Top Five Leadership Books

Today I will share with you the top five books that have had an effect on my leadership and coaching style.  This is not an exhaustive list and only includes books that I have read, but I believe that these ten books are a good start for anyone looking to become a better leader.

1)    The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell

The book on the top of my list is The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.  This should not come as a surprise to anyone who has been following my blog.  I will not expand on my thoughts here, but I have a recommendation for this book here.

2)    What It Takes to Be Number 1 by Vince Lombardi and Vince Lombardi Jr.

This book is the easiest book on my list to read at only 120 small pages.  While small, this book packs quite the punch because it is loaded with quotes and anecdotes from one of the greatest coaches of all time.  For a person with little time to invest this is the best book in my list.

3)    Developing the Leader Within You by John Maxwell

Another John Maxwell book, mostly because no other individual author has had the effect on my leadership that Mr. Maxwell has.  This book laid the groundwork and foundation for my leadership that The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.  Also in this book is the Maxwell’s Five Levels of Leadership, which is closely related to the five powers in a workplace, and that is a topic I have covered some and will cover more in the near future.

4)    How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie

This book is regarded by many as the first book on leadership and is still very effective for leaders today.  Mr. Carnegie certainly knew how to run a business and lead thousands of people to make a company successful.  It is easy to read with four sections to break up the material, and overall is still a timeless classic in the realm of leadership books.

          5)    The Bible

I will not promote any religion here and talk about Jesus and his leadership ability, but the focus here is on the book of Proverbs.  Mostly attributed to King Solomon this book contains great teaching on leadership as well as other important topics for a leader.  With 31 chapters, it is easy to read one chapter a day each month for a constant reminder on leadership and other topics relevant for the individual.  

An expanded list can be found at this link, also on the linked page are links to other pages where these resources can be purchased