10 Books Every Leader Should Read

Leadership is an ever-evolving path of discovery and development. Aspiring and seasoned leaders alike can always benefit from the insights and experiences shared by experts in their field to navigate the complexities of leading others.

This list of 10 books I think every leader should read offers guidance on building effective habits, inspiring teams, fostering innovation, and making informed decisions. Each book offers a different way of thinking and practical strategies to help leaders develop their potential and drive their organisations towards success.

Get started with these essential reads to help you on your leadership journey and make a lasting impact.

1.??? "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey

This is a classic book on leadership reformatted for modern readers but with the same principles and ethics of character at its core. These are the seven habits: Be Proactive, Begin with the End in Mind, Put First Things First, Think Win/Win, Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood, Synergize, and Sharpen the Saw. Each Habit is Powerful in itself and comes from a principle-centred approach to developing personal and professional effectiveness.

2. "Leaders Eat Last" by Simon Sinek

According to Sinek, successful leaders put their teams first. He draws on examples from the military and business to illustrate that leaders who prioritise their employees before themselves create a basis of trust and cooperation. The book also covers the significance of establishing a secure space, recognising the biology of leadership and how it affects organisational culture and performance.?

3. "Good to Great" by Jim Collins

Collins and his team of researchers examine why some companies progress into greatness while others don’t. It presents ideas such as Level 5 Leadership, the Hedgehog Concept, and the Flywheel and Doom Loop. These concepts discuss disciplined people, disciplined thought and disciplined action as the primary factors in taking a company from good to great.

4. "Start with Why" by Simon Sinek

This book is about understanding the why behind actions and decisions. According to Sinek, leaders who inspire others begin with WHY and the vision. This is why leaders must master and share the "why" so that they cannot only create trust, loyalty, and long-term success but also a culture of innovation and collaboration.

5. "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" by Daniel H. Pink

Pink delves deeply into the science behind motivation, only to find that what we assume as traditional factors - such as money - are not nearly effective. He presents the ideas of autonomy, mastery, and purpose as crucial ingredients for understanding motivation. According to the principles discussed, leaders can create conditions under which employees are more engaged, productive and able to derive meaning from work by aligning their activities with their natural motivations.

6. "Dare to Lead" by Brené Brown

Brown provides a guide to be a vulnerable and courageous leader. The Importance of trust, empathy and honest culture play out over and over again in his book. A practical toolkit guiding leaders to master the skill of having hard talks, holding strong relationships together in chaos and fostering a culture of connection + belonging.

7. "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" by Patrick Lencioni

Lencioni tells a fable about the common traps teams get into. The 5 dysfunctions are Absence of Trust, Fear of Conflict, Lack of Commitment, Avoidance of Accountability and Inattention to results. With these challenges in mind, the author guides readers through how to address them with practical steps such as building trust, mastering conflict while maintaining a commitment to collaboration and results, accountability, and focusing on efficiency by ensuring teams deliver real business impact together.

8. "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu

Although this military treatise is rather ancient, it provides eternal truths on strategy, leadership and conflict management. Some of the takeaway messages include The need for prior preparation, Knowing our territory (terrain) when to hold and consolidate resources or retreat, and being adaptive. Leaders can use these strategies in a competitive environment to make better, more accurate decisions and lead with both foresight and flexibility.

9. "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman

In the international bestseller Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman explains how two different types of thinking come into play depending on the situation. System 1 (fast) and System 2 (slow). This understanding enables leaders to approach decisions more effectively by recognising cognitive biases and avoiding mental traps. It provides a leadership perspective on decision-making, risks, and strategy that helps expand leaders' cognitive capabilities.

10. "Leadershift" by John C. Maxwell

Maxwell speaks here about the importance of leaders evolving, learning to evolve and becoming lifelong students. He describes eleven shifts leaders must make, including the Adaptive Shift, Production Shift and Influence Shift. Every shift enhances the abilities and thoughts to push through the challenges with survival techniques to navigate unfolding circumstances.

What's your favourite?