Leadership: In Turbulent Times is written in the companionable prose that has made Goodwin's books instant best sellers. It chronicles the careers of Franklin Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, and Lyndon B. Johnson. These tales will be familiar to readers of presidential biographies, but they may be unfamiliar to newcomers. Then again, Goodwin is recounting these stories not for their own sake, but to demonstrate some crucial characteristics of skilled democratic leadership. Thus, it is to Goodwin's credit that she draws out the differences and quirks amongst the four presidents.

.

Despite the underlying pattern of resilience forged through suffering that these tales seem to share, each keeps its own inherent drama. Leadership: In Turbulent Times is extremely engrossing when Goodwin overcomes the temptation to draw trite lessons or messages from the past, in favor of savoring the obstinate distinctiveness of each circumstance or personality.

.

Unfortunately, when Goodwin reaches her chapter on the four presidents' crisis management - which should be the book's crowning achievement - she falls prey to the childish lexicon of self-help platitudes and bullet-point banalities. Nonetheless, it would be unjust to discount the significance of collective reflection on these four presidents, particularly in these trying times.

.

Author: Doris Goodwin

Publishing year: 2018

Goodreads rating: 4.41/5

Minority Leader is a vital audiobook guide, which leverages the advantages of being an outsider. The book was written by Stacey Abrams, the world's most renowned black female politician. Networking, tenacity, and dedication are necessary elements for job advancement. Yet, for individuals like Stacey Abrams and many members of the New American Right, it requires more.

.

Stacey grew up in a working-poor household in Gulfport, Mississippi, and rose from humble beginnings to Yale Law School and a career in C-suite businesses. Not long after that, she became the first female leader of all parties in the Georgia General Meeting. She was also the first African American ever to become a leader in the Houses of Representatives. Stacey mixes elements of autobiography with real-world counsel for people of color in Minority Leader, and delivers hard-won lessons for navigating situations that were previously the domain of white males alone.

.

Stacey invites listeners to both capitalize on their specialness and acknowledge their own underlying sentiments of inadequacy and real worries. While networking is beneficial, so are carefully selected mentors, mindful self-advocacy, and, most importantly, identifications of one's own actual interests.

.

Author: Stacey Abrahams

Publishing year: 2018

Goodreads rating: 4.27/5

Extreme Ownership is indeed an eye-opening, innovative, and informative book on leadership written by two retired (and rather tough) US Navy SEALs, Leif Babin and Jocko Willink. The book, which is written from a military viewpoint, has several entertaining and inspirational examples that may be applied to company operations.

.

After reading the book, it's evident that Extreme Ownership boasts one significant underlying message: leaders are accountable for everything that falls under their control, whether in a military or corporate environment. With several examples from their experience as SEAL Task Force commanders in Iraq, Jocko and Leif discuss the numerous facets, caveats, and duties of leadership, as well as the attitude required to manage a productive and trustworthy team.

.

Each chapter is divided into three distinct sections: a real-world military example from deployments in Iraq, the underpinning leadership concept, and its applicability to commerce (which also include many different stories from their real-life experience). Whether you are a former or present military professional, a sports coach or player, a company owner, a team leader of a bigger organization, or a business student, this book will undoubtedly have something for you.

.

Authors: Leif Babin & Jocko Willink

Publishing year: 2015

Goodreads rating: 4.24/5

Your company is nearing the endgame, but investors are withholding more capital; experts warn you that this will be the end for everything. You choose to take the firm public in the middle of the chaos, putting on a brave front for each banker you encounter. All that remains is to wait. Peering at the phone in anticipation of a call that never arrives — and then it finally does. Except that it isn't about your business; it is about your sick wife. She had just stopped breathing. The world seems to spin out of control as everything you cherish starts to escape from your grasp.

.

This is the brutal reality of starting a business, as seasoned entrepreneur Ben Horowitz explains in ‘The Hard Thing About Hard Things.’ Unlike other popular books that emphasize how to manage a firm properly and the subsequent sunshine and rainbows, Horowitz demonstrates that there are no such things as a faultless business. Errors are unavoidable.

Bravery is to dare take a risk when all you really want is to stop.

.

‘The Hard Thing About Hard Things’ provides some lessons on how to operate a company effectively based on personal experiences. In conjunction with his focus on problem solving and conquering hurdles, Horowitz’s core principles are intended to assist aspiring entrepreneurs in developing the awareness necessary for success.

.

Author: Ben Horowitz

Publishing year: 2014

Goodreads rating: 4.23/5

The truths laid forth in this ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’, as well as the morals offered, are as straightforward as a cheat sheet and as timeless as mankind. This authority on "public speaking and human interactions" instructs us to smile and be nice, to avoid arguing or finding fault, to understand the other person's point of view, to encourage and applaud him, to let him talk as much as he likes and to convince him that all the wonderful ideas are his.

.

Carnegie also urges us not to tell other people directly that they are wrong. However, he also notes that if we happen to be wrong ourselves, we may convert a risk into an advantage by acknowledging it "immediately and passionately." If we accomplish all of that, we are almost certain to make friends. Plus, once we have the ability to exaggerate our own beliefs, our salesmanship will benefit.

.

‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ has some excellent suggestions on how to avoid making incorrect assumptions. The excellence lies in its straightforward, solid, and practical advice, as well as the vibrant and colorful boldness with which these messages are delivered.

.

Author: Dale Carnegie

Publishing year: 1936

Goodreads rating: 4.21/5

What does courageous leadership entail? It has been elusive recently, even — perhaps particularly — at the highest echelons of our government. That is probably something on which both parties of the aisle agree. However, scholar Brene Brown — a TED Talk rock star with loyal followers including Oprah Winfrey — has been busy at work attempting to find answers, and the result is "Dare to Lead," a "practical playbook" based on study with 140 global C-suite executives.

.

She began by posing the question of what individuals should do differently in order to lead in the present day, when "we are confronted with apparently insurmountable obstacles and an insatiable need for innovation." Several of her insights seem to be diametrically opposed to the current time. She argues that the truly courageous leaders are willing to open up and listen attentively without interrupting. They exhibit empathy, empathizing with the emotions that underlay an experience, rather than simply the experience itself. They are self-aware and self-loving, since how we lead is determined by who we are.

.

Expect to make marginal notes throughout "Dare to Lead." It is an engrossingly practical manual for building an environment conducive to higher level of performance and more contented individuals. If readers have the fortitude to pursue this study, they may possess the potential to improve the cultures of our institutions, including government.

.

Author: Brene Brown

Publishing year: 2018

Goodreads rating: 4.17/5

"How many of us feel at ease with the title of leader?" Most people end up shrugging with a "maybe", either to avoid looking arrogant or to demonstrate their lack of confidence in comparison to others who responded affirmatively, "Yes". In any case, none of them truly grasp the meaning and attributes of the word.

.

In '21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership,' John Maxwell instills a conviction that anyone could be a good leader, provided that they approach it as a marathon rather than a sprint. He depicts a leader's identity using time-honored procedures and characteristics, which he refers to as 'Laws.' Not everyone has all of these 21 characteristics, nor is it necessary for a leader to possess them all.

.

According to ‘21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership’, practicing these principles is a wonderful starting point for anybody who desires to be a successful leader, since the guidelines are succinct and incredibly helpful. John Maxwell backs them up with actual business experiences and stories. Each chapter is filled with practical methods and exercises that can help you develop your leadership skills. The author illustrates his claim with examples from several industries, including technology, religion, and retail.

.

Author: John Maxwell

Publishing year: 1998

Goodreads rating: 4.14/5

In his work The Mentor Leader, Tony Dungy delves into the wonderful responsibility of mentoring. Dundy introduces readers to the possibilities of becoming an intentional mentor leader. Leadership, like medicine or law, is a profession. Dungy highlights a few "fundamental characteristics" of a mentor leader over the course of 203 pages, which you should bear in mind as you pursue your leadership practice. Pages 204–27 have a series of questions that corresponds to the chapter's theme.

.

The Mentor Leader's how-to guide paragraphs also include practical action measures at the conclusion of each chapter. Rather than forcing you down a one-size-fits-all road, Dungy uses strong arguments to enable you to discover your own path ahead. This book is straightforward and enables the reader to easily navigate to the chapters that are most pertinent to a mentoring leader.

.

If you are so weary of leadership rules that concentrate on what you should do as a boss, how you should act, and what things you should prioritize, this booklet is for you. Rather than boring and theoretical arguments, Dundy explores the implications of effects that a mentor leader's influence may have on a mentee's life.

.

Author: Tony Dungy

Publishing year: 2010

Goodreads rating: 4.13/5

Leadership is not only a matter of controlling statistics. It is about assisting individuals in thriving and finding purpose in their career. When leaders value their people, the final results (numbers and statistics) will reflect that. Regrettably, it seems as if most leaders and organizations have lost sight of this essential principle. Simon Sinek outlines where we have gone wrong in his book, Leaders Eat Last, and issues an urgent plea for true leaders to come up and make a positive change.

.

The greatest strength of a business is its people - their capacity to work together and unite behind the firm, particularly during times of crisis. Yet, in many organizations today, labor has devolved into a contractual, transactional relationship. Competitive pressure and layoffs have become the norm, and few people believe in real commitment. When executives prioritize commercial interests and numerical management, they often favor short-term outcomes above long-term success. On the other hand, leaders who respect their staff would solidify the firm’s lifespan in the long run.

.

Ultimately, leadership is about assisting others in flourishing and finding a goal in their jobs. In addition, human beings are genetically intended to flourish in circumstances that foster trust and strong human ties. We desperately need leaders to take the initiative and make a difference. Leaders Eat Last will explain why and how.

.

Author: Simon Sinek

Publishing year: 2014

Goodreads rating: 4.1/5

In her book, Lean In: Women, Work, and The Will to Lead, Sheryl Sandberg shares a story about a meeting with her employer, Mark Zuckerberg, for her very first work review as Facebook's chief operations officer. Zuckerberg advised her that her "desperation to be loved by everyone" would be a hindrance to her success. Many people have hoped that she could tackle this issue, since there indeed have been tons of folks bashing Sheryl Sandberg over her book.

.

Nevertheless, Lean In is worth a read because, although many of its insights about internalized sexism are way too obvious to older feminists, they are, unfortunately, still relevant. Women do demean themselves in order to gain favor; they frame opinions as questions and raise their hands nicely while males take the floor.

.

Lean In: Women, Work, and The Will to Lead is hardly the most fervent or amusing feminist manifesto ever written, and Sandberg is, admittedly, somewhat blinded by her wealth and position and constrained by corporate prudence. Still, it is encouraging to see a lady with such a huge platform speak out against sexism. Sandberg is implementing the first tenet of political organization in a culture rife with blatant, often violent misogyny: Begin where you live.

.

Author: Sheryl Sandberg

Publishing year: 2013

Goodreads rating: 3.95/5

Peter G. Northouse's Leadership: Theory and Practice might be called the Bible of leadership models. The author is a retired professor of communication from Western Michigan University's School of Communication. This book has a 29-year existence and is presently in its eighth edition.

.

Leadership: Theory and Practice is mostly a synthesis of leadership ideas. It is clearly written for university students, since each chapter is structured similarly, with an introduction to the model(s), a section on its implementation, a list of weaknesses and strengths, a synopsis, a few case studies, and a sampling of diagnostic instruments.

.

This format becomes familiar as you go through the book. Moreover, it enables a quick perusal of the textbook itself, transforming it into an outstanding guidebook that carries you through the major leadership theories - which are chronologically organized - as well as a few transversal subjects, such as Integrity, Culture, Sex, and Teams. These latter subjects are not so much about particular models as they are about how various theories apply and relate to conceptions.

.

Author: Peter Northouse

Publishing year: 1997

Goodreads rating: 3.85/5