How Books Develop Leadership Skills

Business school doesn’t teach you to be a leader. 7 books to learn what you've been missing: Leadership isn't one-size-fits-all. It's a reflection of: – mindset – emotional agility – systems thinking – ability to multiply the best in others 86% of executives say leadership development is crucial to long-term success. But most leadership programs still miss the human side of leadership. These seven books have shaped how I lead, grow teams, and think about organizational culture: 1. Centered Leadership – Barsh & Lavoie ➤ Leadership begins within. A blend of resilience, presence, and purpose – ideal for navigating complexity. https://lnkd.in/g9yFkN-X 2. Leadership – Peter G. Northouse ➤ A foundational tour of leadership theories, with frameworks that translate into real action. https://lnkd.in/g6dYSiNJ 3. Leaders Eat Last – Simon Sinek ➤ Trust and safety aren't perks; they're leadership duties. Sinek explains how to build environments where people thrive. https://lnkd.in/ggCDkxzM 4. Primal Leadership – Goleman, Boyatzis & McKee ➤ Emotional intelligence isn’t a soft skil. It’s core to great leadership. This helped me navigate high-stakes conversations with more clarity and calm. https://lnkd.in/gUyG9Uub 5. The Leadership Challenge – Kouzes & Posner ➤ Timeless, practical, and research-backed. “The Five Practices” offer a roadmap for building influence through values and action. https://lnkd.in/g-X-86hS 6. The Fifth Discipline – Peter Senge ➤ This one shifted how I see organizations: from performance machines to living, learning ecosystems. https://lnkd.in/gVZnj4mY 7. Multipliers – Liz Wiseman ➤ Are you amplifying the intelligence of those around you, or accidentally diminishing it? https://lnkd.in/ghpMuwsn Leadership isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about creating the conditions for others to thrive. What books have shaped your leadership style? I’d love to hear what’s on your list. 👇 ♻️ Repost to help leaders in your network hone their skills Follow me, Jill Avey for more leadership insights Research: https://lnkd.in/gPA5u98T

Nelson Mandela's autobiography is a masterclass in leadership. Every single leader out there needs to read it. I won't lie, it's a heavy read. It's like 1200 pages. But it's the number one book I'd recommend for leaders. Unlike typical leadership books that focus on self-praise and prescriptive advice, Mandela’s story is way more inspiring because he doesn’t set out to teach leadership. Instead, he shares his experiences and the challenges he faced in a way that subtly reveals what it means to be a true leader. One of the most striking things in his story is that Mandela stops his book right as he’s released from prison, which is a crazy choice because right after that, he becomes President of South Africa. This choice alone shows his humility—he’s more focused on implementing the lessons he learned during his imprisonment vs taking time to celebrate his own achievements. It's kind of insane the way his life plays out because he never actually seeks out leadership, he just gets put in circumstances where he commands respect and authority through his own brand of quiet intensity. Nelson doesn't ask for authority, people give it to him. My biggest takeaway from the book is actually how it forces you as a leader to ask yourself what your leadership style is. How do you show up? Why do you show up that way? It's not telling you how to lead like Nelson, it's asking you to align with your own leadership style. For any leader (or aspiring leader), this book has super valuable insights on leading with humility and creating a deep sense of purpose—I HIGHLY recommend you read it.

I've read A LOT of leadership books while running People Leader Book Club and mentoring managers. Here are my top 8 picks to be a better remote leader👇 It can be intimidating to navigate the world of leadership books. With hundreds of promising titles and not enough time, it's hard to know which books to buy. That's why I do my best to curate lists for the remote leaders I work with. If I had it my way, every manager would get these eight books mailed to them. If you're trying to be a better remote leader, add these to your shelf: 💙 "The Making of a Manager" by Julie Zhuo. I reference sections in this book multiple times a month. Julie has a knack for distilling management wisdom into easy-to-digest sections that you can immediately refer to and apply. 🧡 "Radical Candor" by Kim Scott. There's a reason why this bestseller has become synonymous with good feedback. Kim captures the essence of feedback in an iconic framework that managers need to know. 💚 "Dare to Lead" by Brené Brown. I'm so thankful that my executive gave this to me when I first started Kona. This book defines "leading with heart" and has become the bedrock of my management philosophy. 💛 "Remote Not Distant" by Gustavo Razzetti. When we talk about remote management, you need to know about remote best practices and culture. This book covers both and I can attest to its teachings from my own research. 💕 "Multipliers" by Liz Wiseman. This book dives deep into leadership empowerment and the impact leaders can have. Becoming a manager is about extending your influence and this book captures it! ❤️ "When They Win, You Win" by Russ Laraway. Russ designed this book to be a pocket handbook for management, and it's extremely applicable as a result. Regardless of your experience, this book is essential reading. 🩵 "Reboot" by Jerry Colonna. It's easy to think of leadership as an act of looking outwards, and Jerry challenges us to turn that lens inwards. When leaders can build the awareness to tackle their fears, success comes into view. 🩷 "Right Kind of Wrong" by Amy Edmondson. Dr. Edmondson coined "psychological safety", a crucial foundation of remote work and managing teams. This book provides an actionable framework for failure and innovation. If you're interested in reading books like this with a community of leaders, you should join People Leader Book Club! We tackle a fantastic book every month and meet the author: https://lnkd.in/gAWztP8Q What are your go-to management book? Let me know in the comments! #learninganddevelopment #management #leadership #peopleexperience #hr #peopleops

The 1 Book I'd Recommend To Anyone Who Wants To Become a Great Leader In the last 15 years, I've flipped through more leadership books than I can count, but one towers over the rest: "Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win" by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. Why did it strike a chord? Here's the scoop: Owning every decision, mistake, and win taught me leadership isn’t just about guiding others; it’s about how you carry yourself through the storms and sunshines. I learned to check my ego at the door. True leadership means the mission and the team come first, always. "Cover and Move" - this mantra reminded me that teamwork transcends all. Success is a collective effort. Keeping it simple was a revelation. In a world where complexity is often mistaken for sophistication, clarity wins. And being decisive, even when the path isn’t 100% clear, has been a game-changer. It’s about making the call and navigating through the fog with confidence. "Extreme Ownership" isn't just another leadership book. It's a mindset shift, a way to approach life and leadership with the courage and resolve of a Navy SEAL. Got any leadership lessons that have transformed your approach? Drop them below. Let’s share the wisdom. #Leadership #Growth #Teamwork #Decisiveness #Simplicity

I almost didn't read a book that changed everything for me as a leader... This week, alongside an older classic I'm reading and I'll post in a later #saturdayreads... I've been revisiting my notes and dog ears on "Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win" As I talk to dozens of leaders each week, points from this book keep coming up. 🤔 And I am reminded that,when I first came across this book, I put off reading it. My ego worried it would have to confront weaknesses. Once I finally picked it up, it was an instant game-changer and level-up for me, my teams and customers. Here's why it still resonates: 🔍 "It's all on you, but it's not about you." - If you're frustrated, start with the person in the mirror, and get focused on how to improve; don't ramp up emotions out of frustration 🎯 Prioritize + Execute - Don't point fingers. Identify the problems. Prioritize the problems. Take responsibility and work the problem. Then move on to the next one. 🙏 Stay humble, ego is the enemy Great leaders don't rant or berate. They focus on getting the right results. Most often, that means improving ourselves to help others succeed The core message that transformed my leadership? Start by looking at yourself. Continually. Humility + focus = unstoppable teams. It's easy to point fingers and rant... but that's a rookie mistake. Great leaders point thumbs (at themselves). Which approach do you take? At ResultMaps, we've baked this mindset into our software. It's not just about tracking goals and it's not about throwing another tool into the mix. It's about building a culture of ownership and results. My 2 cents: don't just read "Extreme Ownership." Live it. Implement it. Watch your life and your team transform. Your business (and your stress levels) will thank you. 💬 What's one principle from 'Extreme Ownership' that's impacted your leadership style? Share in the comments! PS: DM me  if you want to learn how we've implemented these principles in our software to drive results. PPS: shouts out to some leaders I've seen exhibit Extreme Ownership recently - Jesse Hopps John Humphrey John Igbokwe, CCP, MCT Matt Hunter John Follett Dipesh Patel Marnie Stockman Nick Coniglio