THE 9 BEST LEADERSHIP BOOKS TO UPLEVEL IN YOUR CAREER

Do you want to become a better leader? 

Whether you’re new to leadership and struggling to adjust, or experienced and looking to refine and further improve your skills, there are plenty of books out there to help.

Here are 9 of our favorite leadership books that every leader or aspiring leader needs to read. 

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1. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You by John C. Maxwell

If you’re in a position of responsibility that requires leading others, this book is an absolute must! Whether you’re looking to develop your own leadership skills, help those around you develop into better leaders, or just looking for a quick refresher on the key principles, this is ideal. 

The author uses key principles, combined with real-life, relevant examples, to give a comprehensive guide suitable for natural-born leaders, as well as those that are struggling. This book will prepare you for any situation you might encounter.

 

 

2. The EQ Leader: Instilling Passion, Creating Shared Goals, and Building Meaningful Organizations through Emotional Intelligence by Steven J. Stein

Our next must-read book is one that focuses on the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership. In this book, the author discusses, in detail, the benefits of taking a more collaborative approach to leading others using a multitude of techniques. 

It provides a complete picture of the EQ leader 4-pillar model, including clear steps on how to incorporate these skills to motivate others, communicate in a more authentic and meaningful way, and support others and nurture their skills. This makes it perfect for all leaders!

 

 

3. The 7 Secrets of Neuron Leadership: What Top Military Commanders, Neuroscientists, and the Ancient Greeks Teach Us about Inspiring Teams by W. Craig Reed

The 7 Secrets of Neuron Leadership is a compelling read that can really help you take your leadership skills to the next level. It cleverly combines the latest neurological research with timeless knowledge from military commanders and the Ancient Greeks. 

As well as being interesting and insightful, it also provides a lot of highly actionable advice, including stories from veterans. This book explains leadership in a way that’s easy to understand. We highly recommend reading it!

 

 

4. Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World by Tim Ferriss

Next on our list is Tribe of Mentors, which contains interviews with over 130 very successful people from very different walks of life. In the book, Tim Ferriss asks the same question to each mentor and, as you can imagine, the responses vary greatly. 

The people interviewed include entrepreneurs and inventors, tech experts, top-level athletes, coaches, artists, and more. This book has loads of interesting stories and advice and, overall, is an easy-to-read, inspiring collection of stories and advice pieces.

 

 

5. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t by Jim Collins

Another awesome book on leadership is this one by Jim Collins. This is a must-read book, asking tough questions about business, life, and how to become successful and stay that way – including the importance of disciplined thoughts and actions. 

The book focuses on patterns in high-achieving companies and individuals, in particular, businesses that start with an average value, then skyrocket to become major success stories. Overall, this is a well laid out, easy-to-follow, well-structured book that’s helpful and thought-provoking. 

 

 

6. Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek

Every leader or aspiring leader needs to read this book! It has great reviews, and we can totally see why. It’s eye-opening and inspiring, taking simple concepts and applying them to the real world. 

Simon Sinek investigates the success of some of the world’s greatest leaders and companies, including Apple, Southwest, and Harley- Davidson, and, importantly, explains the why behind their success. 

If you want to build your leadership skills, this book provides timeless information and advice, as well as life-changing ideas and simple changes you can make to your mindset. 

 

 

7. Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization by Dave Logan, John King, Halee Fischer-Wright

According to this book, tribes still exist in most modern companies. The author explains that natural groups always occur, and leaders need to learn to identify these tribes and develop individuals through a variety of techniques, such as providing strong incentives. 

The book provides clear definitions and thoroughly explains behavioral patterns and culture in groups of people. It places a strong emphasis on communication skills and how you can use these tribes to your advantage, rather than them becoming a hindrance.

 

 

8. The 5 Levels of Leadership: Proven Steps to Maximize Your Potential by John C. Maxwell

If you want to become the best leader you can be, this book is for you! John Maxwell is an excellent author and highly knowledgeable on the subject of leadership. The book can help you take your leadership to the next level!

It is a fantastic resource for businesses and individuals wanting to grow their skills, develop, and be more successful. The simple but effective framework examines human behavior and how trust in leaders is built. Then, it gives practical steps you can use to put this into action. 

 

 

9. Give and Take by Adam Grant

Last but not least, the final book on our list is Give and Take by Adam Grant. This book takes a deeper look at the importance of interactions and maintaining strong, healthy business relationships alongside traditional success drivers like passion, hard work, and talent. 

The book has received a lot of praise from social scientists, as well as many business experts and leaders. It’s a really good read for leaders trying to build a balanced culture through their leadership style. 

 

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