to build trust, promote business growth, and motivate your workforce to achieve extraordinary goals. Lots of good info here!
Lean In
By Sheryl Sandberg
Sheryl Sandberg is among the most successful and motivating women in today’s world. She is the COO of Facebook and one of the most talented masterminds behind the social network. She was also the past chief of operations at the World Bank, so she is aware of the problems that women can encounter in a working environment and how to overcome the glass ceiling. As a narrative and argument expert, Lean In is a persuasive and powerful argument that women can choose to be assertive and persistent, change the world, and build their leadership path.
Good to Great
By Jim Collins
The question arises: what do the leaders of the world’s best companies possess? Jim Collins made sure he answered that question. The key idea of Good to Great is a roadmap on how to go from mediocre to really great. With a focus on getting the right people on the bus, confronting brutal facts, and finding your Hedgehog Concept, this book is a must-read for aspiring business leaders.
Leading Change
By John P. Kotter
If one is to be a leader in today’s ever-changing world, then it is imperative that he or she possess the capacity for effecting change. In his groundbreaking work, John P. Kotter has outlined the key eight-step model of turning vision into reality and how to overcome the forces that threaten to stop the actualization. If you are leading a change management process, whether it is a strategic change or a new project that you are starting, then this book will guide you on how to overcome the challenges and manage the change process.
Radical Candor
By Kim Scott
As I’ve learned over the years, you can’t be tip-toe around and never give your candid opinion on the performance of the people you lead. This results in average work and a lack of enthusiasm. Kim Scott’s unapologetic book of management, Radical Candor, provides strategies on how to be radically candid, that is, give direct instruction while showing you care. You will get hands-on tools and actual case studies that’ll show you how to foster trust and get people in your organization to perform at their best while encouraging them to speak the truth.
The Diversity Gap
By Bethaney Wilkinson
Wouldn’t it be great if the true essence of leadership was to support, amplify, and create spaces where everyone could grow and realize their potential? Whether the reader (YOU!) is a leader in an organization, a manager, an employee, a student, a community member, or simply involved in any capacity, Wilkinson offers sound practical advice and steps in The Diversity Gap. Unapologetic about the existence of systemic racism, this book is a comprehensive guide through the levels of awareness to action.
The Servant Leader
By James A. Autry
If you want to regain that servant leadership spirit, then you must read this classic. Written by Autry, who is a former Fortune 500 executive, the book explains why and how selflessness and a lack of pride in one’s position could result in more dedicated workers and improved outcomes. By paying genuine attention to others and not trying to control or manipulate their subordinates, this book will turn the conventional management approach on its head.
Mastering Leadership
Robert Anderson and William Adams
Robert Anderson and William Adams explain what it means to be an ideal, well-rounded leader. This book is a collection of innovative ideas from 33 leaders, which gives a complete outlook on leadership development. From Peter Drucker’s ideas about decision-making processes to Jim Collin’s on sustainability, this book is in a class of its OWN. It doesn’t just shed light on the fundamentals of leadership competencies but also provides orientation for the business world.
The Heart of Leadership
By Mark Miller
In many cases, leadership is regarded as the ability to have power or authority, or the ability to get the job done at any price. However, at its most basic level, Miller points out that leadership all comes down to serving. This book is filled with great stories and basic truths that any reader will find inspiring. There are also powerful and easy-to-understand lessons that will reset your mindset towards workplace relationships and emotional connections.
The Inclusion Dividend
By Mark Kaplan and Mason Donovan
Certain perceptions tend to prevail in today’s workplace. One is that diversity equals ethnic or race balance. Another is that not every person in an organization should be a person of color. This book counters such opinions. True diversity should be about valuing everyone and giving every individual a platform to be heard. In Kaplan and Donovan’s book, there is a compelling argument that diversity in leadership is not only the right thing to do but also provides a massive boost to business success. Filled with data and real-world ways to apply it, they will teach you how to develop better, stronger teams that value their differences and use them to make a difference.
Embark on your own leadership evolution!
Leadership is not a place one gets to and then takes a break. Rather, it’s a place where one must exert more effort. It requires constantly looking inward and scrutinizing yourself for potential shortcomings.
It also demands forcing yourself out of your comfort zone until the uncomfortable becomes the norm. Last but not least, it is about having goals that are centered on making other people the best that they can be. Leadership involves inspiring people. This is what leaders do; they always give their best.
And you know I’ll be right here with you every step of the way. And, of course, you know that I will be by your side on each stage of that wild dance. Stay tuned for my podcast and blog posts. I will be sharing great insights that will sharpen your mind and provide you with practical steps you can apply right away.
