Click one of the links above to go to my reading list for that topic.
Leadership.
There are as many theories on this as there are people who talk about it. But there are a couple leadership styles - transformational leadership and servant leadership - that hold true in coaching and most of these books focus on those styles.
Click the image of any book you're interested in to purchase on Amazon.
In no particular order...
Leaders Eat Last - Simon Sinek
Imagine a world where almost everyone wakes up inspired to go to work, feels trusted and valued during the day, then returns home feeling fulfilled. This is not a crazy, idealized notion. Today, in many successful organizations, great leaders create environments in which people naturally work together to do remarkable things.
Sinek illustrates his ideas with fascinating true stories that range from the military to big business, from government to investment banking.
The Art of War - Sun Tzu
Regarded as the world's oldest military treatise, this compact volume has instructed officers and tacticians for more than 2,000 years. From its origins in China, The Art of War traveled the world to inform the strategies of Napoleon and World War II generals. More recently, it has taken on a new life as a guide to competing successfully in business, law, and sports.
Wooden on Leadership - John Wooden
John Wooden’s goal in 41 years of coaching never changed; namely, to get maximum effort and peak performance from each of his players in the manner that best served the team. Wooden on Leadership explains step-by-step how he pursued and accomplished this goal. Focusing on Wooden’s 12 Lessons in Leadership and his acclaimed Pyramid of Success, it outlines the mental, emotional, and physical qualities essential to building a winning organization, and shows you how to develop the skill, confidence, and competitive fire to “be at your best when your best is needed” --and teach your organization to do the same.
Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success - John Wooden
Legendary college basketball coach John Wooden and Jay Carty know that when it comes down to it, success is an equal opportunity player. Anyone can create it in his or her career, family, and beyond. Based on John Wooden's own method to victory, Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success reveals that success is built block by block, where each block is a crucial principle contributing to lifelong achievement in every area of life. Each of these 32 daily readings takes an in-depth look at a single block of the pyramid, which when combined with the other blocks forms the structure of the pyramid of success. Join John Wooden and Jay Carty to discover the building blocks and key values--from confidence to faith--that have brought Coach to the pinnacle of success as a leader, a teacher, and a follower of God.
Leadership: How Legendary Leaders Speak - Peter Andrei
What if every single legendary leader over the past 500 years used a little-known five-step communication process to inspire people, empower movements, and produce legendary results? What if all business managers - whether leading a team of three or company of 300,000 - can use the exact same step-by-step process to convert average performance into surpassing success by breaking through the "communication wall," influencing with ease, and inspiring enthusiastic action?
Extreme Ownership - Jocko Wilnick
From Jocko Wilnick, the New York Times bestselling author of Discipline Equals Freedom and Leadership Strategy and Tactics, an updated edition of the blockbuster bestselling leadership book that took America and the world by storm, two U.S. Navy SEAL officers who led the most highly decorated special forces unit of the Iraq War demonstrate how to apply powerful leadership principles from the battlefield to business and life. Now with an excerpt from the authors' new book, THE DICHOTOMY OF LEADERSHIP.
Emotional Intelligence for the Modern Leader - Christopher D. Connors
Success requires more than hard work and good ideas: you need to be able to understand, inspire, and motivate those around you. Emotional Intelligence for the Modern Leader helps you hone your emotional intelligence (EQ)—the ability to be aware of, control, and express your emotions, as well as handle interpersonal relationships empathetically—and enhance your ability to lead.
Building off proven research, this user-friendly guide teaches you the pillars of high-EQ leadership. Whether it’s developing self-awareness or bolstering empathy, discover simple and easy-to-use exercises that you can make use of on your own. You’ll even learn about emotionally intelligent leaders and how they’ve utilized this skill as part of their successes.
Effective Communication - Peter Andrei
You deserve to master effective communication, and speak with power, influence, and persuasion. You deserve to convince people that your ideas matter. It's wrong that every time you speak or write, people won't tune-in if you miss just one simple communication secret: structure.
In this book, you learn the 29 secrets of effective communication and 43 proven, step-by-step formulas for easy eloquence and instant influence,
Understanding Body Language - Scott Rouse
Scientific studies show that people use body language to express their true feelings about a given situation or topic. With Understanding Body Language, you’ll discover essential information and how-to guidance for deciphering nonverbal communication so you can make better decisions about the people and situations you approach every day.
The Mentor Leader - Tony Dungy
In The Mentor Leader, Tony reveals what propelled him to the top of his profession and shows how you can apply the same approach to virtually any area of your life. In the process, you’ll learn the seven keys of mentoring leadership―and why they’re so effective; why mentor leadership brings out the best in people; how a mentor leader recovers from mistakes and handles team discipline; and the secret to getting people to follow you and do their best for you without intimidation tactics. As a son, a football player, and a winning coach, Tony has always learned from others on his path to success. Now you can learn to succeed for your team, family, or organization while living out your values―by becoming a mentor leader.
Servant Leadership - Liam Taylor
Self-serving, autocratic, dictatorial leadership is so last century. If organizations want to move up in the world, they have to abandon the old leadership methods. These methods consist of strict hierarchy, allowing little to no room for the employees to grow within the company, and the value of human labor is driven to the lowest.
Within the pages of this book, you’ll get introduced to different leadership models and their pros and cons. Of course, the author also discusses what makes servant leadership the best and the 10 basic characteristics of a servant leader.
Quiet Strength - Tony Dungy
Tony Dungy's words and example have intrigued millions of people, particularly following his victory in Super Bowl XLI, the first for an African American coach. How is it possible for a coach―especially a football coach―to win the respect of his players and lead them to the Super Bowl without the screaming histrionics, the profanities, and the demand that the sport come before anything else?
Good to Great - Jim Collins
The Study:
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?
The Findings:
The findings of the Good to Great study will surprise many readers and shed light on virtually every area of management strategy and practice.
Primal Leadership - Daniel Goleman
Managers and professionals across the globe have embraced Primal Leadership, affirming the importance of emotionally intelligent leadership. Its influence has also reached well beyond the business world: the book and its ideas are now used routinely in universities, business and medical schools, and professional training programs, and by a growing legion of professional coaches.
Culture Code - Daniel Coyle
Culture is not something you are—it’s something you do. The Culture Code puts the power in your hands. No matter the size of your group or your goal, this book can teach you the principles of cultural chemistry that transform individuals into teams that can accomplish amazing things together.
Who Moved My Cheese - Spencer Johnson, M.D.
Most people are fearful of change, both personal and professional, because they don't have any control over how or when it happens to them. Since change happens either to the individual or by the individual, Dr. Spencer Johnson, the coauthor of the multimillion bestseller The One Minute Manager, uses a deceptively simple story to show that when it comes to living in a rapidly changing world, what matters most is your attitude.
The Energy Bus - Jon Gordon
The Energy Bus, an international best seller by Jon Gordon, takes readers on an enlightening and inspiring ride that reveals 10 secrets for approaching life and work with the kind of positive, forward thinking that leads to true accomplishment at work and at home. Jon infuses this engaging story with keen insights as he provides a powerful roadmap to overcome adversity and bring out the best in yourself and your team. When you get on The Energy Bus you’ll enjoy the ride of your life.
Bad Leadership - Barbara Kellerman
How is Saddam Hussein like Tony Blair? Or Kenneth Lay like Lou Gerstner? Answer: They are, or were, leaders. Many would argue that tyrants, corrupt CEOs, and other abusers of power and authority are not leaders at all--at least not as the word is currently used. But, according to Barbara Kellerman, this assumption is dangerously naive. A provocative departure from conventional thinking, Bad Leadership compels us to see leadership in its entirety. Kellerman argues that the dark side of leadership--from rigidity and callousness to corruption and cruelty--is not an aberration. Rather, bad leadership is as ubiquitous as it is insidious--and so must be more carefully examined and better understood.
7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Steven R. Covey
One of the most inspiring and impactful books ever written, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has captivated readers for nearly three decades. It has transformed the lives of presidents and CEOs, educators and parents—millions of people of all ages and occupations. Now, this 30th anniversary edition of the timeless classic commemorates the wisdom of the 7 Habits with modern additions from Sean Covey.
How Leaders can Strengthen their Organization's Culture - Tim Burningham
This book provides leaders with loads of answers to solve their company culture problems. It contains proven strategies that will have an enormous impact on the direction of any organization. With this book, anyone, in any institution can become a great leader and build an amazing culture that inspires their team, attracts talent, and produces results. How Leaders can Strengthen Their Organization’s Culture offers leaders 28 simple and effective ways to impact the culture of the teams they lead!
The Leadership Challenge - James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner
The Leadership Challenge is the gold-standard manual for effective leadership, grounded in research and written by the premier authorities in the field. With deep insight into the complex interpersonal dynamics of the workplace, this book positions leadership both as a skill to be learned, and as a relationship that must be nurtured to reach its full potential.
Start with Why - Simon Sinek
Discover the book that is captivating millions on TikTok and that served as the basis for one of the most popular TED Talks of all time—with more than 56 million views and counting. Over a decade ago, Simon Sinek started a movement that inspired millions to demand purpose at work, to ask what was the WHY of their organization. Since then, millions have been touched by the power of his ideas, and these ideas remain as relevant and timely as ever.
First, Break all the Rules - Marcus Buckingham
Gallup presents the remarkable findings of its revolutionary study of more than 80,000 managers in First, Break All the Rules, revealing what the world’s greatest managers do differently. With vital performance and career lessons and ideas for how to apply them, it is a must-read for managers at every level.
Drive - Daniel H. Pink
Drawing on four decades of scientific research on human motivation, Pink exposes the mismatch between what science knows and what business does—and how that affects every aspect of life. He examines the three elements of true motivation—autonomy, mastery, and purpose-and offers smart and surprising techniques for putting these into action in a unique book that will change how we think and transform how we live.
How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie
Dale Carnegie’s rock-solid, time-tested advice has carried countless people up the ladder of success in their business and personal lives. One of the most groundbreaking and timeless bestsellers of all time, How to Win Friends & Influence People will teach you:
-Six ways to make people like you
-Twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking
-Nine ways to change people without arousing resentment
And much more! Achieve your maximum potential—a must-read for the twenty-first century with more than 15 million copies sold!
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership - John C. Maxwell
What would happen if a leadership expert were willing to distill everything he’s learned in his 30+ years of experience into a handful of life-changing principles just for you? It would change your life.
Internationally recognized leadership expert and bestselling author John C. Maxwell wrote his million-seller The 21 Laws of Leadership over ten years ago. Now, this expanded and updated edition of one of the most trusted and referenced leadership books features revised content that is fundamental to any leader.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team - Patrick Lencioni
In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team Patrick Lencioni once again offers a leadership fable that is as enthralling and instructive as his first two best-selling books, The Five Temptations of a CEO and The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive. This time, he turns his keen intellect and storytelling power to the fascinating, complex world of teams.
Kathryn Petersen, Decision Tech's CEO, faces the ultimate leadership crisis: Uniting a team in such disarray that it threatens to bring down the entire company. Will she succeed? Will she be fired? Will the company fail? Lencioni's utterly gripping tale serves as a timeless reminder that leadership requires as much courage as it does insight.
Crucial Conversations - Kerry Patterson
This New York Times bestseller and business classic has been fully updated for a world where skilled communication is more important than ever.
The book that revolutionized business communications has been updated for today’s workplace. Crucial Conversations provides powerful skills to ensure every conversation―especially difficult ones―leads to the results you want. Written in an engaging and witty style, it teaches readers how to be persuasive rather than abrasive, how to get back to productive dialogue when others blow up or clam up, and it offers powerful skills for mastering high-stakes conversations, regardless of the topic or person.
Grit - Angela Duckworth
In this instant New York Times bestseller, Angela Duckworth shows anyone striving to succeed that the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent, but a special blend of passion and persistence she calls “grit.” “Inspiration for non-geniuses everywhere” (People).
In Grit, she takes us into the field to visit cadets struggling through their first days at West Point, teachers working in some of the toughest schools, and young finalists in the National Spelling Bee. She also mines fascinating insights from history and shows what can be gleaned from modern experiments in peak performance. Finally, she shares what she’s learned from interviewing dozens of high achievers—from JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon to New Yorker cartoon editor Bob Mankoff to Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll.
Mindset - Carol S. Dweck
“Through clever research studies and engaging writing, Dweck illuminates how our beliefs about our capabilities exert tremendous influence on how we learn and which paths we take in life.”—Bill Gates, GatesNotes
After decades of research, world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., discovered a simple but groundbreaking idea: the power of mindset. In this brilliant book, she shows how success in school, work, sports, the arts, and almost every area of human endeavor can be dramatically influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities. People with a fixed mindset—those who believe that abilities are fixed—are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset—those who believe that abilities can be developed. Mindset reveals how great parents, teachers, managers, and athletes can put this idea to use to foster outstanding accomplishment.
5 Love Languages of Teenagers - Gary Chapman
Over 600,000 copies sold! Socially, mentally, and spiritually, teenagers face a variety of pressures and stresses each day. Despite these pressures, it is still parents who can influence teens the most, and The 5 Love Languages of Teenagers equips parents to make the most of that opportunity.
In this adaptation of the #1 New York Times bestseller The 5 Love Languages(more than 10 million copies sold), Dr. Gary Chapman explores the world in which teenagers live, explains their developmental changes, and gives tools to help you identify and appropriately communicate in your teen's love language.
Legacy - James Kerr
Difficult times call for different solutions.
In his global bestseller, Legacy, James Kerr goes deep into the heart of the world's most successful team, the New Zealand All Blacks, to help understand what it takes to bounce back from adversity and still reach the top.
It is a book about leading a team or an organization - but, more importantly, about leading a life.
The kind of life that you want to lead.
In today's volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment, personal leadership has never been more relevant, and Legacy goes to the heart of how great leaders - and we are all leaders - 'reboot' and reframe their future.
It is a truly life-defining read that addresses the big questions - values, vision, mindset and purpose - that, when answered, build the foundation for resilience, excellence and sustained success.
This book will change your life.
Champions do extra. They sweep the sheds, follow the spearhead, and keep a blue head.
They are good ancestors and plant trees they'll never see.