Marcy Fetzer, PhDLeadership Communication Ecology
Explore the Book
Recommended Reading

18 Books for
Growing Leaders

I am often asked which books I recommend for people who want to grow as leaders. These are 18 I would suggest considering, depending on the questions you are asking and the challenges you are facing.

Some invite us to examine our own assumptions and habits. Others help us have more honest conversations, develop people, or create conditions for trust and learning. Choose one that speaks to your current experience, and give yourself room to try something, notice its effect, and learn from it.

Download the Reading List
01

Lead Yourself

  • The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

    Stephen R. Covey

    Strengthen personal responsibility, priorities, and relationships.

  • How Will You Measure Your Life?

    Clayton Christensen, James Allworth, Karen Dillon

    Align daily choices with your values, relationships, and definition of success.

  • Essentialism

    Greg McKeown

    Choose what deserves your time and attention.

  • The Power of Habit

    Charles Duhigg

    Understand recurring patterns and build lasting habits.

  • Thanks for the Feedback

    Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen

    Receive feedback with curiosity and recognize blind spots.

02

Develop People And Relationships

  • Leadership and Self-Deception

    The Arbinger Institute

    See how self-justification shapes the way we treat others.

  • Multipliers

    Liz Wiseman

    Bring out the capability of the people you lead.

  • Radical Candor

    Kim Scott

    Give direct feedback while showing that you care personally.

  • Crucial Conversations

    Kerry Patterson and colleagues

    Navigate high-stakes conversations with honesty and skill.

  • The Coaching Habit

    Michael Bungay Stanier

    Develop others through better questions.

  • The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

    Patrick Lencioni

    Build trust, engage in productive conflict, and strengthen shared accountability.

  • The Speed of Trust

    Stephen M. R. Covey

    Build credibility through trustworthy behavior.

03

Shape Culture And Direction

  • The Fearless Organization

    Amy C. Edmondson

    Create conditions for candor, accountability, and team learning.

  • Creativity, Inc.

    Ed Catmull with Amy Wallace

    Support creativity and build a culture where people contribute.

  • Start with Why

    Simon Sinek

    Articulate purpose and help others find meaning in the work.

  • Switch

    Chip Heath and Dan Heath

    Lead change by engaging both reason and emotion.

04

Deeper Reading: Culture and Systems

For readers ready to examine the assumptions, structures, and patterns that shape organizational life.

  • Organizational Culture and Leadership

    Edgar H. Schein with Peter Schein

    Examine the underlying assumptions that shape culture and how leaders influence them.

  • The Fifth Discipline

    Peter M. Senge

    Use systems thinking to understand recurring patterns and build a learning organization.