The inevitability of workplace conflict requires strong leadership to mediate difficult conversations. A study by the Society for Human Resource Management found that employees who describe their work environment as "uncivil" are likely to leave their jobs within a year.
Explore the best books about leading in this guide designed to help you navigate professional conflicts and thrive as a leader in any sector.
Why does good leadership matter?
Good leadership provides clear communication, sets achievable goals, motivates people, establishes trust, and commands strength in difficult times. Measuring leadership effectiveness in the workplace varies based on the given metrics — for example, if a company reports record profits but miserable morale, many would argue that the organization exhibits poor leadership. Meanwhile, a business that offers its employees profit-sharing, unlimited time off, lengthy parental leave, and generous healthcare benefits may make less money but still exemplify good leadership. A true leader represents everyone's interests rather than just their own.
As such, the words “leader" and “manager" should not be used interchangeably. A good manager can lead their employees with strong leadership skills, but the distinction is key. Consider a team of workers who witness an injustice in the workplace. Though the workers' responsibilities may be flattened across the department, it requires one or some of them to do the right thing and take point as leaders in the moment to act and report the incident.
Some believe that certain people emerge as "born leaders," but a study published in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education suggests that combined skills developed over time point to leadership as a learnable skill. By working under strong leaders, people can use the models they've seen to foster effective leadership skills themselves.
Why are leadership books important?
Leadership books help sharpen skills that can be applied in professional and personal environments. If you consistently encounter difficult conversations at home or in the workplace, a good leadership book can provide a framework for confronting these situations, ensuring strong outcomes that satisfy all stakeholders.
Maybe you've been placed in charge of a project overseeing several other employees but feel you lack innate leadership skills. A great book for leadership can help you navigate managing other people, whether you seek to motivate them on the project or delegate tasks to the best people for the job.
Perhaps you're a parent struggling with a domestic conflict: a disagreement among parents and children, children and their friends, or your extended family. As the leader of your family, books about leading can extend beyond the workplace to assist your daily life by honing your time management, communication, and goal-setting abilities.
7 good books about leading
The following list includes seven great books for leadership, including classic and modern self-help pieces from leaders across industries:
The Essential Wooden: A Lifetime of Lessons on Leaders and Leadership
John Wooden, famed coach of the UCLA men's basketball team, explains in this great book about leadership how he used his "Pyramid of Success" to deliver results on the court and beyond.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
With more than 40 million copies sold, leaders across various sectors, including presidents, parents, and teachers, have looked to Stephen R. Covey's seven principles. The 30th-anniversary edition includes an addendum from Stephen's son, Sean.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable
Unlike other books in this list, Patrick Lencioni's book about leading takes a story-based approach by exploring effective leadership as a fable. If you prefer novels to self-help books, start with The Five Dysfunctions of a Team.
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High
Current and aspiring leaders looking to sharpen their communication skills can look to this The New York Times bestseller book about leading. This text focuses on confronting difficult topics and clearly discussing them with all stakeholders to improve relationships.
The New One Minute Manager
This updated edition of The One Minute Manager takes a modern approach to leadership in people's personal and professional lives. Blanchard's tactics, such as "situational leadership" and "seagull management," seek to level the playing field among all professionals.
Atomic Habits: An Easy Proven Way to Build Good Habits Break Bad Ones
This book for leaders uses neuroscience, biology, and psychology to help readers foster healthy habits that last. Executives, coaches, and business-owners can look to James Clear's practical instructions to meet short-term and long-term goals.
The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are
This 10th-anniversary edition of Brené Brown's bestseller looks inward to maximize each leader's unique skills and achievements. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, readers can use Brown's methods to become better parents, business leaders, and coaches by applying their personal abilities.
Careers in leadership
Are you a current leader or looking to advance within the ranks of the workforce? Explore the following list of leadership careers, with salary and job outlook data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):