Your ultimate leadership reading list
Use these books & articles to supercharge your leadership journey
Hello hello!
Welcome to the first of the Lead with Intention reading lists where I break down some of my favourite leadership books and resources. I hope you find it valuable and that there are some unexpected gems in here for you!
I’ve used a broad definition of leadership here - for me, being an effective leader is also about being compassionate, having empathy, being creative and curious. So some of my picks may not be a straight down the line “leadership” tome. And all the better for it in my opinion"!
Settle in, grab a coffee and let’s get into it…
Atomic Habits by James Clear.
We start with the big dog. If you’re not subscribed to this author’s 3-2-1 newsletter, you’re missing out on some of the clearest and most tangible advice for building positive habits that help you live (and lead) better. And in his eponymous book, James Clear sets out small habits and changes that can lead to life-changing outcomes. What I love about this book is that it’s always clear, always straightforward and always immensely practical. I’m also a huge fan (increasingly so as I get older), of small steps that build to something bigger.
I just find it easier to gain momentum this way and it’s one of my favourite coaching questions too: “What’s the easiest first step you could take right now?”
In fact, my favourite chapter in this book is called “Make It Easy” and I use many of the techniques every day. For example, if something takes two minutes, just do it now! That’s helped me get a load of necessary but boring admin out of the way very quickly!
Hard recommend. Bonus reading - this is a great interview with him by Polina Pompliano of The Profile.
Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time by Tony Schwartz and Catherine McCarthy.
This is a very famous Harvard Business Review article and one I return to again and again, for myself and for my coaching clients, even though it dates from 2007! It was like a lightbulb went on when I first understood the reality that working more hours (more than anyone else) would not in fact, lead to greatness, but instead, lead to burnout. Particularly in my career as a corporate communications professional where for too long, I equated hard work with good work and didn’t realise that far from looking dedicated, I often just looked as if I couldn’t cope.
I first read this whilst on a leadership development programme with the NHS Leadership Academy and I’m thankful for the insight it gave me and still gives me.
Key takeaway? Time is a finite resource (there are only so many hours in the day and you can’t change that!) but your energy is not. Look after it, preserve it, rest it, boost it and you’ll be happier and more productive.
Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time
Time to Think by Nancy Kline.
“The quality of everything we do depends on the quality of the thinking we do first.
The quality of our thinking depends on the way we treat each other while we are thinking.”
A fellow NHS director trained with Nancy Kline and we often used her techniques in board development sessions. The essence of her work is that thinking can only be done properly when we give ourselves, and others, the gift of time and space to do it.
This is especially useful when considering challenging or deep conversations you may need to have at work or at home. In her book and subsequent resources, Kline sets out what she calls the optimal “thinking environment” and it’s well worth a read if you’re in any type of leadership position and have to lead or facilitate effective discussion.
The foundation of an effective discussion? Giving the other person your attention, treating them as equal partners in the discourse and creating ease.
There are simple exercises to try, and it’s well worth a read if you want to create more productive conversations with peers, team members or managers.
When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times by Pema Chodron.
Ok, why am I suggesting a book about things falling apart for aspiring leaders? Here’s why. Pema Chodron is an American Tibetan Buddhist who has made her life’s work the teaching of wisdom for the challenging times we live in.
Life is often no joke and I’ve turned to this book so much in both personal and work situations that it sits dog-eared on my bookshelf. Far from pretending we are bullet proof and immune to upsetting or damaging emotions and feelings, Chodron teaches us to lean into what we are feeling and sit with it as a way to transform your relationship with what you feel and why.
For me, this is absolutely critical if you want to be an effective leader. Self-examination and reflection is key to leading well and you can’t do that without sitting with your feelings first. As Chodron says:
“Things falling apart is a kind of testing and also a kind of healing. We think that the point is to pass the test or to overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It’s just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.”
This is a short book, but one packed with truth about what it really takes to be fully alive and fully present. It’s about acknowleding and embracing what we feel, rather than running away from difficult things. No better toolkit for a leader if you ask me.
The Creative Habit / The Collaborative Habit by Twyla Tharp.
Another unexpected book that blew me away when I read it and its successor. Twyla Tharp is one of our most accomplished choreographers and in her books, she sets out, with effortless style, her lessons for success. Aimed at the creative professions, I also found this useful as a general leadership book. It’s prescriptive - Twyla has a distinctive style and view on the world - but endlessly inspirational.
Think about what it takes to choreograph a dance piece. The intricacy of the movements, being able to link everything together seamlessly, the idea in the first place, then the flawless execution time and time again. Sounds like your leadership role doesn’t it? As a former dancer myself, this book really spoke to me.
My favourite chapter? “Accidents will happen”, which is all about having a plan, but not being so wedded to that plan that you don’t leave room for happy accidents that could be transformative. As a reformed micro-manager, I needed to read this!
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott.
This is a great companion piece to the Twyla Tharp books. Anne Lamott is a fabulous writer, and in this book (another small one, it won’t take you long to read), she sets out her “instructions for writing and for life.” Every Communications leader needs to be a great writer, and in order to be a great writer, you need to be an avid reader. So I hope you pick this one up and give it a go.
The title is something I reference often. “Bird by bird” recalls her father’s advice to her brother when he was struggling with a school project on identifying birds.
“Just take it bird by bird.”
Step by step. Start small, so you aren’t intimidated by the task ahead. Then be patient, keep the faith, and keep building. A great metaphor for life, for career, for business and yes, for writing. Whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed, I say to myself, “just take it bird by bird.”
Four Thousand Weeks, Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
This is a newer book in my rotation and I actually pre-ordered it, as I was so excited for it to come out. If you’ve ever struggled with time management and prioritisation (erm, hello? I think that’s all of us…) then this book is revelatory.
The core thesis is that we have on average, about 4,000 weeks in the human life span (yikes). So how are we going to spend them? And how can we make the most of the time we have left?
This is productivity advice with a difference. Rather than fixating on “getting everything done” and the lengthening to-do list (accept that it will never be complete is step one), instead, Burke asks us to think about choices. How we choose to spend our time, on what and why. Then encouraging us to make more meaningful decisions about spending time on the things that really matter.
It’s a really refreshing take on productivity and time management and may help alleviate some of your anxieties about “getting it all done.”
Caring to Change: how compassionate leadership can stimulate innovation in health care (Michael West and colleagues for the King’s Fund NHS)
I worked in the NHS for several years and was fortunate enough to study with the NHS Leadership Academy, where I was introduced to the work of Michael West. Along with his peers, West has championed the idea of “compassionate leadership” in our health system.
If you’ve ever worked in the NHS, you’ll be well aware of its challenges and the toll this can take on its leaders. So leading with compassion and empathy is key. And this concept can be applied to any sector or any business.
West asserts that when we lead with compassion for ourselves and for others, we create positive outcomes and stimulate innovation. Specifically, when we enjoy collective psychological safety - an environment where we can speak up and share our thoughts and ideas without fear of reprisal, where we are listened to and supported - we are more likely to innovate, to find new ways of doing things and to improve processes.
I’ve often used this paper (including outside the NHS) when talking about how the right leadership environment and culture, and effective employee engagement, can stimulate innovation and improved outcomes.
It’s a critical read if you are interested in and invested in, leading better.
How Great Leaders Inspire Action by Simon Sinek.
This TED talk is famous and you may have watched it already, but I had to include it, as I reference it so often! Leadership expert Simon Sinek uses the simple prompt “why?” to explain how great leaders are always driven by a clear purpose.
They know their “why”. Here’s the killer quote:
“People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”
Drawing on references from Apple to Martin Luther King, Sinek reminds us that we buy into purpose and meaning. Authenticity. This is such a great lesson for any leader struggling with their own leadership style, or with how to inspire action in others.
How Great Leaders Inspire Action
The Connecting Leader, by Alberto Lopez-Valenzuel.
If you work in corporate communications, this book is an absolute must. And if you don’t, you’ll still find a ton of value in this guide to the modern business landscape.
Author Alberto Lopez-Valenzuel is a Corporate Affairs expert who expertly weaves together the threads of modern business, where purpose meets profit and where stakeholder relationships are complex and challenging.
Using interviews with business leaders, Lopez-Valenzuel covers a lot of ground from authenticity to reputation, to the contract businesses make with society and what we, as consumers, expect and deserve from the world of big business.
It’s a pretty hefty read, but the insights about how we can lead with purpose in the challenging times we live in, are invaluable and you’ll be able to apply them to your organisation every day.
I hope i’ve given you a few fresh ideas here if you’re invested in your leadership journey - many of these are short reads and entertaining, so perfect to read by the pool if you’re lucky enough to get away this summer!
And if you want to take your development further, then leadership coaching might be a good fit for you. I explore many of the themes above when I work with you and support you in exploring who you are as a leader, what you want to stand for and how you want to show up as your most authentic self. I also help you loosen the knots on those tricky challenges you may be facing as a leader, with practical exercises and action plans.
If you’re interested in learning more, head to my website and book a free info call (or you could even become a founding member of this newsletter community to gain access to a discounted first coaching session with me).
Happy reading! And let me know in the thread (you’ll get an email about this too) what you think of my picks and any recommendations you want to share.
Louise