I’m a huge fan of books, and over the past decade I have read countless books related to leadership and business.
In this article I will list out just 15 of these, the ones that I think are particularly useful for general leadership insights.
Come join me in this journey, and get ready to learn something new!
“Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours.” ― John Locke
#1 — “Leaders Eat Last” by Simon Sinek
In Leaders Eat Last, Sinek explores the importance of creating a safe environment where trust and cooperation are paramount. He draws on military examples to show how leaders who prioritize their team’s well-being build stronger, more resilient teams.
Key Messages:
It is important to build trust within teams.
Leaders should prioritize their team’s well-being.
Creating a safe environment fosters collaboration and innovation.
Haven’t read it? You can buy a copy of this book on Amazon.com: Leaders Eat Last
#2 —” The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey
One of those books I read in early days of my college, Covey’s timeless classic The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People offers a principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems. By internalizing these habits, you can achieve a balanced life and be an effective leader at work and at home.
The 7 Habits:
Be proactive and take responsibility for your actions.
Begin with the end in mind to set clear goals.
Put first things first by prioritizing important tasks.
Think win-win to foster mutually beneficial relationships.
Seek first to understand, then to be understood.
Synergize by leveraging team strengths.
Sharpen the saw through continuous self-improvement.
Covey came up with another book called The 8th Habit, which he termed as “Find your voice and inspire others to find theirs”. His key message is to not just develop great habits yourself, but to spread the goodness, because that’s what ultimately matters.
Haven’t read either of these books? You can buy a copy of these books on Amazon.com: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and The 8th Habit.
#3 — “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t” by Jim Collins
In Good to Great Collins identifies key principles that differentiate companies that make the leap from good to great. Through rigorous analysis, he provides insights into how you can transform your organization to achieve sustained success.
Key Messages:
Level 5 Leadership: Humble and driven leaders are the key.
First Who, Then What: Get the right people on the bus.
The Hedgehog Concept: Focus on what you can be the best at.
A Culture of Discipline: Discipline needs to be part of your culture.
Technology Accelerators: Use technology as a tool, not a driver.
Haven’t read it? You can buy a copy of this book on Amazon.com: Good to Great
#4 — “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” by Daniel H. Pink
In Drive, Pink challenges traditional notions of motivation, revealing the mismatch between what science knows and what business does. He emphasizes that true motivation comes from intrinsic sources such as autonomy, mastery, and purpose.
The 3 Intrinsic Sources of Motivation:
Autonomy: People need control over their work. They need to feel empowered.
Mastery: People have the desire to become excellent in their field.
Purpose: People want to have a way to connect the dots — from what they do, to the larger purpose.
Haven’t read it? You can buy a copy of this book on Amazon.com: Drive
Also, check out Pink’s TED Talk: The Puzzle of Motivation
#5 — “Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action” by Simon Sinek
Sinek’s second book on my list (and you can probably tell I’m a huge fan), Start with Why explains how great leaders inspire action by focusing on the “why” behind their organizations. He uses examples from business and politics to show how you can create a sense of purpose that motivates and unites your team.
Key Messages:
The Golden Circle: Why, How, and What.
People buy into why you do something, not just what you do.
Leaders who communicate their purpose inspire loyalty and trust.
Haven’t read it? You can buy a copy of this book on Amazon.com: Start with Why
I highly recommend you also check out his TED Talk where he talks about the Golden Circle. It’s well worth a watch.
#6 — “The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses” by Eric Ries
In The Lean Startup, Ries provides a scientific approach to creating and managing successful startups in an age when companies must innovate more than ever. His methodology emphasizes quick, efficient iterations and learning from customer feedback.
Key Messages:
Build-Measure-Learn: A cycle for continuous improvement where you get early feedback as you build your product.
Minimum Viable Product (MVP): Start with a simple version to learn quickly.
Pivot or Persevere: Use data to decide whether to change direction or keep going.
Haven’t read it? You can buy a copy of this book on Amazon.com: The Lean Startup
#7 — “Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.” by Brené Brown
Brown’s Dare to Lead offers a comprehensive guide to becoming a daring leader who cultivates a culture of courage. She emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and tough conversations in building trust and driving change.
Key Messages:
Vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness.
Courageous leaders have tough conversations and address issues directly.
Building trust requires empathy and authenticity.
Haven’t read it? You can buy a copy of this book on Amazon.com: Dare to Lead
#8 — “Leadershift: The 11 Essential Changes Every Leader Must Embrace” by John C. Maxwell
Maxwell’s insightful book Leadershift explores the shifts leaders need to make to stay relevant and continue growing. By embracing these changes, you can enhance your leadership capabilities and adapt to the evolving business landscape and changing times.
Key Messages:
From Soloist to Conductor: Empower others to lead, provide all the support and coaching they need.
From Goals to Growth: Focus on continuous improvement, and the goals will come eventually.
From Ladder Climbing to Ladder Building: Help others succeed, and you will succeed as a result.
Haven’t read it? You can buy a copy of this book on Amazon.com: Leadershift
#9 — “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable” by Patrick Lencioni
Lencioni’s engaging fable The Five Dysfunctions of a Team reveals the core dysfunctions that undermine teams and how to overcome them. Through a fictional narrative, a fast-paced storyline, he provides practical strategies to build a cohesive, effective team.
The Five Dysfunctions:
Absence of Trust: Build trust through vulnerability. Trust is the foundation.
Fear of Conflict: Encourage healthy debates, and that will eliminate conflicts.
Lack of Commitment: Ensure clarity and buy-in to get committment.
Avoidance of Accountability: Hold each other accountable.
Inattention to Results: Focus on collective outcomes, not just individual goals.
Haven’t read it? You can buy a copy of this book on Amazon.com: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
#10 — “Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win” by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
Drawing on their battlefield experiences, in Extreme Ownership Willink and Babin share hard-hitting leadership lessons. They emphasize the importance of taking full responsibility and leading with a balance of confidence and humility.
Key Messages:
Take full responsibility for everything in your realm.
There are no bad teams, only bad leaders.
Simplify your plans and communicate clearly.
Haven’t read it? You can buy a copy of this book on Amazon.com: Extreme Ownership
#11 — “Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity” by Kim Scott
In Radical Candor, Scott’s shows how to give feedback that is both clear and kind. By caring personally and challenging directly, you can build strong relationships and improve performance within your team.
Key Messages:
Care personally while challenging directly.
Build a culture of feedback.
Encourage open communication and address issues promptly.
Haven’t read it? You can buy a copy of this book on Amazon.com: Radical Candor
#12 — “The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail” by Clayton M. Christensen
In The Innovator’s Dilemma, Christensen examines why well-managed companies often fail to capitalize on disruptive innovations. He offers strategies to help you balance sustaining innovations with the need to explore emerging, disruptive technologies.
Key Messages:
Disruptive innovations can topple established companies.
Companies must embrace innovation to stay competitive.
Balance sustaining innovations with disruptive ones.
Haven’t read it? You can buy a copy of this book on Amazon.com: The Innovator’s Dilemma
#13 — “Principles: Life and Work” by Ray Dalio
In Principles, Dalio shares the unconventional principles he developed to build a successful investment firm. His insights on radical transparency and open-mindedness provide a framework for effective decision-making and continuous improvement.
Key Messages:
Radical transparency and open-mindedness lead to better decisions.
Embrace failure as a learning opportunity.
Create a meritocracy where the best ideas win.
Haven’t read it? You can buy a copy of this book on Amazon.com: Principles
#14 — “Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs” by John Doerr
In Measure What Matters, Doerr introduces the concept of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) and demonstrates their power through case studies. By setting clear, measurable goals, you can drive alignment and inspire peak performance in your organization.
Key Messages:
Set clear and ambitious objectives.
Track progress with measurable key results.
Use OKRs to align and motivate teams.
Haven’t read it? You can buy a copy of this book on Amazon.com: Measure What Matters
#15 — “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln” by Doris Kearns Goodwin
In Team of Rivals, Goodwin’s detailed account of Lincoln’s leadership during the Civil War highlights his ability to manage a team of strong-willed, diverse individuals. By embracing conflicting perspectives, you can learn how to lead with empathy and build a united team.
Key Messages:
Embrace and manage conflicting perspectives.
Build a team of strong, diverse individuals.
Lead with empathy and understanding.
Haven’t read it? You can buy a copy of this book on Amazon.com: Team of Rivals
#16-”The Leader’s Playbook” by Gaurav Jain
Okay, let me take the liberty to add a 16th book to the list.
If you like the books above, you will love my book: The Leader’s Playbook.
My readers have called this book the Swiss-army knife for leaders, a toolkit they use every day.
In fact, in this book, I summarize many of the frameworks that have been proposed in the books I’ve listed above, including:
The Golden Circle by Simon Sinek
Radical Candor by Kim Scott
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
Objective and Key Results by John Doerr
The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
New subscribers enjoy a 50% discount on the book!
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