5 Life-Changing Leadership Books

May 28, 2025|nicole@sociallight.net

Like many leaders, I have read many, many books over the years to learn new strategies and mindsets for being an even more effective leader. Of all the books on my shelf, these five leadership books are the ones I turn to most often.

5 leadership books that have made the biggest impact

I have often recommended these leadership books to my coaching clients. And I also follow my own advice – I have read each of them multiple times. Here are my top takeaways.

Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott

In this book on leadership, Susan Scott lays out a 12-step process for having a challenging conversation. I shared her book’s advice with my clients and I have relied on it for my own challenging conversations. My main takeaway from this book is:

You only have a fierce conversation about ONE issue.

The truth is, by the time you have that fierce conversation, you probably have 27 issues with this person. But you still need to stick to one issue.

When you pick that main issue, stay on track to keep the conversation to 10 to 30 minutes or less. The more focused you are, the shorter the conversation.

For example, let’s say one coworker has been annoying you for months. They borrow things from your desk on the days you’re not in the office, talk over you during team meetings, and complain to you about your direct supervisor even though you have asked them not to.

Pick the one that bothers you the most; perhaps it’s talking over you. During the conversation, provide a couple of examples and tell them how it makes you feel. They may not realize how disrespectful they’re being.

You can buy the book here.

Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg

There is so much advice in this leadership book that I’ve loved and have relayed to clients. My main takeaway:

You really don’t have to do it all. What you have to do is what’s most important to you and your family. - Quote from the leadership book Lean In

If you’re overwhelmed and feel like you have to do it all to get the promotion, pay raise, or noticed on the big project, I would encourage you to read her book. You could also work with a coach or talk to a close friend. Someone else’s perspective can help you prioritize the things you have to do.

One other thing that has stuck with me from this leadership book is that Sheryl Sandberg includes a formula to help you calculate how long to stay out of the workforce after you have a child. That was so powerful for me.

You can buy the book here.

Outliers by Malcom Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell is a master of taking validated research and relating it to our lives in an easy-to-understand way.

My favorite part of Outliers is the 10,000 hour rule behind success:

You must put in at least 10,000 hours to become an expert at something.- Quote from the leadership book Outliers

The great thing about having 10,000 hours under your belt? You can turn your focus from mastering a skill to becoming an even better leader or strategist.

One trend I’ve noticed in the workplace is that Gen Z wants to become The Boss quickly – long before they have put in the 10,000 hours. It’s true that many factors, not just subject matter expertise, go into being an effective leader. However, no one wants to be led by a person who is not an expert.

If you have a young, enthusiastic person on your team who has, let’s say 6,000 hours under their belt, champion their progress and find projects and tasks for them so they can continue to build their expertise.

You can buy the book here.

Overworked and Overwhelmed by Scott Eblin

Scott Eblin shares so much information about mindfulness and how to prevent “overwhelm” in this leadership book. (In my opinion, this is one of the better books out there on mindfulness.)

One thing he wrote in the book has stuck to me like glue:

“Current capabilities and conditions do not determine your future limitations.” Quote from Scott Eblin's leadership book

He goes on to talk about noticing repetitive behaviors – both good and bad – and that repetitive behaviors can create life-changing results.

Good repetitive behaviors might include making your bed every morning before you start your day. Doing so allows you to start the day with an accomplishment and brings about a positive mindset.

At work, you might check in with each team member for two minutes every day. This repetitive behavior has brought issues to light quickly, and it has helped you brainstorm solutions together.

Notice these good behaviors, so you can continue doing them.

Other repetitive behaviors might be bad, like working after dinner until 10pm every night. When you notice a behavior that may not be positive, ask, “Is this what I want to be known for? Is this how I want my family to see me?”

After I read the chapter about repetitive behaviors, I started identifying the ones that were not helping me – it truly was life-changing. I noticed that I didn’t follow up quickly with people in my network, though I wanted to be known for being responsive.

You can buy the book here.

Access Denied by Brenda Harrington

Brenda Harrington’s leadership book was the first time that I heard the term “double minority”. It refers to belonging to two minority groups, like being a woman and Hispanic or being Muslim and Black.

As a leader, it made me realize that double minorities have to work harder than a single minority like me. I had worked with countless numbers of double minorities during my career, and I never thought, “This is someone who has to go above and beyond to be successful.”

Once my eyes were opened to what it takes for double minorities to “make it”, I realized their journeys have not been the same as mine. This understanding has changed my approach to coaching for the better.

You can buy the book here.

Coaching can be life-changing, too

Yes, we can learn many helpful strategies from leadership books, but sometimes we need personalized one-on-one coaching to propel us forwards as leaders.

The team of coaches at Winning Ways can help: