Jacob Jacobowitz
Leadership takes a lot of learning, so this list is merely a companion on your journey to become a great leader. However, the authors in this list are successful leaders. They describe the common pitfalls as well as the right steps to take if you’re in a leadership position.
Whether you’re leading your own organisation, or you’ve been recently promoted to a manager, you must read these books to see how others have done it before you. You’re bound to get something out of it!
Navigate the article
#1 Competitive Intelligence Advantage by Seena Sharp
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
Competitive Intelligence Advantage: How to Minimize Risk, Avoid Surprises, and Grow Your Business in a Changing World is a great first-time read, as well as a constant source for reference. Trying to mix innovation with risk can be difficult, but this book beautifully explains how you can achieve the best results with very minimal risk. This is so important for entrepreneurs, who may still be fundraising or are watching their seed fund begin to decrease. But really, at any stage of the game, it’s always important to learn how to create a good balance between risk and reward.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#2 Idea Stormers by Bryan W. Mattimore
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
Every business leader needs to create an environment where employees are encouraged to generate new and original ideas to help the organization grow. Unfortunately traditional “brainstorming” is often ineffective. Ideation techniques, on the other hand, which use a rich palette of proven stimuli-rich, creative problem-solving methodologies, can generate a wide range of implementable options — not to mention true breakthroughs — for virtually any creative problem or business challenge.
Drawing on his work leading high-stakes ideation sessions at over 300 organizations, the author explains the how, what, and why of successful ideation processes and provides a framework for when and how any leader can use them. The featured creative problem-solving techniques include triggered brainwalking, the worst idea technique, question assumptions, problem redefinition, directed wishing, and many more.
As importantly, Idea Stormers includes real world stories that demonstrate how leaders applied the creative problem-solving techniques to address a wide range of business challenges: from strategy to sales, marketing to culture change… and the creation of new products and services valued at over $3 billion.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#3 Influence by Robert Cialdini
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
Cialdini’s landmark classic text should be required reading for all leaders. Cialdini delves into the psychology behind what influences people to say yes and conversely how to defend yourself from these persuasion attempts. The skills of influence and persuasion are essential for leaders and Cialdini presents six timeless and universal principals through which the reader will learn to become a skill persuader and how to defend yourself against one. Influence is based on 35 years of sound evidence-based research and will leave a lasting impact on anyone who implements the principals.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#4 Setting the Table by Danny Meyer
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
Danny’s policies on hospitality can—and should—be applied to business in every industry. Leaders have to remember that at the end of the day, they’re dealing with customers. Real people. Keeping a customer-centric approach to everything you do is key.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#5 The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch – When I was first starting out with 2400 Expert, and then, Prep Expert, there’s a strong temptation to do everything yourself. No matter how much time it takes, do everything yourself. We all know that that is unrealistic to do, of course.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#6 Business Improv by Val Gee
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
Leaders must be strong problem solvers. But something many leaders don’t consider is the importance of their team’s problem solving. This can help develop a culture of preventative problem solving throughout an entire organization or group. Through education and proper training, employees can gain the skills they need to solve a larger number of issues on their own. When a problem can be solved at the bottom, it takes less time and energy from the organization as a whole. That’s where this book comes in. It focuses on problem solving at the level of individual employees. There are great recommendations for how leaders can empower their workers to make informed decisions and solve problems.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#7 Life Is Easy. We Make It Hard by Cory Collins
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
This book goes in depth about two very important qualities that a leader must have: the ability to communicate effectively and the ability to build and nourish meaningful relationships. It has really helped me to improve my overall leadership skills by better connecting with my team. It also talks a great deal about time management, and puts into perspective how to determine who you should invest your time into, as a leader, and how to have reasonable balance.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#8 Fast Lane, Wrong Direction by Renessa Boley Layne
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
In the mad dash to succeed, many leaders find themselves in the fast lane going in the wrong direction – compromising their health, relationships, family and personal satisfaction in the pursuit of success. Over time, they can grow bored, burned out, or unfulfilled, questioning whether the payoff is worth the sacrifice. Whether finding your “right direction” requires a complete personal or professional u-turn or a mere shift in direction, this book offers witty and heartfelt insights to redesign your work, leadership and life. It’s a refreshing wake-up call for more joy, authenticity and true fulfillment in the pursuit of success.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#9 Measure What Matters by John Doerr
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
This book outlines a clear and achievable system for companies to set and accomplish goals. Doerr presents a collaborative goal-setting protocol in which companies identify and measure Objectives and Key Results (OKRs).. His system encourages teams to focus on three objectives that are each tied to 3-4 succinct, specific and measurable results; this allows team members to work towards common goals, measure progress, create accountability – and ultimately turn ambitious ideas into effective execution.
As the leader of a high-growth company in a dynamic industry, effectively managing change and growth is critical to my company’s success. At Brilliant Earth, we have a very data-driven culture and utilize goals and metrics to measure progress on a wide range of areas across the organization, from website design to products to people. We recently implemented an online tool to align around, communicate and monitor our company and department goals, so this was a very timely and relevant topic given this company initiative. The book provided additional thought-provoking insights and tangible action items to improve our success measurement processes.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#10 Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
Many people misunderstand what it means to have a fixed versus learning mindset. This book quickly clears up that confusion and takes the reader through 4 simple questions to self-diagnose which mindset they have.
Unlike most books which tend to spend 300 pages explaining and re-explaining concept, this one ends with practical and actionable steps that the reader can take to shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. In between pages 16 (self-assessment) and 254 (actionable steps), are examples of how each mindset shows up and plays out in our work, relationships, and families, enabling the reader to recognize themselves and/or the people in their lives and understand how their actions may be reinforcing a fixed mindset or promoting a growth one.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#11 Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
Every business leader is going to be in a crucial conversation sooner rather than later. The reason I am suggesting this book is that there are three ways to handle difficult conversations, ignore them, handle them poorly, or have a strategy on how to handle them.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#12 Accelerating Change by Getting Accountability Right By Tanner Corbridge
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
Partners In Leadership is applying thirty years of proven success to a whole new concept: Propeller. This book presents a modern take on accountability, while remaining faithful to the elegantly simple premise: When people take personal ownership of their organization’s priorities and accept responsibility for their own performance, they become more engaged and perform at a higher level.
With all new examples and stories, Propeller builds on The Oz Principle’s legacy to inspire the next generation of readers to tap the incredible power of personal, team, and organizational accountability.
Propeller focuses on the implementation of the groundbreaking classic The Oz Principle, addresses modern business challenges, from navigating complexity and remaining agile to leading an intergenerational workforce and developing next generational leaders, and contains new, modern stories of business leaders and organizations making a difference.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#13 The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization by Peter F. Drucker
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
Peter Drucker is the father of modern management, and for good reason. This book is short and simple, but it discusses key questions every leader should ask about their organization that few leaders do. It’s a great tool to assess and transform a leader’s organization or business.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#14 The 15 Invaluable Laws Of Growth by John C. Maxwell
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
The reason every leader should read this book is that in order to be the leader you must learn how to grow as a person. You must know your goals, be aware of your failures and embrace them and use them as stepping stones to reach those goals.
You must be a strong, confident person in your role of the leader before you can begin to lead anyone anywhere in their roles!
This book is detailed and gives your ideas, inspiration, and techniques to be all you can be as a person and as a leader.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#15 Keep Your Feet Moving by TShane Johnson
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
In his book, Keep Your Feet Moving, TShane Johnson offers seven principles for getting through hard times. His leadership and direction are based not on management theories learned in a classroom, but on real-life challenges that he has experienced. From his early years on a farm to the gang attack that left him at death’s door, and a market crash that made him homeless but not hopeless, TShane has undeniable credibility.
He knows how to overcome adversity because he has succeeded in doing just that in the grimmest situations. His seven principles are down-to-earth concepts supported by life-changing philosophies, point-for-point guidance, and practical exercises. Add to this his novel approach to defeating misfortune and his conviction that one’s greatest power is to keep moving through times of hardship, and you have a book that is valuable not only in times of trouble but also when things are good and there are more modest daily trials to deal with. It all begins with the simple advice to “Make Your Bed,” and carries the reader on a journey that promises to be unlike any other in terms of personal development and individual achievement.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#16 The 360 Degree Leader by John C. Maxwell
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
The 360 Degree Leader, by John C. Maxwell, is classified as one of the best leadership books. At the Fortune 500 company that I work at, there is an entire class on the book to help managers and other senior executives. This book has helped me tremendously by helping me become a servant leader and has improved my confidence in my leadership abilities.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#17 The Captain Class by Sam Walker
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
A sports book with relevance to any type of organization, especially a business, The Captain Class proposes the theory that captains are what separate the very best teams from all the rest. Simple but smart data provides the setup. But it is the insight into the mindset of captains and their impact on teams that is most helpful. To be clear, business owners aren’t always the captain and captains are hard to identify. One must be honest with oneself when reading this book.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#18 Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead by Jim Mattis
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
Ex- Secretary of Defense and 4-star general Jim Mattis breaks down how he learned to lead. He puts zero stock in natural leadership-for him, it is years of work, reading, and communications. Unlike most of us who have never made decisions with lives on the line, Mattis emphasizes what matters in a leader. Helpfully, he segments leadership into various sections based on seniority, so it is helpful for anyone in a company. A lot of military books are posed as business books but this one focuses on modern day group dynamics. The role of leadership is critical to any business.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#19 Insight Selling by Mike Schultz
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
This book answers the question: What do winners of major sales do differently than the sellers who almost win, but ultimately come in second place? Schultz and Doerr studied more than 700 B2B purchases made by buyers who represent $3.1 billion in annual purchasing power. When they compared the winners to the second-place finishers, they found surprising results:
Not only do sales winners sell differently—they sell radically differently than second-place finishers.
Today’s sales winners harness the power of ideas. In Insight Selling, Schultz and Doerr share the surprising results of their research and outline exactly what you need to do to transform yourself and your team into insight sellers.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#20 Maternal Optimism by Jamie Ladge
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
Forging positive paths through work and motherhood. Although the book is largely focused on the varied transitions of working mothers, it is particularly important for leaders in acknowledging what working parents experience throughout the course of their work lives and how they themselves can model behavior in organizations that shows you can be successful parents and professionals.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#21 Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
This is an incredible book that focuses on creating a profitable brand through marketable copywriting and positioning. In this book, readers learn how to clarify their brand’s message so it keeps the focus on the customer, not on the business owner which results in a dramatic increase in sales. I’ve been teaching this strategy to my clients for years, but this book puts it in the most simple and effective terms I’ve seen and now I recommend it to everyone! No entrepreneur or leader should move forward in their business without reading this book immediately—that’s how dramatically it can alter and shift a brand’s success!
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#22 Switch by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
Many leaders fail to understand why they can’t make lasting changes in their organization. Switch demystifies why strategy shifts fail and lays out a path for true innovation. Successful change is not about logic, numbers or strategy – it’s about the story that leaders tell. This is an important skill for anyone who wants to drive innovation, influence colleagues, and ultimately make changes that stick.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#23 The Art of War by Sun Tzu
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
This elegantly designed edition of The Art of War includes four of history’s key treatises: The Art of War, The Prince, On War, Instructions to His Generals. Originally written for a specific purpose, the principles conveyed through these strategy texts are universal and timeless, and continue to illuminate and inspire. Whether you approach this reading for its historical significance or choose to apply this knowledge toward achieving success in your own life, you will be enriched. This stunning clothbound hardcover features a slipcase, ribbon marker, historical timeline, and comprehensive introduction providing the reader with enlightening information on the history of each text.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#24 The Long Tail by Chris Anderson
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
This New York Times best-seller explains the rise of the niche, and why this matters in a world where everything can be available to everyone. This book deeply inspired my entrepreneurial adventure, as it is posits that success in the future is not predicated on size, but on positioning.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#25 Co-Create By David Nour
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
In the future, you cannot succeed going at it alone! You don’t have all the answers and the market is way too dynamic to wait for you. That’s where Co-Create comes in – it’s an opportunity to think and lead differently, through some of your most valuable, and strategic relationships. To create something that you couldn’t do alone, a product/service/experience that exceeds even your own expectations, with the commitment to see it through its various stages – from pilots/prototypes to commercialization and reinvention. Welcome to the Co-Create economy.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#26 The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
Holiday compiles a lot of Marcus Aurelius’s musings from his Roman journals and gives his own twist and insight on them, which makes for a great read.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#27 Medical Bill 911 Handbook by Gail Trauco
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
Leaders must be educated in all urgent social issues. In America one of the most critically urgent social issues requiring change in healthcare and our medical billing system. The medical billing process in the United States is broken. Around the country, millions of Americans are struggling with medical billing problems ranging from inaccurate charges to surprise fees to wrongly denied claims.
Many of them have given up on trying to fight their medical bill errors and surprise fees. The process is exhausting and confusing. Medical bills are filled with special terms and lack clarity about whether you or your insurance provider is responsible for payment. Consumer Reports recently performed a study in which one-third of respondents indicated they had paid a medical bill of $1,000 or more that they were not sure that they owed. People gave reasons for giving up as the bill was confusing and they didn’t understand the medical billing system.
Medical Bill 911 is the first self-advocacy book that gives you all of the tools you need to minimize medical billing errors, and to effectively address issues when they arise. Medical Bill 911 will save you money, can help keep you out of bankruptcy, and will give you the exact steps you need to make sure your medical bills are accurate – so you don’t need to pay even $1 more than you owe.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#28 The Mafia Manager: A Guide to the Corporate Machiavelli by V.
 |
Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
This is one book that may piss some people off but not to neglect. Yes, it is an obvious title, but it has some truth that will be of great benefit to whoever reads it either the corporate world or not.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
Bryan Mattimore from Growth Engine Innovation Agency
Matt Woodley from MoverFocus
Grace Everitt from Grace Everitt Consulting
Shaan Patel from Prep Expert
Nina LaRosa from Moxie Media
Courtney Pritchard from Preeminent Solutions
Renessa Boley Layne from Perfect Work Academy
Beth Gerstein from Brilliant Earth
Robyn M. Bolton from Mile Zero LLC
Jason B. Ball from Ball Comprehensive Planning
Tanner Corbridge from Partners In Leadership
Ray from Money Hacking Mama
Lisamarie Monaco from InsuranceForBurial
Charlotte Silverstein from Lena Rose PR
Becky Beach from MomBeach
Patrick West from Be The Machine
Aly Jamison from RAIN Group
Jamie J. Ladge from maternal-optimism
K.M. Robinson from Social Media For Bosses
Beth Cubbage from Parent Lightly
Sun Tzu from The Quarto Group
Umberto Luchini from Blood x Sweat x Tears Vodka
David Nour from The Nour Group, Inc
Amy Finlay from Edinburgh IFA
Gail Trauco from MedicalBill911
Yusuf Onabekun from TechSavvy
