5 Books That Will Revolutionize Your Leadership Style

It’s shocking that people still think leadership is about

– being the boss,

– giving orders, and

– maintaining control.

But as a career coach, I’ve seen how this approach can hold you back. It held me back too, to be honest.

Until I challenged myself to rethink what it meant to be a leader.

Here are the 5 books that helped me change the way I looked at leadership. I’m sure they’ll help you too:

1. The Leader You Want to Be by Amy Jen Su

In this book, Amy talks about the 5 essential principles for bringing out your best self every day. These principles are:

(a) Purpose

(b) Process

(c) People

(d) Presence

(e) Peace

If one doesn’t possess these elements, they cannot be at their best, nor can they help others be their best.

2. The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek

In this book, Sinek explores the idea of leadership and success through the lens of 2 types of games: finite and infinite.

(a) Finite games have fixed rules, known players, and a clear endpoint.

(b) Infinite games have changing rules, unknown players, and no defined endpoint.

For him, most leaders operate with a finite mindset. They focus on short-term gains and clear wins.

But what a true leader should have is an infinite mindset, which emphasizes long-term vision, continuous improvement, and collaboration for a greater cause. \

3. The Empathy Edge by Maria Ross

This book explores the importance of empathy in business and how it can be a powerful tool for success. For her, empathy isn’t just a soft skill, but a critical component for establishing meaningful connections with customers, employees, and stakeholders. It helps in creating more innovative work cultures and increased profits.

4. Radical Candor by Kim Scott In this book, Scott explores how one can be a great boss without losing their humanity.

He introduces the idea of “Radical Candor,” which is about balancing two key elements: caring personally and challenging directly.

(a) Caring Personally: This means showing genuine concern for your team members as individuals.

(b) Challenging Directly: This involves giving honest, clear feedback that helps people improve.

While the first element creates a supportive work environment, the other addresses issues head-on without being aggressive.

5. The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier

This is a practical guide designed to help leaders and managers integrate coaching into their daily interactions.

It promotes asking more questions and giving less advice to unlock the potential of team members.

It combines insights from neuroscience and behavioral economics with practical advice and interactive tools to help readers develop effective coaching habits.

Which of these books speaks to you the most? Tell me in the comments! ????