15 Management Books Every Leader Should Read

Stephen Covey, author of the classic “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” talks during an event in the early 2000s. His is one of the best leadership books ever written.

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Management professionals have a challenging but rewarding job, leading their employees to new heights and encouraging their growth. The best management books for managers and leaders can help these supervisors improve at and excel in their jobs. From offering actionable ways to inspire employees to reminding managers that they don’t know it all, these works can open doors to promotions and boost productivity. Anyone who aspires to achieve bigger things needs a game plan. This list of books for managers can help you create your plan and execute it to perfection while motivating your employees to bring their own A games to work.

Top Books For Leadership And Management

The management category includes mostly self help books, with the occasional memoir and a few communication books. These titles can aid current and aspiring leaders by introducing them to new strategies, providing step-by-step guidance for navigating challenging situations, and helping them gain confidence in their skills.

Common themes within these books include finding ways to work smarter and not harder, listening to employees’ feedback, projecting confidence and following your instincts. These rankings are based on the books’ commercial success, the authors’ reputations and breadth of knowledge, and the works’ critical acclaim.

15. Expect to Win: Proven Strategies for Success From a Wall Street Vet by Carla A. Harris (2010)

Longtime Morgan Stanley executive Carla A. Harris, former chair of the National Women’s Business Council, shares lessons in leadership that she has learned firsthand. She examines both her mistakes and successes, revealing lots of little lessons (like entering situations expecting to win) in an engaging voice.

This book is best for those looking for a mentor. Carla A. Harris’s Expect to Win is available from publisher Penguin Random House.

14. Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin (2015)

As the leaders of the Iraq War’s most-decorated special forces unit, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin clearly know a lot about motivation and goal-setting. They share lessons sharpened in combat, illuminating how these leadership principles that helped U.S. forces topple insurgents can also be deployed in corporations.

This book is best for leaders in large organizations. Jocko Willink’s and Leif Babin’s Extreme Ownership is available from publisher Macmillan.

13. The Z Factor: My Journey as the Wrong Man at the Right Time by Pranjal Sharma and Subhash Chandra (2016)

Billionaire Subhash Chandra’s path to becoming one of India’s most successful businessmen was not linear. His family ran grain mills in a small town, and he describes himself as “the ultimate outsider” as he worked to pay off his family’s debts and eventually became wealthy from exporting and then starting India’s first private TV network.

This book is best for those who consider themselves nontraditional managers. Pranjal Sharma’s and Subhash Chandra’s The Z Factor is available from publisher HarperCollins.

12. Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t by Simon Sinek (2014)

Simon Sinek’s New York Times bestseller takes a page from the military, where officers eat meals last, ensuring those under them receive the nourishment they require first. Sinek applies this same idea to organizations, arguing that by “eating last” and building trust in tending to their employees’ needs, leaders can create healthy, fulfilling environments.

This book is best for leaders trying to change attitudes within their workplaces. Simon Sinek’s Leaders Eat Last is available from publisher Penguin Random House.

11. The AI-Driven Leader: Harnessing AI to Make Faster, Smarter Decisions by Geoff Woods (2024)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is unavoidable—so if you can’t beat it, join it. Geoff Woods argues that using AI’s powers instead of resisting their encroachment can assist leaders with better decision-making. The book includes QR codes for interactive learning and lots of frameworks to apply to your own situation.

This book is best for tech-savvy leaders. Geoff Woods’s The AI-Driven Leader is available from publisher AI Thought Leadership.

10. Illogical: Saying Yes to a Life Without Limits by Emmanuel Acho

Former NFL player and New York Times bestselling author Emmanuel Acho lays out a plan for leaders to step up to an even higher calling: becoming changemakers. Drawing on his own improbable life story, he outlines ways to ignore conventional wisdom and limits while embracing a new mindset where anything is possible.

This book is best for those who love powerful books about life changes. Emmanuel Acho’s Illogical is available from publisher Macmillan.

9. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni (2002)

This New York Times bestseller tells the tale of a fictional manager coming into an undesirable leadership situation and how she navigates it, recognizing the five behaviors that can negatively influence a team. Patrick Lencioni also explains ways to counteract those pitfalls and get employees back on the same page.

This book is best for managers trying to solve organizational dysfunction. Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is available from publisher Wiley.

8. Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It Chris Voss (2016)

When you view life as a series of negotiations, as author Chris Voss does, the way to navigate it successfully becomes pretty clear—master the art of difficult conversations. Voss, a former FBI negotiator, advises on how empathy and careful listening can aid in the power of persuasion.

This book is best for leaders who struggle with communication. Chris Voss’s Never Split the Difference is available from HarperCollins.

7. The Making of a Manager: What to Do When Everyone Looks to You by Julie Zhuo (2024)

When Julie Zhuo was promoted to a leadership role at 25, she felt excited—and overwhelmed. She didn’t know how to balance her employees’ interests with her company’s while maintaining her personal integrity. Over the years, she learned, and she imparts her knowledge in this easily digestible narrative.

This book is best for new managers or those seeking relationship books. Julie Zhuo’s The Making of a Manager is available from publisher Penguin Random House.

6. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell (1998)

This new edition of the classic leadership book has been updated for a new generation of leaders. It walks readers through ways to set goals while maintaining emotional balance in challenging periods. Mother Teresa Prize for Global Peace and Leadership winner John C. Maxwell shares his own anecdotes between lessons.

This book is best for those who want to help others become better leaders as well. John C. Maxwell’s The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership is available from publisher HarperCollins.

5. Lead from the Outside by Stacey Abrams (2019)

A former George gubernatorial candidate and the first Black woman to deliver a response to the State of the Union, Stacey Abrams is one of the most recognizable political leaders of her generation. For most of her career, she has served in the minority party, so her book focuses on how outsiders can step forward.

This book is best for those outside of traditional leadership structures. Stacey Abrams’s Lead from the Outside is available from Macmillan.

4. The New One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson (2015)

An updated version of the classic One Minute Manager adapted for a more tech-driven workforce, the book shares three central secrets to leading people and details why they work. The usable tips translate especially well for new or young managers who want to learn more about delegation after years of doing.

This book is best for inexperienced leaders. Ken Blanchard’s and Spencer Johnson’s The New One Minute Manager is available from publisher HarperCollins.

3. Power to the Middle: Why Managers Hold the Keys to the Future of Work by Bill Schaninger, Bryan Hancock and Emily Field (2023)

From three well-known leaders at McKinsey, this book challenges leaders to reimagine their roles. Middle managers, they argue, are perfectly positioned to close the ground between upper management and employees while carrying organizations through periods of dramatic change. It also invites these managers to become shapers of the new world of work.

This book is best for middle managers. Bill Schaninger’s Bryan Hancock’s and Emily Field’s Power to the Middle is available from publisher Harvard Business Review.

2. Harvard Business Review Manager’s Handbook: The 17 Skills Leaders Need to Stand Out by Harvard Business Review (2017)

Harvard Business Review is one of the most respected business-focused media organizations, and this book compiles much of its knowledge related to becoming a better manager. It includes self-assessments that can guide managers to the right strategies and exercises to help work through new approaches alongside first-person stories from managers.

This book is best for new managers looking to develop management philosophies. Harvard Business Review’s Harvard Business Review Manager’s Handbook is available from publisher Harvard Business Review.

1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey (1989)

There is a reason The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has sold more than 40 million copies. The enduring wisdom of this book has spanned generations of workers and a tech revolution because it is so sound. It recommends core habits—from being proactive to sharpening the saw—to stay motivated and move forward.

This book is best for those struggling with productivity or connection. Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is available from publisher Simon & Schuster.

Bottom Line

The best books for managers and leaders educate while also entertaining. All of these authors write in an engaging manner that will help you fly through the book while learning many things you can apply to your professional life.