Many of my clients ask me which books I recommend for leaders. So, the following are thoughts on key categories and approaches. You do not have to agree with them nor like them, but consider their potential value in your understanding of the world and your executive presence.
1. Be human - First and foremost, a leader needs to remember that they are leading humans. Each with their own lives, stories, traumas, and joys. You may never know about any of these, but you must remember this. As such, I recommend Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning.
2. If you're a woman, stop using books written by men as your north star.
By this, I mean, what works for men may not only be a hindrance to you, but may likely be used against you. There are countless articles out showing that when women use the same behaviour men employ in the boardroom, they are judged negatively for it. So instead, add biographies about powerful women throughout history into your library. By no means am I saying not to read nor employ the tactics stated in management books written by men, but consider that it may not accelerate your growth in the manner you wish. Consider reading :
- Mary Beard's Women of Power - Cindy Gallop, I'm waiting for you to write a follow up book (full disclosure, I am a massive fan of both of these women)
- Biographies on Marie Van Brittan Brown, Hatshepsut, Empress Wu, Liliane Bettencourt, Susanne Klatten, Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken, Zheng Yi Sao a.k.a. Ching Shih, and Frances Glessner Lee.
- If you want to be a better negotiator, contact Wies Bratby today!
3. Expand your mind - Read books on history, science, economics, fiction ... anything! The reason being that you would benefit from nurturing your diverse interests. Learn from every aspect of your life to develop your leadership presence and skills. Have a clear vision on what you want to achieve, who you are, and what you have yet to learn (everyone ALWAYS has something more to learn). Embrace life completely and know that you'll be a better leader for expanding your mind. That being said, I will always encourage people to read about the history of as many places as possible. Ideas for books include: - Neil deGrasse Tyson's Astrophysics for People in a Hurry - Niall Ferguson's Kissinger - Bettany Hughes’ Istanbul : A Tale of Three Cities - Helen Carr and Suzannah Lipscomb's What is History, Now? - Olivette Otele’s African Europeans : An Untold History
4. Develop resiliency - An inability to learn what you must from events in your life and move on will be a point of failing. It is hard, but can be done with consistent practice. Whether it be emotional, physical, professional and / or financial resiliency, keep at it. A great book I’ve recently finished on the financial aspect is Morgan Housel’s The Psychology of Money.
Which books are you reading? Which would you recommend for leaders?
Schedule a free 30 minute call with me if you are looking for an executive coach, and I'd be delighted to work with you or recommend a coach who can help.
And if you are interested in podcasts on books, I will be starting a new podcast with my dear friend Erin Patchell, where the first half will be a book review on topical subjects, and the second half will delve into how each of us would coach leaders on the topic. We have an exciting list of guest speakers lined up, so you don’t want to miss it! More details to come.
