Elon Musk, when he was asked how he learned to build rockets, replied, “I read books.”
Reading is one of the first skills we learn as children entering school, and for good reason– it’s how we record our history, how we share life experiences, and how we further our capacity to learn. Reading is an opportunity to glean from other people’s creativity, insights, and wisdom, which is why it should be a priority for anyone pursuing a leadership role.
“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.”
– Harry Truman
We’ve complied 5 must-have resources for your leadership library below.
Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage:
A true story of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton as he boarded the Endurance and set sail for Antarctica. When an unexpected turn of events almost crushes the boat, him and his 27 men make a long and perilous journey of over 850 miles to the closest outpost of civilization. By far this is the best book on leadership anywhere.
First, Break All The Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently
After surveying and studying over 80,000 managers, this book highlights the common features of what the world’s best leaders do differently. Be advised–it’s counter intuitive on how to lead others.
Carl von Clausewitz entered the Prussian military at the age of twelve as a Lance-Corporal and would go on to obtain the rank of Major-General. So many books on strategy have their beginning with Clausewitz so why not learn from the master himself.
Xenophon and the Art of Command
Appointed as commander in chief by his fellow Greeks he leads a dispirited army stranded in the heart of Persia safely home. A new generation of readers, including business executives and managers, military officers, and government officials, can now learn about and benefit from Cyrus the Great’s extraordinary achievements, which exceeded all other leaders’ throughout antiquity.
Philippians 2:5-11
While not a book, this passage is the best illustration and commentary on leadership in the Bible
