This article showcases our top picks for the Leadership Books For Teams. We reached out to industry leaders and experts who have contributed the suggestions within this article (they have been credited for their contributions below).
We are keen to hear your feedback on all of our content and our comment section is a moderated space to express your thoughts and feelings related (or not) to this article This list is in no particular order.
7 Steps to Succes by Buck Martinez
This product was recommended by Jamie Levin from Student ACES
7 Steps to Success provides a clear and insightful roadmap for those who are continually working to define their purpose in a world full of obstacles in the journey we call life. Complete with real life lessons, valuable insight from recognized leaders and just the right amount of inspirational messaging, this publication is fitting for all generations, but has been found to really resonate and having the biggest impact with today’s youth.
Your Winning Formula by Buck Martinez
This product was recommended by Jamie Levin from Student ACES
Your Winning Formula challenges you to become a transformational leader capable of developing a powerful and impactful vision that will influence others to follow you. Our country is desperate for young leaders capable of wearing the armor that protects against merciless and hateful attacks against our fundamental principles such as hard work, respect for others and self, earning trust, and sacrificing for others and country. You will learn the critical tools necessary to develop your brand, the positive values and qualities that you will unleash on the world, and you will do it with a loud voice that many will hear and welcome. Be confident, poised, and strong as you begin your quest to be a transformational leader, and always remember, Stand Up and Be Yourself. Don’t let others intimidate, threaten or harass you into accepting their baseless and false narratives. You can be the transformational leader that influences others to carry your message in a proud and bold manner. Without your leadership, we will continue slipping behind as a country. You, and America, were made for greatness. Be the one that makes it happen; don’t wait for someone else to lead. You can be a difference maker.
Building Blocks of Leadership by Buck Martinez
This product was recommended by Jamie Levin from Student ACES
From television, internet, and social media, today’s students are being bombarded with many and confusing messages. Without the proper foundation, our students can be influenced to make the wrong decisions that will affect them for the rest of their lives. This book is intended to provide a foundation to our young men and women. With candid discussion and illustrations, our young men and women will have the opportunity to understand and apply valuable lessons that will serve as a foundation for life.
Influencing Virtual Teams by Hassan Osman
This product was recommended by Simon Bacher from Ling App
This book is one of my favorites because I handle a virtual team too. Because I manage remote employees across the world with my gamified language learning app product, I have to be agile and sensitive to cultural and time differences. Hassan Osman has a robust leadership framework that can help business leaders become better virtual team managers. I’m impressed by his shared techniques, backed up by case studies with references included, eliminating guesswork and heavily opinionated discussions that most leadership team books for teams possess.
Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
This product was recommended by Adam Arthur from Content Bounty
This book explores the significance of vulnerability and compassion in leadership. According to Brené Brown, a renowned “courage and shame” researcher, leadership is not about status or control, but about finding the potential in people and ideas. In this book, you will find instructions on how to become a courageous and confident leader.
The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
This product was recommended by Linda Shaffer from Checkr
The best leadership book we encourage our teams to read is The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. In this book, Lencioni outlines the five dysfunctions which can plague teams: absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results. He provides readers with a model and framework for overcoming these dysfunctions and building a cohesive, high-performing team. The book also includes a number of tools and exercises which teams can use to assess their own level of dysfunction and work towards improvement. I’d highly recommend this book for anyone looking to build or develop a high-performing team.
Spark by Angie Morgan
This product was recommended by Christian Kjaer from ElleVet Sciences
“Spark: How to Lead Yourself and Others to Greater Success” by Angie Morgan, Courtney Lynch, and Sean Lynch is an excellent book for teams in any industry. The authors explain how leadership is about action and behavior, not your title. People who would consider themselves doers, thinkers, innovators, or key influencers are “sparks.” They act as catalysts for change which makes them great leaders. The best part is anyone can become a “spark” whether you have a title or not.
Smarter Better Faster by Charles Duhigg
This product was recommended by Sandeep Bhandari from AskAnyDifference
In his book, Charles Duhigg lays out many important principles and concepts to explain why some individuals and companies are able to accomplish so much. He quotes the latest *findings in neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral economics as well as experiences from many successful industry leaders* to explore the leadership tactics they use to increase the productivity and output of teams. He dedicates an entire chapter to creating successful teams and managing other employees. Equipped with great examples and case studies, this book does a great job of explaining key concepts of leading and managing a team.
The Power of a Positive Team by Jon Gordon
This product was recommended by Ismail Kuden from Kuden Rugs
It is the best book for highly effective teams. It focuses on the power of positivity and optimism in teams and how to create an optimistic team culture.
Bringing Out the Best in People by Alan McGinnis
This product was recommended by Ismail Kuden from Kuden Rugs
This book covers passion, motivation, failure management, and conflict resolution. The book provides tips on how to be a better teammate and more persuasive team leader.
Nine Lies About Work by Marcus Buckingham
This product was recommended by Ben Grindlow from ProXpn
This book is a great guide on how to build an effective team and how to become a real leader. Because the author of this book showcases the truth about being a leader of realism. This book also tells you to not rely on planning and start to feed your team with intelligence and encourage them to achieve and align their purposes.
Primal Leadership by Daniel Goleman
This product was recommended by Jean Will from NiaWigs
It explains that emotional intelligence is very important in leadership but is often absent in most leaders. This book teaches leaders how to connect with their people, and navigate their feelings to be able to build an emotionally intelligent team.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
This product was recommended by Andrew Gonzales from BusinessLoans
This book contains lessons, habits, and frameworks which help you enrich your personal and professional life. Some of these habits include seeking to understand other people, respecting their perspectives, and being considerate of how they feel. Each of these have a great impact when it comes to working and leading effectively within a team environment.
The Culture Code, by Daniel Coyle
This product was recommended by Phil Ohren from Intender
This book by Daniel Coyle is a great insight into the secrets of successful groups, and how fostering the right culture within a team, through the right leadership, can lead to success and the accomplishment of goals. I find it to be a very interesting read, and would definitely recommend it to team leaders.
On Becoming a Leader by Warren Bennis
This product was recommended by Brandon Perton from The Old School Game Vault
The book takes the tone of story-telling, making it more enjoyable for anyone who enjoys fiction, too. It has a perfect blend of academic and practical insights into the corporate world, and there is a revised and updated version to reflect the changes of the early 21st century. There are many insightful and practical points made. It makes a great read for book clubs.
Resilient Management by Lara Hogan
This product was recommended by Leslie Gilmour from BeFound
I would recommend this book to teams interested in learning more about leadership. It covers the most important aspects of teamwork, such as communication and trust building, as well as some useful skills such as mentorship and coaching.
Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erikson
This product was recommended by Morgan Lilker from Watches of Today
I recommend that everyone in a team or leading a team read Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erikson as it delves into how to handle different personalities and traits that your team members may possess to work as efficiently in a team as possible. Erikson’s writing style is concise and easy to understand, as well as a fun read that you can get engrossed in.
High Output Management by Andrew Grove
This product was recommended by Jitesh Keswani from e intelligence
It’s one of my favorite leadership books that has helped me inspire and motivate my team to perform better. High Output Management by Andrew Grove is definitely a must-have book if you are ambitious enough to lead talented minds. This classic book by the former CEO of Intel is full of useful strategies for leading an organization and inspiring your employees. It covers topics like planning, motivating, and measuring productivity. It also covers organizational structures and recruitment techniques. The book is filled with sports analogies. Andrew Grove likes to compare his teams to racetracks, where the expectations are set clear and winning and losing are obvious. By comparing teams to each other, he shows how to improve performance. It also helps to share best practices with other teams.
Give and Take by Adam Grant
This product was recommended by Colin Palfrey from Crediful
The premise of this book is that there are three basic styles of communicating with others, givers, takers, and matchers, and asks which one you are. Takers tend to live off of others, givers usually act in the interest of others, often to their own cost, matchers can both give and take in equal measure. Perhaps surprisingly, the author’s conclusion is that the most successful of these types are the givers, with the takers sinking to the bottom. The book will instruct and inspire you to adopt a more giving style, but much of the hard work as the author makes clear is how sincere you are about changing your style of communication. Be aware, it can be heavy going at times to get through the book, it is not intended for beginners, but there are so many tips to improve your skills that you should be recommending it as part of your team’s drive for improvement.
The Catalyst Effect by Jerry Toomer
This product was recommended by Kris Lippi from ISoldMyHouse
The most effective team members and leaders benefit everyone around them. They also serve as catalysts for innovation and creativity. When team leaders foster competence in each team member, they can see a noticeable improvement in results. This book guarantees a step-by-step process to do just that. When firms face new difficulties, catalytic thinkers leverage their understanding of 12 fundamental abilities to motivate improved performance. The authors warn that if you can’t connect with your audience’s emotions, they might not understand the message you’re trying to get across. These crucial skills are categorized by authors into four sets of competencies: building credibility, creating cohesion, generating momentum, and amplifying impact.
Leading in a Culture of Change by Michael Fullan
This product was recommended by Sean Chaudhary from Alchemy Leads
Leading in a Culture of Change is a book that will never get old, because change happens around us every single day. It teaches us how to embrace it and make the best of any situation, which is an important lesson when dealing with teams. Using real world examples, this book delves into the many facets of leadership and how it can help anyone in a team whether at work, school, or a volunteer organization. The lessons in this book are interchangeable and can help a team to navigate change with ease.