Top Leadership books recommended by experts

At MentorCruise, we are all about making the most out of the experience of others. As part of that, we've connected and asked dozens of experts and professionals about their favourite Leadership books – and here are the answers.

Table of Contents

Fundamentals of Leadership

Understanding the concepts of Leadership starts with understanding the fundamentals. On your way to mastery, it's crucial for you to understand how certain concepts were derived, and why things work like they do. Starting with these resources is the best way to do so.

The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

This book highlights the differences between good and great, and shows you how to bridge the chasm between getting things done and making things happen. Business is evolving at an increasingly rapid rate, and leaders must keep pace with the changes or risk stagnation.

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Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...and Others Don't

For years, this question preyed on the mind of Jim Collins. Are there companies that defy gravity and convert long-term mediocrity or worse into long-term superiority? And if so, what are the universal distinguishing characteristics that cause a company to go from good to great?

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Think and Grow Rich

Think and Grow Rich is the number-one inspirational and motivational classic for individuals who are interested in furthering their lives and reaching their goals by learning from important figures in history. The text read in this audiobook is the original 1937 edition written by Napoleon Hill and inspired by Andrew Carnegie, and while it has often been reproduced, no updated version has ever…

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The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team outlines the root causes of politics and dysfunction on the teams where you work, and the keys to overcoming them. Counter to conventional wisdom, the causes of dysfunction are both identifiable and curable. However, they don't die easily.

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Tribes

Tribes by Seth Godin is a leadership book that argues in favor of creating a loyal and engaged following to achieve any type of goals. It offers tips on how to identify and nurture a tribe, build trust and inspire action.

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The Lean Startup

In his book, Eric Ries applies science to entrepreneurship. He tells businesses, and especially startups, how to start small and simple, then grow through learning, testing, measuring, and rapidly innovating.

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Additional Leadership Reading

These books are not required for you to learn Leadership, but they are highly recommended for you to deepen your knowledge.

True North

True North (2007) is a guide to discovering your inner compass and staying true to yourself, all while developing the skills you need to be an authentic leader. By uncovering your values and motivations, you'll gain the tools you need to build a professional life that remains true to who you are.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Leaders Eat Last

Leaders Eat Last' by Simon Sinek is a thought-provoking book on how great leaders create a circle of safety in the workplace, inspiring trust, cooperation, and peak performance. He explains how a leader putting the needs of the team first can create a culture of success.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

The Art of Possibility

The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander is a transformative book that teaches us to shift our perspective in life from scarcity to abundance, resulting in an increased sense of possibility with practical tools and inspiring stories.

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Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?

His book Linchpin came out in 2008 and was the fastest-selling book of his career. Linchpin challenges you to stand up, do work that matters and race to the top instead of the bottom. More than that, though, the book outlines a massive change in our economy, a fundamental shift in what it means to have a job.

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Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

“Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action” by Simon Sinek offers a fresh perspective on leadership and organizational success. By understanding the power of starting with “why,” leaders can inspire action, build trust, and foster meaningful connections with their teams and customers.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen R. Covey presents a holistic, integrated, principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and pointed anecdotes, Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, service, and human dignity--principles that give us the security to adapt to change and the wisd…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

This list is curated by MentorCruise and can include Amazon affiliate links. Have any other suggestions? Add here.

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