20 Best Books About Leadership (2023 Update)

Whether challenged with taking on a startup, turning a business around, or inheriting a high-performing unit, a new leader's success or failure is determined within the first 90 days on the job. in this hands-on guide, michael watkins, a noted expert on leadership transitions, offers proven strategies for moving successfully into a new role at any point in one's career. the first 90 days provides a framework for transition acceleration that will help leaders diagnose their situations, craft winning transition strategies, and take charge quickly. practical examples illustrate how to learn about new organizations, build teams, create coalitions, secure early wins, and lay the foundation for longer-term success. in addition, watkins provides strategies for avoiding the most common pitfalls new leaders encounter, and shows how individuals can protect themselves-emotionally as well as professionally-during what is often an intense and vulnerable period.concise and actionable, this is the survival guide no new leader should be without." few companies develop a systematic 'on-boarding' process for their new leaders, even though this is a critical function with major organizational implications. michael watkins's the first 90 days provides a powerful framework and strategies that will enable new leaders to take charge quickly. it is an invaluable tool for that most vulnerable time-the transition." -goli darabi, senior vice president, corporate leadership & succession management, fidelity investments"every job-private- or public-sector, civilian or military-has its breakeven point, and everyone can accelerate their learning. read this book at least twice: once before your next transition-before getting caught up in the whirl and blur of new faces, names, acronyms, and issues; then read it again after you've settled in, and consider how to accelerate transitions for your next new boss and for those who come to work for you."-colonel eli alford, u.s. army"watkins provides an excellent road map, telling us what all new leaders need to know and do to accelerate their learning and success in a new role. the first 90 days should be incorporated into every company's leadership development strategy, so that anyone making a transition in an organization can get up to speed quicker and smarter."-suzanne m. danielle, director of global leadership development, aventis"michael watkins has nailed a huge corporate problem and provided the solution in one fell swoop. the pressure on new leaders to hit the ground running has never been greater, and the likelihood and cost of failure is escalating. watkins's timing with the first 90 days is impeccable."-gordon curtis, principal, curtis consulting "the first 90 days is a must-read for entrepreneurs. anyone who's been the ceo of a start-up or early-stage company knows that you go through many 90-day leadership transitions in the course of a company's formative years. in this groundbreaking book, michael watkins provides crucial insights, as well as a toolkit of techniques, to enable you to accelerate through these transitions successfully." -mike kinkead, president and ceo, timeblaster corporation, serial entrepreneur, and cofounder and trustee, massachusetts software council

Do people see you as the kind of leader you want to be? are your strongest leadership qualities getting in the way of your greatness? after decades of advising and inspiring some of the most eminent chief executives in the world, lolly daskal has uncovered a startling pattern: within each leader are powerful abilities that are also hidden impediments to greatness. she’s witnessed many highly driven, overachieving leaders rise to prominence fueled by well-honed skill sets, only to falter when the shadow sides of the same skills emerge.now daskal reveals her proven system, which leaders at any level can apply to dramatically improve their results. it begins with identifying your distinctive leadership archetype and recognizing its shadow:■ the rebel, driven by confidence, becomes the imposter, plagued by self-doubt. ■ the explorer, fueled by intuition, becomes the exploiter, master of manipulation. ■ the truth teller, who embraces candor, becomes the deceiver, who creates suspicion. ■ the hero, embodying courage, becomes the bystander, an outright coward. ■ the inventor, brimming with integrity, becomes the destroyer, who is morally corrupt. ■ the navigator, trusts and is trusted, becomes the fixer, endlessly arrogant. ■ the knight, for whom loyalty is everything, becomes the mercenary, who is perpetually self-serving.using psychology, philosophy, and her own experience, daskal offers a breakthrough perspective on leadership. she’ll take you inside some of the most cloistered boardrooms, let you in on deeply personal conversations with industry leaders, and introduce you to luminaries who’ve changed the world. her insights will help you rethink everything you know to become the leader you truly want to be.

What would happen if a leadership expert were willing to distill everything he's learned in his 30+ years of experience into a handful of life-changing principles just for you? it would change your life. – internationally-recognized leadership expert and bestselling author john c. maxwell wrote his million-seller the 21 laws of leadership over ten years ago. now, this expanded and updated edition of one of the most trusted and referenced leadership books features revised content that is fundamental to any leader. – maxwell provides new learnings that makes his original bestseller bigger and better including: sharpening and updating every law of leadership – seventeen new leadership stories – new evaluation tool revealing your leadership strengths and weaknesses – new application exercises in every chapter that help you grow – the 21 irrefutable laws of leadership features insights learned from maxwell's 30-plus years of leadership successes and mistakes with observations from the worlds of business, politics, sports, religion, and military conflict.

"in this book, three experts show companies how to build their own leaders by understanding the critical passages a leader must navigate, by providing the appropriate development for navigating those passages, and by building the right system for ensuring a full pipeline of leaders now and in the future." "together ram charan, stephen drotter, and james noel have substantial firsthand experience in leadership succession and development around the world. they have coached some of the world's top corporate leaders and have developed effective leadership succession and development programs for leading companies of all sizes." "drawing on this background, they provide readers with a proven method for building a leadership pipeline by defining six critical leadership passages, assessing competence and performance at each passage, and planning leadership development in a way that addresses the unique challenge of each passage." "the leadership pipeline's practical advice has proven to be applicable to companies of all sizes, to be particularly helpful to women and minorities, and to be effective in cross-cultural settings. it gives managers and human resource professionals the framework, tools, and language they need to help leaders at every level reach their full potential. it also gives individuals a framework for managing their own development and planning their own careers." –book jacket.

Can you inspire your team hearts and minds every day? if you can your organization will become one of the best in the world, and your team will perform at heights you never imagine. harvard business school gathered data from assessments of more than 50,000 leaders, and the ability to inspire stood out as one of the most critical competencies.inspiration creates the highest levels of engagement, it is what separates the best leaders from everyone else, and it is what employees want most in their leaders. whether you are the leader of a large, medium or small organization; a teacher, a v.p., ceo, father, mother, police officer, or hustler; this book was written to help you inspire your team to believe in the impossible. each chapter in this book will push you to become the leader you were destined to be; a leader of influence, a leader of value, a leader of vision and most importantly, an inspirational leader.

The co-author of the phenomenal new york times bestselling classic the one minute manager explores the skills needed to become an effective self leader in this essential work, now updated throughout.just as ken blanchard’s phenomenal bestselling classic the one minute manager gives leaders the three secrets to managing others, so this follow-up book gives people the three secrets to managing themselves. in self leadership and the one minute manager, readers will learn that accepting personal responsibility for their own success leads to power, freedom, and autonomy.through a captivating business parable, ken blanchard and coauthors susan fowler and laurence hawkins show readers how to apply the world-renowned situational leadership ii method to their own development. the story centers on steve, a young advertising executive who is about to lose his job. through a series of talks with a one minute manager protégé named cayla, steve learns the three secrets of self leadership. his newfound skills not only empower steve to keep his job, but also show him how to ditch his victim mentality to continue growing, learning, and achieving. for decades, millions of managers in fortune 500 companies and small businesses around the world have followed ken blanchard’s management methods to increase productivity, job satisfaction, and personal prosperity. now, this newly revised edition of self leadership and the one minute manager empowers people at every level of the organization to achieve success.

The best-selling leadership book of all time just got better! harper maxwell are celebrating the milestone anniversary of maxwell's new york times bestselling book the 21 irrefutable laws of leadership with the publication of a new revised and updated 25th anniversary edition. – maxwell has gone through every word of this book and updated it for the next generation of leaders. he has added new insights to these timeless laws and included lessons learned since he originally wrote the book. he removed dated stories and replaced them with fresh ones that apply to today's world of business. – what maxwell didn't change are the powerful leadership truths that have been helping people become better leaders for the last quarter century. this is still the best book on leadership people can buy, whether they want to learn leadership on their own, develop as leaders in a group, or teach leadership to others as a mentor. – readers new to maxwell, as well as lifelong fans will want to get this new edition of the leadership book that has sold millions of copies in the united states and around the world.

Sharing discoveries from a groundbreaking study that separated the leadership skills that get results from those that are inconsequential or harmful, leadership 2.0 introduces a new paradigm of leadership.a passcode provides online access to the self-assessment edition of the bestselling 360° refined leadership test. 360° refined will show you where your leadership skills stand today and what you can do to begin maximizing them immediately. core leadership skills (those that get people into leadership positions) will sharpen your saw, and adaptive leadership skills (those that set great leaders apart) will make you into the leader you've always wanted to be.

Yogi berra said, leading is easy, the hard part is getting people to follow. let this user-friendly guide show you the path to great leadership eliciting cooperation from a group of people of any size—from a project team to an army—can be like trying to tap dance on quicksand. although leadership might come easier to some people, it isn’t necessarily something you have to be born with as you’ll learn in this step-by-step guide to becoming a leader — leaders are made, not born, and just about anybody can become an effective leader. whether you aspire to being a leader, have had leadership thrust upon you, or are already a leader and want to be better at it, leadership for dummies is for you. short on theory and long on practical strategies and surefire techniques, it arms you with what you need to: build and flex your leadership muscles see opportunity amid change and crisis develop your own leadership style lead with effective communication and encouragement recognize the ten telltale behaviors of true leaders earn greater respect, success, and recognition teacher, preacher, coach, project leader. . . no matter what specific leadership role you want to fill, leadership for dummies provides you with a solid foundation to hone your leadership chops and instill trust in those you lead. you’ll discover: what it takes to be a leader and your own leadership potential common misconceptions about leadership how to be flexible and adaptive without compromising your principles the ongoing process of leadership how to prepare to assume the role of leader leadership in everyday life and how to take a more active role in your family, community, and the world at large what vision is and why it’s so necessary to great leadership how to develop (and act on) your own vision how to create winning teams and keep them following your lead this friendly and accessible guide also explains types of leadership, roles leaders take on to get the job done, and how the realities of leadership can affect your everyday life. if you want to know all of that and get quick ideas about leadership and the art of persuading, grab your own copy of leadership for dummies today.

An elegant framework for more effective leadership bolman and deal’s four-frame model has been transforming business leadership for over 40 years. using a multidisciplinary approach to management, this deceptively simple model offers a powerful set of tools for navigating complexity and turbulence; as the political and economic climate continues to evolve, this model has never been more relevant than today. the structural frame explores the convergence of organizational structure and function, and shows why social architecture must take environment into account. case studies illustrate successful alignment in diverse organizations, and guidelines provide strategic insight for avoiding common pathologies and achieving the right fit. the human resource frame dissects the complex dynamics at the intersection of people and organizations and charts the leadership and human resource practices that build motivation and high performance. the political frame shows how competition, conflict, and the struggle for power and resources can be either a tool for growth or a toxic landmine for an individual or organization. case studies show how both constructive and destructive practices influence social, political, and economic trends both within and beyond organizational boundaries. the symbolic frame defines organizational culture, and delves into the emotional and existential underbelly of social life. it underscores the power of symbolic forms such as heroes, myths, and rituals in providing the glue that bonds social collectives together. the seventh edition has been updated with new information on cross-sector collaboration, generational differences, virtual environments, globalization, cross-cultural communication, and more, with an expanded instructor’s guide that includes summaries, mini-assessments, videos, and extra resources.

In business, leadership at every level is a requisite for company survival. yet the leadership pipeline — the internal strategy to grow leaders — in many companies is dry or nonexistent. drawing on their experiences at many fortune 500 companies, the authors show how organizations can develop leadership at every level by identifying future leaders, assessing their corporate confidence, planning their development, and measuring their results. they integrate the leadership development process with a succession planning process for a proven system that enables companies to constantly renew their pipeline without having to overspend for outside talent. their comprehensive breakdown of the six primary leadership transitions in the pipeline apply to almost any company structure. the new edition will have a new foreword and preface;chapters will each have new "observations from the field sections" with updates to the model, new stories and additional advice and a "frequently asked questions" section. in sum they have added 25% new material.

A fresh look at what it means to lead from two of the biggest names in leadership in these turbulent times, when the very foundations of organizations and societies are shaken, leaders need to move beyond pessimistic predictions, trendy fads, and simplistic solutions. they need to turn to what's real and what's proven. in their engaging, personal, and bold new book, bestselling authors james kouzes and barry posner reveal ten time-tested truths that discuss what every leader must know, the questions they must be prepared to answer, and the real-world issues they will likely face. in the book, you’ll find: material based on thirty years of research, more than one million responses to kouzes and posner's leadership assessment, and the questions people most want leaders to answer explorations of the fundamental, enduring truths of leadership that hold constant regardless of context or circumstance-leaders make a difference, credibility, values, trust, leading by example, heart, and more demonstrations of emerging leaders and what they need to know to be effective fans of the leadership challenge will find a dynamic new look at the real challenges leaders face today. the book draws from cases spanning three generations of leaders from around the world. it’s an indispensable resource leaders can use to do their real and necessary work-bringing about the essential changes that will renew organizations and communities.

The new york times bestselling author of reality-based leadership rejects the current fad of "engaging" employees and the emotional drama of "meeting their needs"–returning leadership to leaders and productivity to businesses.for years now, leaders in almost every industry have accepted two completely false assumptions–that change is hard, and that engagement drives results. those beliefs have inspired expensive attempts to shield employees from change, involve them in high-level decision-making, and keep them happy with endless “satisfaction surveys” and workplace perks. but what these engagement programs actually do, cy wakeman says, is inflate expectations and sow unhappiness, leaving employees unprepared to adapt to even minor changes necessary to the organization’s survival. rather than driving performance and creating efficiencies, these programs fuel entitlement and drama, costing millions in time and profit.it is high time to reinvent leadership thinking. stop worrying about your employees’ happiness, and start worrying about their accountability. cy wakeman teaches you how to hire “emotionally inexpensive” people, solicit only the opinions you need, and promote self-awareness in your whole team. no ego disposes with unproven hr maxims, and instead offers a complete plan to turn your office from a den of discontent to a happy, productive place.

All grown up, the highly educated generation y is moving into executive positions in corporations and government, as well as running their own businesses, where they are beginning to have a profound impact that will last for decades.written exclusively for gen y readers to address their unique needs, becoming the boss is a brisk, tech savvy success manual filled with real-world, actionable tips, from an expert they respect and relate to. lindsey pollak defines what leadership is and draws on original research, her own extensive experience, and interviews with newly minted gen y managers and entrepreneurs around the world to share the secrets of what makes them successful leaders—and shows young professionals how to use that knowledge to rise in their own careers.from learning to develop a style that appeals to your older colleagues, to discovering the key trends affecting your career, to mastering the classic rules of excellence that never go out of style, becoming the boss helps you identify your next professional move and shows you how to get there.

With a new foreword by ken blanchard adapting one minute manager techniques to enable successful leadership to happen. using different ways to motivate different kinds of people. leadership and the one minute manager goes straight to the heart of management as it describes the effective, adaptive styles of situational leadership. in clear and simple terms it teaches how to become a flexible and successful leader, fitting your style to the needs of the individual and to the situation at hand, and using the one minute manager techniques to enhance the motivation of others.

After her first two weeks observing the problems at decisiontech, kathryn petersen, its new ceo, had more than a few moments when she wondered if she should have taken the job. but kathryn knew there was little chance she would have turned it down. after all, retirement had made her antsy, and nothing excited her more than a challenge. what she could not have known when she accepted the job, however, was just how dysfunctional her team was, and how team members would challenge her in ways that no one ever had before. in the five dysfunctions of a team, patrick lencioni offers a leadership fable that is as compelling and enthralling as it is realistic, relevant, and practical. through his keen intellect and storytelling power, he turns to the fascinating, complex world of teams. kathryn petersen, decisiontech's ceo, faces the ultimate leadership crisis: uniting a team that is in such disarray that it threatens to bring down the entire company. will she succeed? will she be fired? will the company fail? lencioni's riveting tale serves as a timeless reminder that leadership requires as much courage as it does insight. throughout the story, lencioni reveals the five dysfunctions that go to the very heart of why teams—even the best ones—often struggle. he outlines a powerful model and actionable steps that can be used to overcome these common hurdles and build a cohesive, effective team. just as with his other books, lencioni has written a compelling fable with a deceptively simple yet powerful message for all those who strive to be exceptional team leaders.

Leaders are always looking for an edge. that often sends many of them looking for the next big thing. although leadership approaches and trendy management fads come and go, what remains the same? – internationally-recognized leadership expert, speaker, and author john c. maxwell touches on the process of developing the art of leadership by giving the reader practical tools and insights into developing the qualities found in great leaders. – as the authority on leadership today, maxwell shares his innovative yet timeless principles on how to effectively lead others has impacted the lives of thousands of business leaders. – in the 21 indispensable qualities of a leader, maxwell expands on the qualities every leaders needs to be successful such as: character – be a piece of the rock – charisma – the first impression can seal the deal – communication – without it, you travel alone – commitment – it separates doers from dreamers – competence – if you build it, they will come – everything rises and falls on leadership, and leadership truly develops from the inside out. if you can become the leader you ought to be on the inside, you will become the leader you want to be on the outside. when that happens, you'll be able to tackle anything in the world.

Leaders are always looking for an edge. that often sends many of them looking for the next big thing. although leadership approaches and trendy management fads come and go, what remains the same? – internationally-recognized leadership expert, speaker, and author john c. maxwell touches on the process of developing the art of leadership by giving the reader practical tools and insights into developing the qualities found in great leaders. – as the authority on leadership today, maxwell shares his innovative yet timeless principles on how to effectively lead others has impacted the lives of thousands of business leaders. – in the 21 indispensable qualities of a leader, maxwell expands on the qualities every leaders needs to be successful such as: character – be a piece of the rock – charisma – the first impression can seal the deal – communication – without it, you travel alone – commitment – it separates doers from dreamers – competence – if you build it, they will come – everything rises and falls on leadership, and leadership truly develops from the inside out. if you can become the leader you ought to be on the inside, you will become the leader you want to be on the outside. when that happens, you'll be able to tackle anything in the world.

Learning to lead others is the critical skill for today's managers. every day, you are challenged to lead-to get others to work at your direction towards your organization's goals. whether you have to lead, hope to lead, or need to create change in your organization, the advice it offers is invaluable.

Learning to lead others is the critical skill for today's managers. every day, you are challenged to lead-to get others to work at your direction towards your organization's goals. whether you have to lead, hope to lead, or need to create change in your organization, the advice it offers is invaluable.