One common characteristic that many successful, prominent leaders share is that they are avid readers. Books contain a wealth of knowledge and insight, allowing you to access information and ideas you wouldn’t know about otherwise. For an entrepreneur, strong leadership is such an important quality that we’ve compiled the best books on leadership that every entrepreneur should read.
- Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
The wisdom in Meditations offers a road map for how to live a less stressful life. The Stoic philosophies explored in this book will teach you how to better control your emotions, thoughts, and actions. The ability to remain calm and think clearly under pressure is an essential trait for entrepreneurs to have, so this book is a must-read for any small business owner. - Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t by Jim Collins
This book is packed full of information about why some businesses succeed with flying colors, while others end up being disasters. The author Jim Collins analyzed thousands of articles and interviews to figure out what that winning recipe for success is, and he compiled everything he discovered into this book. - Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose by Tony Hsieh
As the CEO of Zappos, Tony Hsieh created a hugely successful company by focusing on customer service and company culture. While many entrepreneurs talk about the importance of serving customers and hiring the right employees, Hsieh actually made these his primary focus. In his book, he discusses why traditional corporate leadership has its flaws, and why delivering happiness is the key to success. - Tribes by Seth Godin
Doing meaningful work often requires you to think outside the box and step beyond the status quo. In his book, Seth Godin writes about how to inspire others with winning leadership and leave a meaningful legacy behind. - How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
This prominent book is so well known for a reason. Dale Carnegie teaches you how to win people’s favor by helping them feel important and interacting with them in a meaningful way. As a small business owner, you already know how important it is to win over customers. This book will show you how to do that with effective communication. - Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
In this book, Viktor Frankl writes about his personal experience during the Holocaust in Auschwitz, the Nazi prison camp. He tells readers how he maintained perspective and gave his life meaning, even through the pain and suffering he endured in the camp. This book is a must-read not just for entrepreneurs, but for people of all ages across all industries. Frankl reminds us that we must define the meaning in our lives for ourselves.
Books on leadership can open your eyes to what effective leadership looks like and how to achieve it within your own small business.