- Blog Categories
- Software Development Projects and Ideas
- 12 Computer Science Project Ideas
- 28 Beginner Software Projects
- Top 10 Engineering Project Ideas
- Top 10 Easy Final Year Projects
- Top 10 Mini Projects for Engineers
- 25 Best Django Project Ideas
- Top 20 MERN Stack Project Ideas
- Top 12 Real Time Projects
- Top 6 Major CSE Projects
- 12 Robotics Projects for All Levels
- Java Programming Concepts
- Abstract Class in Java and Methods
- Constructor Overloading in Java
- StringBuffer vs StringBuilder
- Java Identifiers: Syntax & Examples
- Types of Variables in Java Explained
- Composition in Java: Examples
- Append in Java: Implementation
- Loose Coupling vs Tight Coupling
- Integrity Constraints in DBMS
- Different Types of Operators Explained
- Career and Interview Preparation in IT
- Top 14 IT Courses for Jobs
- Top 20 Highest Paying Languages
- 23 Top CS Interview Q&A
- Best IT Jobs without Coding
- Software Engineer Salary in India
- 44 Agile Methodology Interview Q&A
- 10 Software Engineering Challenges
- Top 15 Tech's Daily Life Impact
- 10 Best Backends for React
- Cloud Computing Reference Models
- Web Development and Security
- Find Installed NPM Version
- Install Specific NPM Package Version
- Make API Calls in Angular
- Install Bootstrap in Angular
- Use Axios in React: Guide
- StrictMode in React: Usage
- 75 Cyber Security Research Topics
- Top 7 Languages for Ethical Hacking
- Top 20 Docker Commands
- Advantages of OOP
- Data Science Projects and Applications
- 42 Python Project Ideas for Beginners
- 13 Data Science Project Ideas
- 13 Data Structure Project Ideas
- 12 Real-World Python Applications
- Python Banking Project
- Data Science Course Eligibility
- Association Rule Mining Overview
- Cluster Analysis in Data Mining
- Classification in Data Mining
- KDD Process in Data Mining
- Data Structures and Algorithms
- Binary Tree Types Explained
- Binary Search Algorithm
- Sorting in Data Structure
- Binary Tree in Data Structure
- Binary Tree vs Binary Search Tree
- Recursion in Data Structure
- Data Structure Search Methods: Explained
- Binary Tree Interview Q&A
- Linear vs Binary Search
- Priority Queue Overview
- Python Programming and Tools
- Top 30 Python Pattern Programs
- List vs Tuple
- Python Free Online Course
- Method Overriding in Python
- Top 21 Python Developer Skills
- Reverse a Number in Python
- Switch Case Functions in Python
- Info Retrieval System Overview
- Reverse a Number in Python
- Real-World Python Applications
- Data Science Careers and Comparisons
- Data Analyst Salary in India
- Data Scientist Salary in India
- Free Excel Certification Course
- Actuary Salary in India
- Data Analyst Interview Guide
- Pandas Interview Guide
- Tableau Filters Explained
- Data Mining Techniques Overview
- Data Analytics Lifecycle Phases
- Data Science Vs Analytics Comparison
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Projects
- Exciting IoT Project Ideas
- 16 Exciting AI Project Ideas
- 45+ Interesting ML Project Ideas
- Exciting Deep Learning Projects
- 12 Intriguing Linear Regression Projects
- 13 Neural Network Projects
- 5 Exciting Image Processing Projects
- Top 8 Thrilling AWS Projects
- 12 Engaging AI Projects in Python
- NLP Projects for Beginners
- Concepts and Algorithms in AIML
- Basic CNN Architecture Explained
- 6 Types of Regression Models
- Data Preprocessing Steps
- Bagging vs Boosting in ML
- Multinomial Naive Bayes Overview
- Gini Index for Decision Trees
- Bayesian Network Example
- Bayes Theorem Guide
- Top 10 Dimensionality Reduction Techniques
- Neural Network Step-by-Step Guide
- Technical Guides and Comparisons
- Make a Chatbot in Python
- Compute Square Roots in Python
- Permutation vs Combination
- Image Segmentation Techniques
- Generative AI vs Traditional AI
- AI vs Human Intelligence
- Random Forest vs Decision Tree
- Neural Network Overview
- Perceptron Learning Algorithm
- Selection Sort Algorithm
- Career and Practical Applications in AIML
- AI Salary in India Overview
- Biological Neural Network Basics
- Top 10 AI Challenges
- Production System in AI
- Top 8 Raspberry Pi Alternatives
- Top 8 Open Source Projects
- 14 Raspberry Pi Project Ideas
- 15 MATLAB Project Ideas
- Top 10 Python NLP Libraries
- Naive Bayes Explained
- Digital Marketing Projects and Strategies
- 10 Best Digital Marketing Projects
- 17 Fun Social Media Projects
- Top 6 SEO Project Ideas
- Digital Marketing Case Studies
- Coca-Cola Marketing Strategy
- Nestle Marketing Strategy Analysis
- Zomato Marketing Strategy
- Monetize Instagram Guide
- Become a Successful Instagram Influencer
- 8 Best Lead Generation Techniques
- Digital Marketing Careers and Salaries
- Digital Marketing Salary in India
- Top 10 Highest Paying Marketing Jobs
- Highest Paying Digital Marketing Jobs
- SEO Salary in India
- Brand Manager Salary in India
- Content Writer Salary Guide
- Digital Marketing Executive Roles
- Career in Digital Marketing Guide
- Future of Digital Marketing
- MBA in Digital Marketing Overview
- Digital Marketing Techniques and Channels
- 9 Types of Digital Marketing Channels
- Top 10 Benefits of Marketing Branding
- 100 Best YouTube Channel Ideas
- YouTube Earnings in India
- 7 Reasons to Study Digital Marketing
- Top 10 Digital Marketing Objectives
- 10 Best Digital Marketing Blogs
- Top 5 Industries Using Digital Marketing
- Growth of Digital Marketing in India
- Top Career Options in Marketing
- Interview Preparation and Skills
- 73 Google Analytics Interview Q&A
- 56 Social Media Marketing Q&A
- 78 Google AdWords Interview Q&A
- Top 133 SEO Interview Q&A
- 27+ Digital Marketing Q&A
- Digital Marketing Free Course
- Top 9 Skills for PPC Analysts
- Movies with Successful Social Media Campaigns
- Marketing Communication Steps
- Top 10 Reasons to Be an Affiliate Marketer
- Career Options and Paths
- Top 25 Highest Paying Jobs India
- Top 25 Highest Paying Jobs World
- Top 10 Highest Paid Commerce Job
- Career Options After 12th Arts
- Top 7 Commerce Courses Without Maths
- Top 7 Career Options After PCB
- Best Career Options for Commerce
- Career Options After 12th CS
- Top 10 Career Options After 10th
- 8 Best Career Options After BA
- Projects and Academic Pursuits
- 17 Exciting Final Year Projects
- Top 12 Commerce Project Topics
- Top 13 BCA Project Ideas
- Career Options After 12th Science
- Top 15 CS Jobs in India
- 12 Best Career Options After M.Com
- 9 Best Career Options After B.Sc
- 7 Best Career Options After BCA
- 22 Best Career Options After MCA
- 16 Top Career Options After CE
- Courses and Certifications
- 10 Best Job-Oriented Courses
- Best Online Computer Courses
- Top 15 Trending Online Courses
- Top 19 High Salary Certificate Courses
- 21 Best Programming Courses for Jobs
- What is SGPA? Convert to CGPA
- GPA to Percentage Calculator
- Highest Salary Engineering Stream
- 15 Top Career Options After Engineering
- 6 Top Career Options After BBA
- Job Market and Interview Preparation
- Why Should You Be Hired: 5 Answers
- Top 10 Future Career Options
- Top 15 Highest Paid IT Jobs India
- 5 Common Guesstimate Interview Q&A
- Average CEO Salary: Top Paid CEOs
- Career Options in Political Science
- Top 15 Highest Paying Non-IT Jobs
- Cover Letter Examples for Jobs
- Top 5 Highest Paying Freelance Jobs
- Top 10 Highest Paying Companies India
- Career Options and Paths After MBA
- 20 Best Careers After B.Com
- Career Options After MBA Marketing
- Top 14 Careers After MBA In HR
- Top 10 Highest Paying HR Jobs India
- How to Become an Investment Banker
- Career Options After MBA - High Paying
- Scope of MBA in Operations Management
- Best MBA for Working Professionals India
- MBA After BA - Is It Right For You?
- Best Online MBA Courses India
- MBA Project Ideas and Topics
- 11 Exciting MBA HR Project Ideas
- Top 15 MBA Project Ideas
- 18 Exciting MBA Marketing Projects
- MBA Project Ideas: Consumer Behavior
- What is Brand Management?
- What is Holistic Marketing?
- What is Green Marketing?
- Intro to Organizational Behavior Model
- Tech Skills Every MBA Should Learn
- Most Demanding Short Term Courses MBA
- MBA Salary, Resume, and Skills
- MBA Salary in India
- HR Salary in India
- Investment Banker Salary India
- MBA Resume Samples
- Sample SOP for MBA
- Sample SOP for Internship
- 7 Ways MBA Helps Your Career
- Must-have Skills in Sales Career
- 8 Skills MBA Helps You Improve
- Top 20+ SAP FICO Interview Q&A
- MBA Specializations and Comparative Guides
- Why MBA After B.Tech? 5 Reasons
- How to Answer 'Why MBA After Engineering?'
- Why MBA in Finance
- MBA After BSc: 10 Reasons
- Which MBA Specialization to choose?
- Top 10 MBA Specializations
- MBA vs Masters: Which to Choose?
- Benefits of MBA After CA
- 5 Steps to Management Consultant
- 37 Must-Read HR Interview Q&A
- Fundamentals and Theories of Management
- What is Management? Objectives & Functions
- Nature and Scope of Management
- Decision Making in Management
- Management Process: Definition & Functions
- Importance of Management
- What are Motivation Theories?
- Tools of Financial Statement Analysis
- Negotiation Skills: Definition & Benefits
- Career Development in HRM
- Top 20 Must-Have HRM Policies
- Project and Supply Chain Management
- Top 20 Project Management Case Studies
- 10 Innovative Supply Chain Projects
- Latest Management Project Topics
- 10 Project Management Project Ideas
- 6 Types of Supply Chain Models
- Top 10 Advantages of SCM
- Top 10 Supply Chain Books
- What is Project Description?
- Top 10 Project Management Companies
- Best Project Management Courses Online
- Salaries and Career Paths in Management
- Project Manager Salary in India
- Average Product Manager Salary India
- Supply Chain Management Salary India
- Salary After BBA in India
- PGDM Salary in India
- Top 7 Career Options in Management
- CSPO Certification Cost
- Why Choose Product Management?
- Product Management in Pharma
- Product Design in Operations Management
- Industry-Specific Management and Case Studies
- Amazon Business Case Study
- Service Delivery Manager Job
- Product Management Examples
- Product Management in Automobiles
- Product Management in Banking
- Sample SOP for Business Management
- Video Game Design Components
- Top 5 Business Courses India
- Free Management Online Course
- SCM Interview Q&A
- Fundamentals and Types of Law
- Acceptance in Contract Law
- Offer in Contract Law
- 9 Types of Evidence
- Types of Law in India
- Introduction to Contract Law
- Negotiable Instrument Act
- Corporate Tax Basics
- Intellectual Property Law
- Workmen Compensation Explained
- Lawyer vs Advocate Difference
- Law Education and Courses
- LLM Subjects & Syllabus
- Corporate Law Subjects
- LLM Course Duration
- Top 10 Online LLM Courses
- Online LLM Degree
- Step-by-Step Guide to Studying Law
- Top 5 Law Books to Read
- Why Legal Studies?
- Pursuing a Career in Law
- How to Become Lawyer in India
- Career Options and Salaries in Law
- Career Options in Law India
- Corporate Lawyer Salary India
- How To Become a Corporate Lawyer
- Career in Law: Starting, Salary
- Career Opportunities: Corporate Law
- Business Lawyer: Role & Salary Info
- Average Lawyer Salary India
- Top Career Options for Lawyers
- Types of Lawyers in India
- Steps to Become SC Lawyer in India
- Tutorials
- C Tutorials
- Recursion in C: Fibonacci Series
- Checking String Palindromes in C
- Prime Number Program in C
- Implementing Square Root in C
- Matrix Multiplication in C
- Understanding Double Data Type
- Factorial of a Number in C
- Structure of a C Program
- Building a Calculator Program in C
- Compiling C Programs on Linux
- Java Tutorials
- Handling String Input in Java
- Determining Even and Odd Numbers
- Prime Number Checker
- Sorting a String
- User-Defined Exceptions
- Understanding the Thread Life Cycle
- Swapping Two Numbers
- Using Final Classes
- Area of a Triangle
- Skills
- Software Engineering
- JavaScript
- Data Structure
- React.js
- Core Java
- Node.js
- Blockchain
- SQL
- Full stack development
- Devops
- NFT
- BigData
- Cyber Security
- Cloud Computing
- Database Design with MySQL
- Cryptocurrency
- Python
- Digital Marketings
- Advertising
- Influencer Marketing
- Search Engine Optimization
- Performance Marketing
- Search Engine Marketing
- Email Marketing
- Content Marketing
- Social Media Marketing
- Display Advertising
- Marketing Analytics
- Web Analytics
- Affiliate Marketing
- MBA
- MBA in Finance
- MBA in HR
- MBA in Marketing
- MBA in Business Analytics
- MBA in Operations Management
- MBA in International Business
- MBA in Information Technology
- MBA in Healthcare Management
- MBA In General Management
- MBA in Agriculture
- MBA in Supply Chain Management
- MBA in Entrepreneurship
- MBA in Project Management
- Management Program
- Consumer Behaviour
- Supply Chain Management
- Financial Analytics
- Introduction to Fintech
- Introduction to HR Analytics
- Fundamentals of Communication
- Art of Effective Communication
- Introduction to Research Methodology
- Mastering Sales Technique
- Business Communication
- Fundamentals of Journalism
- Economics Masterclass
- Free Courses
Top 10 Books on Leadership to Read to Become a Better Leader
Updated on 28 March, 2023
6.26K+ views
• 8 min read
Table of Contents
A company’s success is the product of the value it is providing to the customers and the can-do attitude of its founder. Many a time, investors bet on the entrepreneur rather than on the product. The charisma of a leader is enough proof for a potential investor regarding the company’s success. This is why it is easy for a company with an able leader to secure fundings. Leadership is an essential trait for the managers in the company as well. Hence, companies organise leadership programmes for them so that they can contribute to the organisation. 8% of all organisations spend more than INR 7,61,775 per year per person on leadership development while 6% spend between INR 5,33,365 and INR 7,61,775.
Check out our management programs to upskill yourself.
What is Leadership?
Leadership is the art of leading a group of people in a common direction in order to achieve the desired goals. Contrary to popular belief, being in a higher position does not give you more power; instead, it instils more responsibility. One who realises this and considers himself a part of the team makes an excellent leader. A leader pushes people to perform better, appreciates them for their efforts, and reprimands them for their inefficiencies. In short, a leader ensures that the team members perform to the best of their capacity.
Qualities of a Good Leader-
1. Negotiation-
Good leaders are generally great negotiators. Being in authority brings many responsibilities. Leaders have to deal with people outside of their team, such as government authorities, members of the board, etc. To align all of their interests with the organisation’s interests, they need to have good negotiation skills. This is the only way to find a middle ground and ensure the timely completion of tasks. You can read books to enhance your negotiation skills. “Negotiating the Nonnegotiable” is one of the best books on negotiation, which you can refer to.
2. Listening-
Leaders have to be great listeners too. They should always have an ear for their team’s concerns. Employees or team members should always feel comfortable sharing their issues with their leader, who should have an unbiased outlook. This facilitates a two-way communication system which ensures efficiency of the team.
3. Critical Thinking-
Any organisation is bound to suffer from emergencies and strict deadlines from time to time. In those cases, it becomes the responsibility of the leader to lead the team and ensure the timely completion of tasks. Leaders have to devise new strategies to tackle these problems and maintain the calm and composure of the team. Hence, critical thinking is a necessary quality that a leader must-have.
4. Emotional Intelligence-
This is an important quality which impacts the organisational environment positively. Emotional intelligence is necessary for a leader to maintain relationships with employees, communicate with them, and motivate them to perform better. You can refer to “Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ”, by David Goleman, to learn more about the topic. It is regarded as one of the best books on emotional intelligence.
5. Vision-
A leader should have a clear vision for the organisation. He should then lead his team towards achieving the same. A visionary leader is necessary for the company’s long term success and growth.
Top 10 Best Books on Leadership–
1. Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done, by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan
The book explains that execution is the main quality of a leader. It also lays down tools and concepts that can enhance the outcomes. According to the authors, people, strategy, and operations are the 3 key execution processes.
2. Developing the Leader Within You 2.0, by John C. Maxwell
Considered as one of the best books on leadership, it is an update of the best selling book by the authors. The main crux of the book is that leadership is an influence. The 5 levels of leadership, namely position, permission, production, people development, and pinnacle, illustrate the point explained in the book.
3. Leading Change, by John P. Kotter
Change is an inevitable aspect of the business. The book is a guide for leaders as to how to manage change through the 8-step process. These steps help make the transition easier for a company and use the change to their benefit.
4. Disrupt-It-Yourself: Eight Ways to Hack a Better Business Before the Competition Does, by Simon Bhan Ahuja and James M. Loree
Competition is reducing the life of companies. In this book, the author provides 8 disrupt-it-yourself systems to bring about innovation in the organisation in order to survive in the competition.
5. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t, by Jim Collins
One of the best books on leadership, it takes the example of 11 companies that were able to leap from good to great. The book offers many insights and principles the companies follow to achieve success.
6. The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done, by Peter F. Drucker
The author explains 5 practices that are essential to business management. These practices should be used by the managers and leaders, which help them get the right thing done.
7. True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership, by Bill George
Considered as the one of the best books on leadership, it explains that great leaders make decisions based on their true north (i.e. what is important to them). This true north depends on the person’s vision, passion, and motivation. This makes the subordinates follow the leader wholeheartedly.
8. The One Minute Manager, by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson
The book offers simple tools to leaders or managers which take less than 60 seconds and have a significant impact on the performance of the employees. The authors advise managers to set 3 goals for employees and spend a minute giving them a positive impact, another letting them know their shortcomings.
9. Leadership is an Art, by Max DePree.
Considered as one of the best books on emotional intelligence, the book explains how managers could learn leadership skills to help the organisation achieve great heights. The author focuses on building deep relationships and value systems in the organisation. This will help the employees reach their true potential and achieve organisational success.
10. Learning to Lead, by Ron Williams
The book is written for people in the initial phases of leadership. The author shares many advice and lessons which are helpful for new leaders. These strategies are driven by lessons of his journey and act as a roadmap for readers.
Why is leadership important?
Improves communication
Leadership helps in improving communication in the workplace. Any team needs to function effortlessly, and clear and concise communication is the key. It is essential for the team to feel that their ideas are also relevant, and an efficient leader helps to create that environment. Great leadership books teach individuals how to be one.
Healthy work environment
Effective leadership helps create a healthy environment within the team, which is fruitful in the long run. In a healthy environment, employee morale boosts and ideas flow naturally. This is helpful in business growth as well. The best books on leadership and management shed light on creating a healthy work environment.
Improves productivity
A good leader focuses on improving the productivity of team members, as the productivity of one person affects the productivity of another. And a good leader understands how much it is important to stay productive and how well it affects the organisation’s growth. The best leadership books share how a poor leader can negatively impact the employee’s interest and productivity.
Vision creation
A good leader helps in creating a vision for the organisation. They include everyone in this conversation and make sure that the employees know how much it is important for everyone to be aligned on the same vision as them.
Explore our Popular Management Programs
Efficiency enhancement
A productive leader can help employees to increase their work efficiency. They can get the most out of their team because they understand their team’s potential. A strong leader makes sure that the team is working on the same goal and is achieving the same goal. They delegate tasks and provide timely guidance to their team members. The top books on leadership help in sharing strategies to improve team efficiency.
If you are interested in improving your leadership skills, you can check out the Leadership and Management in New-Age Business offered by The Wharton School in association with upGrad. You get executive coaching sessions and the academic content suited for leadership roles. You get to learn through a masterclass from the esteemed Wharton faculty. Additionally, you get programme completion certification from Wharton, enhancing your professional career.
Top Management Skills to Learn
Conclusion
The business environment is becoming increasingly dynamic each day. To lead a company in this competitive world, outstanding leadership is one of the essential requirements. The leaders motivate the employees and take strategic steps to help the organisation navigate the tough times. Hence, leadership quality is a must-have for entrepreneurs and business owners.
Our Top Management Articles
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What are some of the podcasts for developing leadership skills?
Leadership skill is required for an individual striving to climb the social ladder. Hence, you must start developing leadership skills through various methods such as books, podcasts, etc. You can refer to some of the podcasts such as “Ask a CEO”, “the Impact Multiplier CEO”, and “the Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast”.
2. What are some of the YouTube Channels to develop Leadership skills?
YouTube is an excellent source for learning. Some of the YouTube Channels you can refer to are our Leadership Nudges, Front Line Leadership, and Life Leadership.
3. What are the different types of Leadership styles?
Although the popularity of leadership styles has evolved over time, they can be classified into 7 broad categories: Autocratic, Authoritative, Pacesetting, Democratic, Coaching, Affiliative, and Laissez- faire.
RELATED PROGRAMS