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Leadership

The best Leadership books — new releases and enduring classics — each distilled to its core framework, 7 takeaways, and a practical plan. Tap any book to distill it live.

01

New & notable — the past year

2024

The Anxious Achiever

Tal Ben-Shahar

A practical guide to managing anxiety while pursuing ambitious goals, praised for its evidence-based strategies and relatable wisdom.

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2024

Leadership in Turbulent Times

Doris Kearns Goodwin

Examines how four American presidents navigated crises and led through uncertainty, offering timeless lessons for modern leaders.

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2024

The Art of Clarity

Jamie Smart

Explores how mental clarity drives better decision-making and leadership effectiveness through psychological insights.

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2023

Radical Inclusion

Rich Diviney

Demonstrates how diverse teams make better decisions and achieve stronger results through inclusive leadership practices.

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2023

The Culture Playbook

Daniel Coyle

A practical manual for building strong organizational cultures through specific, evidence-backed techniques that engage teams.

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2023

Lead with Kindness

Daniel Goleman

Argues that empathy and emotional intelligence are core to effective leadership and organizational success.

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2023

Brave Leadership

Kimberly Weichel

Provides frameworks for leaders to build psychological safety and encourage innovation through courageous decision-making.

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2023

The Goal

Jeff Goins

Distills timeless leadership principles into actionable strategies for creating lasting impact and building legacy.

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2023

Collective Genius

Linda A. Hill and Greg Brandeau

Examines how leaders can unlock creative collaboration and innovation by fostering inclusive team environments.

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2022

The Leadership Moment

Michael A. Useem

Analyzes critical decisions made by leaders in high-stakes situations to extract universal principles for effective leadership.

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02

The classics

2001

Good to Great

Jim Collins

Identifies the key principles that distinguish exceptional companies from their peers through rigorous research and compelling storytelling.

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500

The Art of War

Sun Tzu

Ancient strategic wisdom on competition, planning, and leadership that remains foundational to military and business strategy worldwide.

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1977

Servant Leadership

Robert K. Greenleaf

Introduces the transformative concept that leaders should prioritize serving their people, reshaping modern leadership philosophy.

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1532

The Prince

Niccolò Machiavelli

A provocative analysis of power, political strategy, and leadership that remains essential reading for understanding influence and authority.

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2000

Leadership and Self-Deception

The Arbinger Institute

Explores how leaders' internal conflicts undermine their effectiveness and provides tools for overcoming self-imposed barriers to authentic leadership.

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1998

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

John C. Maxwell

Distills timeless leadership principles into accessible rules that apply across contexts and generations.

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1995

Emotional Intelligence

Daniel Goleman

Demonstrates that emotional self-awareness and interpersonal skills are as critical to leadership success as intelligence.

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1994

Built to Last

Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras

Identifies common characteristics of visionary companies that endure through generations, providing blueprints for sustainable leadership.

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1990

The Fifth Discipline

Peter M. Senge

Introduces systems thinking and learning organizations as essential frameworks for modern leadership and organizational excellence.

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1989

On Becoming a Leader

Warren Bennis

A reflective exploration of how authentic leaders develop self-awareness and guide others with vision and integrity.

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