The Seven Most Essential Leadership Books for Business Professionals

It is very well known that individuals can nurture their leadership skills over time as they get more experienced in managing teams. It allows them to work on their mistakes and reflect on their successes. One other way to groom one's leadership skills is by reading these seven outstanding books in the blog article below. So, read ahead for a healthy dose of inspiration!

1. Jim Collins' “Good to Great”

“Good to Great” teaches leaders how to turn their “good” businesses into “great.” Jim Collins examines why some leaders do not move from good to great or just sit pretty while others get ahead of them. The skills that distinguish great from good businesses include discipline, humility, and stress on long-term results, so firms should focus on nurturing these skills within their leaders and their teams.

2. Stephen Covey's “The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People”

Millions of leadership experts have talked about “The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People” by Stephen Covey for over 30 years. As Covey outlines in the book, the seven essential habits for personal and professional growth include proactivity, beginning with keeping the end in mind, understanding first before being understood, and others. 

3. Simon Sinek's “Leaders Eat Last”

Simon Sinek explores leadership through a biological lens in “Leaders Eat Last.” Sinek advocates that leaders can acquire long-term success by ensuring their team members' well-being first and nurturing an environment of cooperation and trust. The idea is to look out for those individuals who work for you in accomplishing team goals and help you be a solid leader.

4. Eric Ries' “The Lean Startup”

“The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries provides a solid blueprint for innovation in entrepreneurship. The book speaks about how best to launch one's business and make it successful. The ideas are based on experimentation and fast iteration. Ries believes that failure is a natural part of the business process and should not be taken negatively. In fact, it should be utilized as a teaching opportunity with an emphasis on adaptability and flexibility.

5. Daniel Pink's “Drive”

Daniel Pink, in “Drive,” questions existing ideas about employee motivation. He argues that the traditional model of reward and punishment does not suit modern work. As such, a new model of motivation via purpose, mastery, and autonomy should replace the traditional model because those are more impactful than salaries and perks. Managers can build highly driven and motivated teams by reading this book.

6. Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander's “The Art of Possibility”

The Zanders speak of how music powers the best-known leadership principles in “The Art of Possibility.” Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander speak of how one can nurture an environment of possibility where every team member is willing to take risks and pursue dreams. The book echoes that leadership is primarily based on influencing and empowering others while getting the job done.

7. Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler's “Crucial Conversations”

This book should be treated more as a manual that allows leaders to have “Crucial Conversations” with their teams. The terrific trio of authors on board explain how best to effectively communicate during challenging situations, including workplace conflicts, people management, negotiations, disputes, and performance reviews. The book helps one make the tough calls and be brave about making them. The book serves as a guide to fostering strong team relationships and healthy communication.

These seven books offer something new for every leader, no matter their experience and position. In fact, a lot of these books are my accomplished business leaders. Therefore, it is imperative for anyone to read these outstanding books for excellent insights, action plans, and incredible advice. If you want to up your game, there is no better place to start than reading these seven books.

LEARN MORE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

You may also contact Michael at Leadership Speakers Bureau to schedule him for speaking or leadership engagements.