Whether you’re a new manager or an experienced CEO, reading leadership and management books is a key element of effective professional development.
However, mastering leadership and management doesn’t have to be difficult. This article outlines three simple ways to accelerate your leadership training without breaking a sweat.
1. Read One Per Day
Leadership books tend to focus on the big picture, like how to grow your business or build your team. But there are plenty of little things you can do to make yourself a more effective leader. Like shutting off your cell phone and looking people in the eye when you talk. Or taking a full hour to think each day (not just check your email, but sit down and do nothing). These actions add up to create real executive presence. This book focuses on the little stuff, and it's a must-read for anyone who wants to be an effective leader.
One of the best leadership books ever written, this classic by John Maxwell teaches you how to become the kind of leader who inspires others to want what you want, even if they don't yet know how to get it. It explains how to master the power of influence, including how silence and transparency can improve your effectiveness and make you more likable. It also reveals why defaulting to sharing your opinion about everything is a bad idea, and how to listen until you truly understand the needs of those around you. https://snapreads.com/books/the-four-agreements-summary/
This is one of the most popular leadership books out there, and for good reason. It exposes the underlying principles behind the most successful leaders in history, offering insight and advice that can be applied to any career path or industry. The first chapter alone will have you buzzing, and the rest of the book delivers a solid, no-nonsense approach to getting the most out of your team. It also covers the importance of establishing priorities, setting clear expectations and managing risk before it becomes an issue.
2. Read It With Your Team
A great leadership book can provide insight, tools and advice to help you be a better leader. But, it’s not going to transform you into a highly skilled leader overnight. In fact, if you want to be an effective leader, you’ll need to learn the skills over time. This means mastering the softer aspects of leadership like trustworthiness and accountability as well as the more concrete skills, such as managing poor performance and holding productive meetings.
Luckily, these books will give you everything you need to start on your journey to becoming a skilled leader. They cover a wide range of topics, from developing leadership styles and creating high-performing teams to understanding the unique challenges that women face in the workplace and how to overcome them. So, pick one or two of these books to read and share with your team and you’ll be well on your way to boosting your leadership skills.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is a great read to help you learn the key elements of a high-performing team and how to overcome the common obstacles that can cause them to fail. Written as a fable, this book uses characters that are likely to personify coworkers you have worked with throughout your career to make the material more relatable and easy to grasp.
Another fable-based book, this one provides tips and strategies to develop a strong leadership style and focuses on the importance of building trust with team members. The author suggests that displaying vulnerability and being honest about one’s weaknesses is critical to building trust and establishing a cohesive team. It’s a must-read for anyone who wants to be an effective leader.
In this book, Grant identifies three different kinds of leaders – ‘givers,’ ‘takers,’ and ‘matchers.’ He explains how the best leaders are those who offer their help to others, even when they don’t need it, and that this type of leadership leads to extraordinary results.
This New York Times bestseller is a must-read for any new manager. Written in the 1930s, Carnegie’s timeless tips and advice will teach you how to be a good leader and create positive relationships with your coworkers. The book also covers how to communicate effectively and look people in the eye when speaking.
This bestselling leadership book is the perfect pick for any Navy officer looking to master the art of executive presence. The authors pull from their personal experiences and the insight, advice, and philosophies of trailblazing visionaries like Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and many more to explain how to exude authority and confidence in any situation. This book will teach you how to command respect, look people in the eyes, and build meaningful, lasting relationships with your coworkers.
3. Read It On Your Own
Often, we think of leadership as something that’s taught in business seminars or that you need to make it high enough on the corporate ladder to become. But the truth is, anyone can be a leader. This book explains why, and teaches readers how to develop their own leadership style through practical steps.
This book focuses on how to create a powerful presence that commands respect, even before you say a word. It’s a must-read for those who want to learn how to exude power and confidence without resorting to aggression or brute force.
Using examples from his military experience, this book provides strategies that will teach readers how to effectively lead teams in a variety of situations and environments. This book is also a great reference for leaders who need to learn how to build a strong culture within their organization.