Leadership is a vital management function that helps to direct an organization’s resources for improved efficiency and the achievement of goals. It is a complex role that involves technical knowledge, people skills, and skills you can’t plan for as situations arise. Good leadership is one that listens, inspires, motivates, and gives a direction, a common goal to aspire to.
Even if you’re not in a management role, leadership skills can help in your relationships, friendships, family, and even your perception of yourself.
Luckily for us all, there are many books to help us in our journey to be better leaders, in life and work. Here is a selection of titles from the past couple of years, available to check out with your Livingston Library card.
Candor : The Secret To Succeeding At Tough Conversations by Charles Causey
In a society where sensitivities take precedence over honesty, it can often feel impossible to openly speak your mind. From managing conflict resolution in the workplace to navigating differences at home, many issues remain unaddressed and unresolved when you cannot speak clearly, candidly, and truthfully for fear of negative consequences. In Candor, you’ll learn how truth and love together can unlock pathways to more effective leadership and relationships–even in a day and age when many remain silent for fear of speaking up.
The Heart Of Business : Leadership Principles For The Next Era Of Capitalism by Hubert Joly
Hubert Joly, former CEO of Best Buy and orchestrator of the retailer’s spectacular turnaround, unveils his personal playbook for achieving extraordinary outcomes by putting people and purpose at the heart of business. It requires radically rethinking how we view work, how we define companies, how we motivate, and how we lead. Joly shares memorable stories, lessons, and practical advice, all drawn from his own personal transformation from a hard-charging McKinsey consultant to a leader who believes in human magic.
How To Lead : Wisdom From The World’s Greatest CEOs, Founders, And Game Changers by David M. Rubenstein
The essential leadership playbook. Learn the principles and guiding philosophies of Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Warren Buffet, Oprah, and many others through illuminating conversations about their remarkable lives and careers.
Lead The Way In Five Minutes A Day : Sparking High Performance In Yourself And Your Team by Jo Anne Preston
This book skips the complex theories and jargon and gets right to practical solutions. Eleven chapters cover every-day, real-life topics like communication, diversity, and workplace culture. Each chapter begins with a self-assessment guide so you can identify relevant strengths to develop and address opportunities for growth.
Leading With Gratitude : Eight Leadership Practices For Extraordinary Business Results by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton
Authors Gostick & Elton believe that gratitude is one of the most critical skills for leaders to learn, and maintain that when it is authentic, specific, and timely, it can boost employee motivation and productivity.
The Leader’s Guide To Unconscious Bias : How To Reframe Bias, Cultivate Connection, And Create High-Performing Teams by Pamela Fuller
Meant for every manager who wants to understand and move past their own preconceived ideas, this book explains that bias is the result of mental shortcuts and our likes and dislikes, and is a natural part of the human condition. And what we assume about each other and how we interact with one another has vast effects on our organizational success, especially in the workplace.
Leadership Is Language : The Hidden Power Of What You Say, And What You Don’t by David L. Marquet
You might imagine that an effective leader is someone who makes quick, intelligent decisions, gives inspiring speeches, and issues clear orders to their team so they can execute a plan to achieve your organization’s goals. Marquet argues that it’s an outdated model of leadership that just doesn’t work anymore. In order to harness the eyes, ears, and minds of your people, you need to foster a climate of collaborative experimentation that encourages people to speak up when they notice problems and work together to identify and test solutions.
Leadership Strategy And Tactics : Field Manual by Jocko Willink
This manual, by former Navy SEAL Willink, explains how to take leadership theory, quickly translate that theory into applicable strategy, and then put leadership into action at a tactical level. Business principles are cloaked here in military teachings about strategy, while the tactical discussion explains his guidance for leaders interested in making behavioral adjustments to enhance their relationship with their teams. The author emphasizes the importance of humility, and he makes direct connections between leadership in the world of business and leadership learned via combat experience.
Leading From Anywhere : The Essential Guide To Managing Remote Teams by David Burkus
The ultimate guide to leading remote employees and teams, tackling the key challenges that managers face-from hiring and onboarding new members to building culture remotely, tracking productivity, communicating speedily, and retaining star employees.
Own Your Authority : Follow Your Instincts, Radiate Confidence And Communicate As A Leader People Trust by Marisa Santoro
Santoro identifies five aspects you need to own your confidence and lead with ease: Be clear on how you’re perceived and how you relate with others. Be willing to act on instinct in the face of fear. Be aware of the instinctive yellow alerts flagging your indecision-they’re there for a reason and they’ll help you make the best decision. Trust your “intuitive gut gene,” an instinct that helps you make bold moves. Speak out and openly express yourself without apology, restriction, or worry about other people’s opinions. Self-confidence is a universal prerequisite for being an effective leader.
Play Nice But Win : A CEO’s Journey From Founder To Leader by Michael Dell
More than an honest portrait of a leader at a crossroads, this is a survival story proving that while anyone with technological insight and entrepreneurial zeal might build something great-it takes a leader to build something that lasts.
Stronger Through Adversity : World Class Leaders Share Pandemic-Tested Lessons On Thriving During The Toughest Challenges by Joseph A. Michelli
Michelli provides the invaluable wisdom he gained from 130+ top global business leaders on all aspects of leading through and beyond COVID, including crisis management, keeping employees and customers safe, maintaining a culture of engagement, rapidly innovating, and more.
Lessons and courses on leadership can be accessed via Gale Courses and Universal Class.
-Archana, Adult Services & Acquisitions Librarian