Top 10 Leadership Books of 2023: How to Become a Better Leader in Any Situation

Leadership is one of the most sought-after skills in the world. Whether you are a CEO, a manager, a student, or a parent, you can benefit from learning how to lead yourself and others effectively. But with so many books on leadership out there, how do you know which ones are worth your time and attention?

To help you out, I have compiled a list of the top 10 leadership books of 2023. These books cover a wide range of topics, from personal productivity to organizational culture, from inspiring vision to practical execution. They are written by some of the most respected and influential leaders of our time, who share their insights, stories, and lessons learned from their own experiences.

1. Eat the Frog: How to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy.

This book (Eat the Frog) is based on the famous quote by Mark Twain: "If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first." The book teaches you how to identify your most important tasks, prioritize them, and tackle them with focus and discipline. It also gives you tips and strategies to overcome procrastination, manage your time, and achieve your goals faster and easier. A notable quote from the book is: "The key to success is action."

2. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You by John C. Maxwell. This book is a classic in the field of leadership as it presents 21 universal principles that apply to any leader, regardless of their position, industry, or background.

The book explains each 21 laws with examples and stories from history, business, sports, and politics. It also provides practical applications and exercises to help you apply the laws to your own situation.

A notable quote from the book (The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership) is: "Leadership is influence."

3. Seagull: How to Fly High and Free in Life and Work by Richard Bach. This book is a fable about a seagull named Jonathan Livingston Seagull, who dares to pursue his passion for flying beyond the limits of his flock. He faces rejection, ridicule, and exile, but he never gives up on his dream. He learns from other seagulls who share his vision, and he eventually becomes a master of flight and a leader of his own kind.

The book is a metaphor for anyone who wants to follow their own path, challenge the status quo, and achieve excellence in their field.

A notable quote from the book (Seagull) is: "You have the freedom to be yourself, your true self, here and now, and nothing can stand in your way."

4. Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't by Simon Sinek. This book is based on the idea that great leaders create a culture of trust and cooperation within their teams. They do this by putting the needs of their followers before their own, by sacrificing their comfort and security for the sake of others, and by inspiring them with a shared vision and purpose. The book draws on examples from various fields, such as the military, business, sports, and education. It also explains how leaders can use neuroscience and biology to understand human behavior and motivation.

A notable quote from the book (Leaders Eat Last) is: "The true price of leadership is the willingness to place the needs of others above your own."

5. Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts by Brené Brown. This book is based on the research and experience of Brené Brown, a renowned expert on vulnerability, courage, shame, and empathy. The book argues that leadership is not about having power or authority, but about being willing to show up, be seen, and connect with others authentically. The book teaches you how to cultivate four essential skills for effective leadership: rumbling with vulnerability, living into your values, braving trust, and learning to rise. It also provides tools and exercises to help you practice these skills in your personal and professional life.

A notable quote from the book is: "We don't lead despite our fears and feelings; we lead with our fears and feelings."

6. The Mentor Leader: Secrets to Building People and Teams That Win Consistently by Tony Dungy

This book is written by Tony Dungy, a former NFL coach who led his team to win the Super Bowl in 2007. He shares his philosophy of leadership which is based on mentoring rather than commanding, on serving rather than controlling, on influencing rather than imposing. He believes that the best leaders are those who help others grow personally and professionally, inspire them with their vision and values, challenge them with high expectations and accountability, support them with encouragement and resources, and model excellence and integrity in everything they do. This book will help you become a mentor leader.

The quote I liked the most from this book is "Remember that mentor leadership is all about serving. Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45)."

7. The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz. This book is written by Ben Horowitz, a co-founder and partner of Andreessen Horowitz, one of the most successful venture capital firms in Silicon Valley. He shares his candid and practical advice on how to deal with the hard things that every leader faces in building and running a business, such as hiring and firing, raising money and managing cash flow, creating and executing strategy, making decisions and solving problems, handling crises and conflicts, scaling and innovating, leading and motivating, learning and growing. This book will help you face the hard things about hard things.

Some of my favorite quotes from this book are as I truly relate to it and I am sure, you will be as well:

• “The hard thing isn’t setting a big, hairy, audacious goal. The hard thing is laying people off when you miss the big goal.”
• “The most important thing about culture is that it’s the only sustainable point of difference for any organization. Anyone can copy your product, your strategy, your execution, but nobody can copy your culture.” - 100% agree here!
• “The first rule of organizational design is that all organizational designs are bad.”

8. How to Lead: Wisdom from the World’s Greatest CEOs, Founders, and Game Changers by David M. Rubenstein.

This book is based on the interviews that David M. Rubenstein, a co-founder and co-executive chairman of The Carlyle Group, a global investment firm, has conducted with some of the most influential and successful leaders in the world, such as Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffett, Barack Obama, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and many more. He distils their insights and lessons into 10 essential attributes of leadership, such as vision, values, communication, decision-making, innovation, crisis management, diversity, philanthropy, legacy, and humility. He also shares his own reflections and experiences as a leader in business and philanthropy. This book will help you learn from the best.

Some of these quotes that I have always lived through and will always do:

“The most important thing in leadership is honesty, integrity, and trust. Without these qualities, you won’t be able to lead effectively.”

“The best leaders are those who are able to inspire others to achieve great things.”

“Leadership is about taking risks, making tough decisions, and being willing to fail.”

“The best way to lead is by example. If you want your team to work hard and be dedicated, you need to set the tone by working hard and being dedicated yourself.”

“The most successful leaders are those who are able to adapt to change and embrace new ideas.”

(If you're interested to read, buy a copy from Amazon!)

9. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear. This book is a comprehensive guide on how to create and maintain habits that will improve your performance and results as a leader. James Clear, a writer and speaker who has studied the science of behavior change for years, explains the four laws of habit formation: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, and make it satisfying. He also provides practical strategies and tools to apply these laws to your personal and professional goals. He shows how small changes in your habits can lead to big outcomes in your life. This book will help you master your habits.

Some of my best quotes from the book:

• “Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity.”
• “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
• “Goals are good for setting a direction, but systems are best for making progress.”
• “Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.”
• “All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger.”

The more I read it it has strengthened my belief that "It's important to make continuous improvements by doing small things every day to achieve your goal." This has led me to keep my own time for book reading and helped me to apply many principles when it comes to tough decisions, goal setting, and prioritizing first thing first.

10. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey. This book is one of my long favorites and I have read this again and again. This book is classic in the field of personal development and leadership. It presents seven habits that are based on universal principles of effectiveness: be proactive, begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think win-win, seek first to understand then to be understood, synergize, sharpen the saw. It teaches you how to align your actions with your values, how to set and achieve your goals, how to manage your time and priorities, how to communicate and collaborate with others, how to solve problems and resolve conflicts, how to balance your roles and responsibilities, how to renew yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Some great quotes that changed me into what I am today are:

• “But until a person can say deeply and honestly, ‘I am what I am today because of the choices I made yesterday,’ that person cannot say, ‘I choose otherwise.’” This is so very true in by taking responsibility for one’s own life and actions, and how they shape one’s future.
• “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” I can't agree more. We leaders need more effective listening, which involves patience, openness, and empathy, rather than just waiting for one’s turn to speak.
• “Start with the end in mind.” i.e. to have a clear vision of our desired outcomes and goals, and to align our actions with them.
• “To change ourselves effectively, we first had to change our perceptions.” It means that our reality is shaped by our paradigms, or the way we see the world and that we need to examine and challenge them if we want to improve ourselves.

This book will help you become a highly effective leader.

To me, all the above books are not only informative and insightful but also engaging and entertaining. These books make you think, reflect, and act on your leadership potential. But don't stop here. I also believe there are many more books that can help you grow as a leader in 2024 and beyond. Here are five books that I suggest you to add to your next read list in 2024:

?- Charismatic Leadership: The Skills You Can Learn to Motivate High Performance in Others by Kevin Murray

- Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters by McKinsey & Company

- The Infinite Game: How Great Businesses Achieve Long-Lasting Success by Simon Sinek

?- Radical Candor: How to Get What You Want by Saying What You Mean by Kim Scott

- The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact by Chip Heath and Dan Heath.

I hope you enjoyed this blog post :-) and found it useful for your leadership journey. If you did, please share it with your friends colleagues or anyone who might benefit from it. And don't forget to leave a comment below with your feedback or questions. Thank you for reading and happy leading!