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Leadership & Communications

The Best Books On Leadership

“Everything rises and falls on leadership.” This quote by John Maxwell says it all. Great leaders inspire, mobilize, empower and unite people to solve problems and build extraordinary organizations. At some point in your life, you too, have probably met a good leader who impacted you in a deep and profound way. The great news is, leadership is a learnable skill. And here, we’ve shortlisted a list of the best leadership books that will equip you with the range of perspectives, skills and tools to become the best leader you can be. [Click here to start reading free leadership book summaries]

Learn from the Best Leadership Books

What does it take to become a great leader? Do you need a grand vision, emotional intelligence, authenticity, charisma, discipline, decision-making and organization skills, influence and communication skills, the ability to embrace uncertainty, or all of the above? More importantly, what type of leader do you want to be?

The truth is, depending on your personality, strengths, phase in life and existing roles or challenges, you’ll need to develop different leadership skills. That’s why the best leaders never stop learning. And, one of the best ways to learn is by reading books on leadership by (or about) other successful leaders. Different books deal with different aspects of leadership—from problem-solving to people-skills, coaching, crisis-management, and pretty much anything that a good leader should know. By reading and applying the insights from a range of top leadership books, you can broaden your perspective and overcome any barrier.

Are Leadership Books Really Practical?

One misconception is that the strategies in leadership books are impractical and are only workable in an ideal world. You may think, “My situation is different; this won’t work for me.” It’s true that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to a problem. To put the strategies from these books to practice, you must understand:

  • The essence or principle behind an idea, approach or technique;
  • Examples of how they can be applied in the real-world; and
  • How can you apply them to your situation?

That’s why ReadinGraphics has curated a range of leadership books from various authors and leaders, to provide different perspectives, frameworks, tools and skills. And, we’ve summarized them into 3 forms: infographic, text, and audio summaries. This allows you to dive into the detailed examples and actionable tips for each book, then visualize and recap the core ideas at a glance. Below, you’ll find the free versions of these summaries to help you get started.

Best Leadership Books to Read

Feel free to search our database if you want to read a specific book summary, or to zoom in on a specific challenge (e.g. team building, productivity, conflict or talent management). If you’re unsure where to start, here are 3 best books on leadership that will help any leader at any level:

  1. The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier: 7 questions to coach and lead more effectively;
  2. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell: 21 principles to become a more powerful and effective leader; and
  3. Drive by Daniel Pink: Unlock the inner motivation in yourself and others

Start reading the free leadership book summaries below!