Learn from some of the greats
When it comes to business and management, leadership is a highly discussed topic among enthusiasts and entrepreneurs. It is important to build leadership skills if you are a manager or business owner, as these will help you grow your people and create a lasting impact in a business.
Becoming a better manager and leader is a journey that takes time and experience. While it is definitely a challenge to master leadership, with dedication to self-growth, you too can become a great leader.
Reading is an ideal place to start. It is said that successful leaders read an average of 60 books per year. Luckily with technology, you can listen to book while exercising, read book summaries and watch videos to get the same type of education.
To help you develop the proper leadership mindset and understand some of the best practices, consider adding these five books to add to your reading list.
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t, by Jim Collins
Jim Collins, the bestselling author known for being a teacher of “what makes great companies tick,” talks about companies that went from good to great. He discussed how the best businesses manage to sustain their growth even after many years by highlighting 11 companies that stayed great for at least 15 years. This book will surely give you insights on what leadership traits were observed and what type of culture can help companies succeed.
Extreme Ownership: How US Navy SEALS Lead and Win, by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
First released in 2015, this book quickly became a bestseller among readers, with authors and former SEALS Willink and Babin discussing leadership principles that worked in the military. The book is unique because it talks about you can apply these strategies to just about any team, including the business world.
Humble Leadership: The Power of Relationships, Openness, and Trust, by Edgar Schein and Peter Schein
Company culture is another important facet to learn about when trying to understand leadership. It affects people’s productivity, motivation, and overall morale. Father and son duo Edgar and Peter explored this concept in their book, where they talked about the importance of leadership in improving group performance. In business terms, this is often called “Level 2 leadership,” which focuses on building relationships and connecting with others.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, by Patrick Lencioni
Communicating and working effectively with teams is critical for any leader as you have to know how you can bring out the best in your people to achieve success. In this book, Lencioni highlights the five dysfunctions that prevent teams from performing well. Read about real-life situations that leaders faced and how they dealt with problems to understand how to manage similar circumstances if you come across them.
The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations by James Kouzes and Barry Posner
This book has served as the go-to option for aspiring leaders for over 25 years now, offering more than 100 case studies the author’s Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership in the real world. No matter where you are in your learning journey, this book will be a valuable resource that can teach you more about how you can get to the next level and, as the title suggests, make extraordinary things happen.
We hope you enjoy this selection of books. If you or your team are looking for talent, contact us to help you find and select the best!