11 Leadership Books That Changed My Life

“You're the same today as you'll be in five years except for the people you meet and the books you read.”  - Charlie "Tremendous" Jones

Your immediate reaction may be, "Wait, I don't have any spare time to read for leisure."

The important takeaway here is you cannot afford not to read. Time is one of life's guaranteed equalizers. Meaning regardless of who you are, what you do professionally - despite where you live, and the amount of money you earn - all of us equally receive twenty-four hours each day to accomplish our goals and tasks. How you prioritize allocating this most precious resource is life's ultimate game-changer. Once you align your day with your goals and purpose, you'll soon recognize you actually have the requisite time to read books -- thus investing in yourself, your relationships and business.

I have been asked to share the list of my favorite leadership books. There are so many of great books that has helped me grow personally and professionally. First and foremost, the bible has been the source of it all for me. In addition to it, here is the list of 11 leadership books that have impacted me:

1.  The 5 Levels of Leadership: Proven Steps to Maximize Your Potential

The 5 Levels of Leadership are: 

• Position - People follow because they have to.
• Permission - People follow because they want to.
• Production - People follow because of what you have done for the organization.
• People Development - People follow because of what you have done for them personally.
• 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.

2.  Outwitting the Devil: The Secret to Freedom and Success

Bestselling author Napoleon Hill reveals the seven principles of good that allow us to triumph over obstacles . . . and find success.

Using his legendary ability to get to the root of human potential, Napoleon Hill digs deep to reveal how fear, procrastination, anger, and jealousy prevent us from realizing our personal goals. This long-suppressed parable, once considered too controversial to publish, was written by Hill in 1938 following the publication of his classic bestseller, Think and Grow Rich. Annotated and edited for a contemporary audience by Rich Dad, Poor Dad and Three Feet from Gold coauthor Sharon Lechter, this book--now available in paper--is profound, powerful, resonant, and rich with insight.

3.  Lead Like Jesus

"The more I read the Bible, the more evident it becomes that everything I have ever taught or written about effective leadership over the past 25 years, Jesus did to perfection. He is simply the greatest leadership role model of all time." -Ken Blanchard

Effective leadership—whether on the job, in the community, at church or in the home—starts on the inside. Before you can hope to lead anyone else, you have to know who you are. Every leader must answer two critical questions:

-      Whose are you going to be?

-      Who are you going to be?

One deals with your relationship to Christ. The other with your life purpose.

4.  Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't

For years, this question preyed on the mind of Jim Collins. Are there companies that defy gravity and convert long-term mediocrity or worse into long-term superiority? And if so, what are the universal distinguishing characteristics that cause a company to go from good to great?

The Standards:

Using tough benchmarks, Collins and his research team identified a set of elite companies that made the leap to great results and sustained those results for at least fifteen years. How great? After the leap, the good-to-great companies generated cumulative stock returns that beat the general stock market by an average of seven times in fifteen years, better than twice the results delivered by a composite index of the world's greatest companies, including Coca-Cola, Intel, General Electric, and Merck.

5.  The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable

In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team Patrick Lencioni once again offers a leadership fable that is as enthralling and instructive as his first two best-selling books, The Five Temptations of a CEO and The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive. This time, he turns his keen intellect and storytelling power to the fascinating, complex world of teams.

Throughout the story, Lencioni reveals the five dysfunctions which go to the very heart of why teams even the best ones-often struggle. He outlines a powerful model and actionable steps that can be used to overcome these common hurdles and build a cohesive, effective team. Just as with his other books, Lencioni has written a compelling fable with a powerful yet deceptively simple message for all those who strive to be exceptional team leaders.

6.  Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

After decades of research, world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., discovered a simple but groundbreaking idea: the power of mindset. In this brilliant book, she shows how success in school, work, sports, the arts, and almost every area of human endeavor can be dramatically influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities. People with a fixed mindset—those who believe that abilities are fixed—are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset—those who believe that abilities can be developed. Mindset reveals how great parents, teachers, managers, and athletes can put this idea to use to foster outstanding accomplishment.

7.  As a Man Thinketh & from Poverty to Power

As we think, so we become. This fundamental truth, which some have called "The Secret" or the "Law of Attraction," was clearly and convincingly argued for the first time in James Allen's masterpiece, As a Man Thinketh.

Allen reveals how our thoughts shape our character, and manifest themselves in our finances, health, appearance, and environment. The choice is yours: either master your thoughts and create the life you want; or remain mired in negativity, frustration, and failure.

8.  The 7 Powers of Questions: Secrets to Successful Communication in Life and at Work

Questions demand answers 

Questions stimulate thinking 

Questions give us valuable information 

Questions put us in control 

Questions get people to open up 

Questions lead to quality listening 

Questions get people to sell themselves

They're an essential tool of the seeker and the problem-solver, and in our personal and professional lives, they can make the difference between getting what we want and going without. Questions have power-and by harnessing that power, we can change our world. This unique book reveals the seven powers of questions-and shows how to use them most effectively. Learn how questions can improve relationships, help determine what people really want, uncover opportunities, persuade others, and get more out of every business or personal encounter.

9.  Wooden on Leadership: How to Create a Winning Organization

"Team spirit, loyalty, enthusiasm, determination. . . . Acquire and keep these traits and success should follow."

--Coach John Wooden

John Wooden’s goal in 41 years of coaching never changed; namely, to get maximum effort and peak performance from each of his players in the manner that best served the team. Wooden on Leadership explains step-by-step how he pursued and accomplished this goal. Focusing on Wooden’s 12 Lessons in Leadership and his acclaimed Pyramid of Success, it outlines the mental, emotional, and physical qualities essential to building a winning organization, and shows you how to develop the skill, confidence, and competitive fire to “be at your best when your best is needed”--and teach your organization to do the same.

10. Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't 

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.

11. Men Built for Others: Life Lessons from Those Serving Life Sentences

If you can learn to be happy regardless of where you are, I believe you have the capacity to impact the world significantly. Men Built for Others, is a sobering, eye-opening and powerfully engaging compilation of the harrowing journey life can take when we fail to value ourselves and the sanctity of human life. Men Built for Others is uncensored, vulnerably raw, and insightful. Eleven true stories are written, edited, and compiled by men serving life sentences at the Soledad State Prison in California.

Life is fleeting and tomorrow isn’t promised to any of us. Commit yourself to reading constantly and consistently, and you’ll eventually discover everything you need to write your own book. I believe each and every single one of us has a book waiting to be written. The sooner you master effective listening, reading, and writing – the sooner you will be able to share your unique story with the rest of the world!

I also would like to share with you my book and Bestseller "The 'No Excuses' Mindset" which is now accompanied with "The 'No Excuses' Mindset Mastermind" and "The 'No Excuses' Success Planner." With this trio, take back your life and render it Excuse Free. Isn't it time for you to turn your excuses into excellence and your success into significance? Live a life of purpose, passion, and clarity with "The 'No Excuses' Mindset."