10+ Books that every (servant) leader should read
(Don’t let the first title mislead you). A big advantage of winter is the long evenings. This is my gold list of attention-worthy books about business, leadership, marketing, and self-improvement.
#1 Start With Why, Simon Sinek
Ok, no surprise here but I hope you agree — this title is a must-read for leaders. The Author is a must-listen and must-follow for leaders. I am big fun for everything Simon does and love to absorb his wisdom.
#2 One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way, Robert Maurer
I couldn’t stop reading this book. It is full of inspiration and peace. The author shows examples of how small steps impact huge changes and — more importantly — how you can use it for your own revolution.
#3 We Are All Weird: The Myth Of Mass And The End Of Compliance, Seth Godin
Seth is my marketing guru (as well as the next author). He seems to be the first one who noticed the need for different approaches to the client. He wrote several books and all of them are super-interesting (sspecially if you have a communication problem with the business part of a team).
#4 Contagious: Why Things Catch On, Johan Berger
Have you ever asked yourself that question? Have you ever wondered why you choose what you choose? Why it is Uber not Bold or Zalando, not NA-KD? In this book, you will find the answer. It changed my attitude to sales and the role of marketing.
#5 The small BIG: Small Changes That Spark Big Influence, S.Martin, N.Goldstein, R.Cialdini
Now it is obvious — I am Kaizen fanatic. I am totally in a small-steps-strategy than a huge revolution. This position is especially interesting because you know this author from a totally different title, right? Well… Robert Cialdini is an expert in understanding influence — but I believe this title is as readable as the famous one.
#6 Smarter Faster Better: The Transformative Power Of Real Productivity, Charles Duhigg
The same story — you probably know the author from another title (Power of Habit). Of course, it is awesome but I picked this one on purpose. It is transformative, motivating and eye-opening.
#7 Management 3.0: Leading Agile Developers, Developing Agile Leaders, Jurgen Appelo
If we take a closer look at management, nowadays is linked to people and relations. It is no longer the product itself — it became much more complicated. If we want to fulfill the company’s potential, we need to unblock a single employee’s needs. And this is what the whole book is about.
#8 The Answer: Grow Any Business, Achieve Financial Freedom, and Live an Extraordinary Life
This title isn’t for everyone. If you don’t like “everything-is-possible” talk than probably the author will drive you mad. Even FOR ME, it is quite a bit divorced with reality but still, it is worth reading because inspires to reach for the stars.
#9 Finding The Space To Lead. A Practical Guide For Mindful Leadership, Janice Marturano
Leadership demands a lot. It is not only a big responsibility and an enormous amount of work. Above all: it is huge engagement. Without carrying about yourself it is hard to carry about others. This book shows some practical tips to avoid overwhelm and helps to (more often) stay calm.
#10 Dare to Lead, Brene Brown
I don’t know what to say. Brene is a genius. She points exactly what it needs to be pointed out. She gets to the heart of the matter. I know it is a title probably not for everyone, but her research for shame and vulnerability touches the deepest part of human nature. And, in the end, we all are human beings, right?
#11 Give and Take, Adam Grant
Imagine a selfish, and goal-focused guy who keeps a principle: ‘do anything is needed just to get what I want’. On the other hand, let’s take an altruist who is 100% focused on others, making difference, do something good. Which one is destined for greatness? In this book you will find a thousand arguments why giving is a better long-term strategy for success.
#12 Getting to YES with yourself, William Ury
William Ury is a world-renowned negotiator who has participated in resolving many global conflicts — both economic and military. In this book, he explains why we fight with each other and how to find “win-win” opportunities.
Now it is your turn! What titles have impacted you the most?
