Here are 100 books that The Unlocked Leader fans have personally recommended if you like The Unlocked Leader. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Boldly Inclusive Leader: Transform Your Workplace (and the World) by Valuing the Differences Within

Nico D'Alessandro Author Of People Follow Me: Unlocking Effective Leadership

From my list on effective and empathetic leadership.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a youth, I was very athletic and always aspired to be the captain of the team. I worked hard and was very driven to earn this right. As a business person, I have continued that passion for leadership. In addition, due to my sports experience, I am passionate about coaching others. I feel that with the right direction, the right motivation, and the right information, anyone can be successful. All of the authors for the leadership books I have recommended are also giving back to society in their own way. I hope you all enjoy the books on your journey to becoming a great leader!

Nico's book list on effective and empathetic leadership

Nico D'Alessandro Why Nico loves this book

I recommend this book because Minette Norman describes leadership as transformational. I like how she describes how, by understanding oneself and one's own leadership capabilities, one can be “bold” and different. Using this, one can lead teams courageously. This is a very inspirational book that every leader should read in their career.

By Minette Norman ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Boldly Inclusive Leader as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


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Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

Book cover of Strengths Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why People Follow

Nico D'Alessandro Author Of People Follow Me: Unlocking Effective Leadership

From my list on effective and empathetic leadership.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a youth, I was very athletic and always aspired to be the captain of the team. I worked hard and was very driven to earn this right. As a business person, I have continued that passion for leadership. In addition, due to my sports experience, I am passionate about coaching others. I feel that with the right direction, the right motivation, and the right information, anyone can be successful. All of the authors for the leadership books I have recommended are also giving back to society in their own way. I hope you all enjoy the books on your journey to becoming a great leader!

Nico's book list on effective and empathetic leadership

Nico D'Alessandro Why Nico loves this book

This book identifies three keys to being a more effective leader: knowing your strengths and investing in others’ strengths, getting people with the right strengths on your team, and understanding and meeting the four basic needs of those who look to you for leadership.

I recommend this book because Tom Rath recognizes the need to understand one's own strengths so one can leverage them to lead others. This makes leadership more effective for all businesses. Tom describes a big difference between being a manager and a leader. I really like how Tom used real-world examples on this topic.

By Tom Rath ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Strengths Based Leadership as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the author of the long-running #1 bestseller StrengthsFinder 2.0 comes a landmark study of great leaders, teams and the reasons why people follow. A unique access code allows you to take a new leadership version of Gallup's StrengthsFinder program. The new version of this program provides you with specific strategies for leading with your top five strengths and enables you to plot the strengths of your team based on the four domains of leadership strength revealed in the book.

Nearly a decade ago, Gallup unveiled the results of a landmark 30-year research project that ignited a global conversation on…


Book cover of Lead With Empathy: Elevate Your Leadership & Management Skills, Build Strong Teams, and Inspire Lasting Change in Your Business

Nico D'Alessandro Author Of People Follow Me: Unlocking Effective Leadership

From my list on effective and empathetic leadership.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a youth, I was very athletic and always aspired to be the captain of the team. I worked hard and was very driven to earn this right. As a business person, I have continued that passion for leadership. In addition, due to my sports experience, I am passionate about coaching others. I feel that with the right direction, the right motivation, and the right information, anyone can be successful. All of the authors for the leadership books I have recommended are also giving back to society in their own way. I hope you all enjoy the books on your journey to becoming a great leader!

Nico's book list on effective and empathetic leadership

Nico D'Alessandro Why Nico loves this book

I recommend this book because Pete clearly understands that empathetic leadership is a way to connect emotionally with your team. I really like how Pete focuses on inspiring his team to do their best and the contribution that makes to the businesses they represent. Pete uses real-world examples to inspire his readers.

By Pete Srodoski ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Lead With Empathy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

**Winner of the #1 Best New Management Audiobook of 2024 by BookAuthority.org!**

Discover the Future of Leadership in Pete Srodoski's "Lead With Empathy"

In the dynamic world of modern business, success hinges on more than just strategies and goals; it's about the profound impact of leadership. Pete Srodoski's "Lead With Empathy" emerges as a transformative guide, redefining the essence of effective leadership for today's managers and executives.

Why This Book is a Must-Read:

Revolutionize Your Leadership Style: Unlock the potential of empathetic leadership to create a more engaged, productive, and loyal team. Master the Art of Navigating Crises: Learn to…


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Book cover of Trusting Her Duke

Trusting Her Duke by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke with rigid opinions, a Lady whose beliefs conflict with his, a long disputed parcel of land, a conniving neighbour, a desperate collaboration, a failure of trust, a love found despite it all.

Alexander Cavendish, Duke of Ravensworth, returned from war to find that his father and brother had…

Book cover of Supervisor, Manager, Leader: The Basics of Being a Boss: A common sense approach to the critical skills that most organizations fail to teach their people

Nico D'Alessandro Author Of People Follow Me: Unlocking Effective Leadership

From my list on effective and empathetic leadership.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a youth, I was very athletic and always aspired to be the captain of the team. I worked hard and was very driven to earn this right. As a business person, I have continued that passion for leadership. In addition, due to my sports experience, I am passionate about coaching others. I feel that with the right direction, the right motivation, and the right information, anyone can be successful. All of the authors for the leadership books I have recommended are also giving back to society in their own way. I hope you all enjoy the books on your journey to becoming a great leader!

Nico's book list on effective and empathetic leadership

Nico D'Alessandro Why Nico loves this book

I recommend this book because Mike Kraus understands that leadership comes in different forms and at different levels within an organization. I like how he describes leadership from varying perspectives, making it more of a journey than a destination. This is a must-read for anyone new to management or aspiring to become a manager.


By Mike Kraus ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Supervisor, Manager, Leader as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Supervisor, Manager, Leader; The Basics of Being a Boss: A common sense approach to the critical skills that most organizations fail to teach their people.
"A concise, practical handbook for bosses of all stripes." Kindle Reviews


Book cover of The New One Minute Manager

Patrick Forsyth Author Of Successful Time Management: How to be Organized, Productive and Get Things Done

From my list on common sense to help you succeed in business.

Why am I passionate about this?

Having begun my career in publishing, I worked for many years as a management consultant and trainer; alongside that, I have written and published many books offering advice on management, marketing, and job skills, like the time management book shown above, a bestseller now in its sixth edition. I have always thought management often fails by overlooking the importance of issues rather than finding things difficult; I hope my business writing helps identify priorities and shows that the deployment of various techniques and skills can be manageable–and useful.

Patrick's book list on common sense to help you succeed in business

Patrick Forsyth Why Patrick loves this book

This is a short book, a revised version of another classic, and I like its focus on the fact that the only sensible definition of management is achieving results through other people.

This demands a constructive approach, constructive criticism, and development, helping people achieve excellent performance. It is sound common sense in an area so often overpowered and neglected in today’s hectic, time-poor world.

By Ken Blanchard , Spencer Johnson ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The New One Minute Manager as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A revised edition of the timeless business classic—updated to help today’s readers succeed more quickly in a rapidly changing world.

For decades, The One Minute Manager® has helped millions achieve more successful professional and personal lives. While the principles it lays out are timeless, our world has changed drastically since the book’s publication. The exponential rise of technology, global flattening of markets, instant communication, and pressures on corporate workforces to do more with less—including resources, funding, and staff—have all revolutionized the world in which we live and work.

Now, Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson have updated The One Minute Manger…


Book cover of Radical Candor

Tyra P. Sellers Author Of Daily Ethics

From my list on books to help you master tricky conversations with kindness.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve spent a lot of my career teaching people to navigate the complex, often messy intersection of ethics, communication, and human behavior. As a behavior analyst, teacher, supervisor, and coauthor of Daily Ethics: Creating Intentional Practice for Behavior Analysts, I’ve seen firsthand how the ability to have honest, compassionate, and courageous conversations can make or break relationships, teams, and outcomes. I chose these five books because they’ve shaped how I show up in my work and life—and because I have seen their contents help others become more intentional, committed, and successful communicators.

Tyra's book list on books to help you master tricky conversations with kindness

Tyra P. Sellers Why Tyra loves this book

I was hooked from page one because Scott speaks my language: Care deeply, challenge directly.

That simple but powerful equation shifted how I give feedback, especially around ethical blind spots or dilemmas. I used to over-polish my words, trying to soften every edge. I often conflated nice with kind.

Now, I understand that nice is not the same as kind, and nice is very often not helpful at all. Kindness is showing up and being clear in my communication, which means I am treating people with respect and giving feedback they can use to grow.

Radical Candor gave me permission to be both direct and deeply human, which is exactly what I want in my leadership style.

By Kim Scott ,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked Radical Candor as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Featuring a new preface, afterword and Radically Candid Performance Review Bonus Chapter, the fully revised & updated edition of Radical Candor is packed with even more guidance to help you improve your relationships at work.

'Reading Radical Candor will help you build, lead, and inspire teams to do the best work of their lives.' - Sheryl Sandberg, author of Lean In.

If you don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all . . . right?

While this advice may work for home life, as Kim Scott has seen first hand, it is a disaster when adopted…


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Book cover of The Duke's Christmas Redemption

The Duke's Christmas Redemption by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke who has rejected love, a Lady who dreams of a love match, an arranged marriage, a house full of secrets, a most unneighborly neighbor, a plot to destroy reputations, an unexpected love that redeems it all.

Lady Charlotte Wyndham, given in an arranged marriage to a man she…

Book cover of Never Lose An Employee Again: The Simple Path to Remarkable Retention

Mike Michalowicz Author Of Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine

From my list on lead with confidence and grow a thriving business.

Why am I passionate about this?

By my 35th birthday, I had founded and sold two multi-million dollar companies…and proceeded to lose my entire fortune. I started all over again, driven to find better ways to grow healthy and strong businesses. I've devoted my life to the research and delivery of innovative, impactful entrepreneurial strategies to support the sustainability of businesses everywhere. My ultimate goal is to simplify entrepreneurship and help business owners avoid common pitfalls through keynote speaking and business authorship. It's all about serving!

Mike's book list on lead with confidence and grow a thriving business

Mike Michalowicz Why Mike loves this book

I love getting opportunities to chat with Joey Coleman. He’s one of the biggest risk-takers I’ve ever met - and those risks have panned out! Joey is one of the world's leading experts on employee experience, and this book reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to recruit top talent, bring them on board successfully, and keep them engaged while they produce remarkable results for years to come.

In Never Lose an Employee Again, Coleman offers a step-by-step playbook for creating a retention plan with long-term success. With more than fifty proven case studies from organizations on seven continents, Coleman details how you can forge a relationship with your people during each of the eight phases of the employee journey. For each phase, Coleman walks you through the six forms of communication integral to success (in-person, email, phone, mail, video, and even gifts) so you can better…

By Joey Coleman ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Never Lose An Employee Again as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER

If keeping employees is a challenge for you, Never Lose an Employee Again offers a proven framework for increasing retention, engagement, and in the process, profits.

Joey Coleman, one of the world's leading experts on employee experience, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to recruit top talent, bring them onboard successfully, and keep them engaged while they produce remarkable results for years to come.

Finding and keeping quality employees is one of the greatest challenges facing businesses today. With more people quitting their jobs each month than ever before and employees demanding…


Book cover of Negotiation

Bill Eddy Author Of So, What's Your Proposal? Shifting High-Conflict People from Blaming to Problem-Solving in 30 Seconds!

From my list on negotiating anything.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I got out of college, I fell in love with mediation—resolving other people’s conflicts in all kinds of settings. In developing my mediation career, I got deep into psychology as a therapist, and then deep into law, as a family lawyer. Putting these professions together, I developed a niche in handling high conflict personalities in family, workplace, and legal disputes. Now I teach how to mediate and negotiate with high conflict people around the world. I am excited to share how to negotiate in high conflict situations to bring peace to relationships everywhere. 

Bill's book list on negotiating anything

Bill Eddy Why Bill loves this book

I got this book when I was in law school and found it to be filled with insights that I never expected nor got anywhere else. It must be good because it’s on its 8th edition now! However, I should warn you that it’s dense (over 600 pages) and designed for students. But for the reader who wants to become a serious professional negotiator, this is the book I keep referring back to. This is for the person who wants a really deep dive into the subject of negotiations. It covers every aspect from psychology to economics to closing the deal. 

By Roy Lewicki , Bruce Barry , David Saunders

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Negotiation as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Negotiation is a critical skill needed for effective management. Negotiation 8e by Roy J. Lewicki, David M. Saunders, and Bruce Barry explores the major concepts and theories of the psychology of bargaining and negotiation, and the dynamics of interpersonal and intergroup conflict and its resolution. It is relevant to a broad spectrum of management students, not only human resource management or industrial relations candidates.


Book cover of I-deals: Idiosyncratic Deals Employees Bargain for Themselves

Carol T. Kulik Author Of Human Resources for the Non-HR Manager

From my list on making work a better place to be.

Why am I passionate about this?

The average person spends over 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime – that’s roughly one quarter to one third of a person’s life. I’m an academic researcher who studies work. I know how to design workplaces that are good for organizations (high productivity) and the people who work in them (high employee well-being). But if we leave it all up to senior management, we won’t generate positive changes fast enough. There’s a robust body of evidence that we can all use to make our local workplaces more supportive, inclusive, and fulfilling. I’m on a mission to make the world a better place, one workplace at a time. 

Carol's book list on making work a better place to be

Carol T. Kulik Why Carol loves this book

When I read this book for the first time, my reaction was “wow.”

Professor Rousseau helped me to appreciate that everything (really, everything!) related to work was malleable and negotiable. We can all be more proactive in co-designing our own work arrangements, so that we can be happier people and deliver better value to our families, employers, and communities.

I say “negotiable” but the book is not motivated by self-interest. The book focuses on idiosyncratic deals that help employees to leverage their unique strengths, so that everyone (including managers and coworkers) benefit from employee i-deals.

Professor Rousseau’s recommendations are firmly anchored in empirical evidence, so her advice to employees is spot-on.  

By Denise Rousseau ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked I-deals as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Employees with valuable skills and a sense of their own worth can make their jobs, pay, perks, and career opportunities different from those of their coworkers in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Work at home arrangements, flexible hours, special projects - personally negotiated arrangements like these can be a valuable source of flexibility and personal satisfaction, but at the risk of creating inequality and resentment by other employees. This book shows how such individual arrangements can be made fair and acceptable to coworkers, and beneficial to both the employee and the employer. Written by the world's leading expert on the subject,…


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Book cover of Old Man Country

Old Man Country by Thomas R. Cole,

This book follows the journey of a writer in search of wisdom as he narrates encounters with 12 distinguished American men over 80, including Paul Volcker, the former head of the Federal Reserve, and Denton Cooley, the world’s most famous heart surgeon.

In these and other intimate conversations, the book…

Book cover of Empty Labor: Idleness and Workplace Resistance

Yiannis Gabriel Author Of Return to Meaning: A Social Science with Something to Say

From my list on reigniting meaningful social sciences.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a Greek social psychologist and have spent much of my academic career studying myths and stories in social life - stories, even when inaccurate or wrong, serve to create meaning, a fragile and valuable resource, especially in these post-truth times. At the same time, I believe that we must not lose sight of the distinctions between story and fact, fantasy and reality, truth and fiction. I am greatly concerned that the social sciences today, as shaped by the academic publishing game, are preoccupied with trivia and act as black holes into which meaning disappears. I strongly believe that it is our responsibility to restore the meaningfulness of academic research.

Yiannis' book list on reigniting meaningful social sciences

Yiannis Gabriel Why Yiannis loves this book

This is an old-fashioned sociology book that shows what can be done with some sociological imagination. Many of us do entirely meaningless work and get paid for it, and what is more, we know that we do. And yet, we pay a high price for it. How to avoid doing empty labour and rediscover the meaning of serious academic work.

By Roland Paulsen ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Empty Labor as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

While most people work ever-longer hours, international statistics suggest that the average time spent on non-work activities per employee is around two hours a day. How is this possible, and what are the reasons behind employees withdrawing from work? In this thought-provoking book, Roland Paulsen examines organizational misbehavior, specifically the phenomenon of 'empty labor', defined as the time during which employees engage in private activities during the working day. This study explores a variety of explanations, from under-employment to workplace resistance. Building on a rich selection of interview material and extensive empirical research, it uses both qualitative and quantitative data…


Book cover of The Boldly Inclusive Leader: Transform Your Workplace (and the World) by Valuing the Differences Within
Book cover of Strengths Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why People Follow
Book cover of Lead With Empathy: Elevate Your Leadership & Management Skills, Build Strong Teams, and Inspire Lasting Change in Your Business

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Interested in leadership, strategic planning, and superheros?

Leadership 455 books
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