Off the Shelf: (Books On Leadership)
As an avid reader, I love to share about the books that I’ve read and equally love to hear about the books you’re reading too.
Recently, I started keeping track of the books that I’ve read. If you subscribe to my monthly newsletter, you’ve likely noticed the Reader’s Corner section in each message.
Below I share the second list in a series of books that I’ve read. (View the other lists here: Books on Company Culture, Books on Business Operations & Books on Mindset). This particular list is dedicated to books that I believe help leaders be better leaders. I include a short description and the rating 1-5 (1 = not my fave, 5 = couldn’t put it down) that I gave it.
You’ll also find links to purchase directly from Amazon if you’re interested in reading any of the books mentioned. Please note that by clicking on the buttons below, as an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting my small business!
In her book, The Light We Carry, Michelle Obama shares personal stories and lessons learned from her experiences and helps her readers navigate the world of uncertainty with more grace, purpose and meaning.
An inspiration for my own business, Michael E. Gerber focuses readers on systematizing, delegating and understanding the business as an enterprise separate from oneself. Any current or prospective entrepreneur who knows their technical skills must now learn to leverage managerial and entrepreneurial skills would greatly benefit from this book.
This memoir by the 44th U.S. President, chronicles his journey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world. Obama transports readers to the halls of power while illuminating his beliefs and offering an intimate view of a family grounded in love and principle.
In his book, Jim Collins and his team identify key practices in areas like leadership, culture, strategy and management that allowed good companies to become visionary, forward-thinking industry leaders (aka great). Note: some of the companies have since gone out of business.
In “Who Not How” Dan Sullivan argues that focusing on finding the right people (the “who”) is more important than figuring out how to do things yourself (“the how”) for achieving success. He emphasizes the importance of building a strong team and effectively delegating tasks to free up your time and energy for focusing on higher-level thinking and strategic planning. While this book emphasizes the importance building a team around you, it’s important to find a balance. Completely relying on others without established systems can be risky, especially for crucial aspects of the business. A combination of strong team members and well-defined systems will help mitigate these risks and ensure smooth operations.
Takato Hirata draws on her real-world experience to give advice for communication, collaboration, and culture-building without in-person interactions for distributed teams finding success. Any leaders or managers navigating the future of remote or hybrid work may find this helpful for guidance on keeping teams aligned, motivated, and productive.
Blending psychology research and real-world examples, Melena offers the tools to foster ownership, emotional investment, and resilience in team members instead of micromanaging. An excellent read for those who want to equip themselves with the mindset and skills to coach their people to their maximum potential.
In this inspirational memoir by the iconic soccer star, Rapinoe reveals the principles that guide her success on and off the field. She blends personal stories of her journey as an athlete and activist with candid wisdom on confidence, resilience, equality and authenticity.
No Ego by Cy Wakeman shows how ego can ruin teamwork and destroy relationships while offering a revolutionary process called Reality-Based Leadership to cultivate ego-less, resilient teams focused on facts, accountability, and solutions. Leaders, managers, and employees who want to reduce workplace drama and maximize productivity should read No Ego for its simple, common sense approach to ego management and getting things done.