5 Books for Leadership Growth

August 18, 2020

5 Books for Leadership Growth

The business landscape is constantly shifting and changing. Just this year, leaders have been challenged to adapt business in the face of a global pandemic and address racial bias in the workplace among other pressing issues. To stay current and capable, leaders must keep up their learning and growth. 

In this spirit of learning, here are five new and forthcoming books that will help you foster a more inclusive organization, prepare for the future of work and make better business decisions.

 

Upstream: The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen
By Dan Heath

Instead of responding to problems and putting out fires, author Dan Heath explores how leaders can move upstream to prevent problems before they happen. Using interviews with unconventional problem solvers and practical solutions, Heath shows the value of fixing the system before the issues arise.  
 

Inclusify: The Power of Uniqueness and Belonging to Build Innovative Teams
By Stefanie K. Johnson, Ph.D.

Humans have two desires: to stand out and to fit in, says author Stefanie K. Johnson, Ph.D. Informed by her research on the intersection of leadership and diversity, Johnson helps leaders find a middle ground where leaders can forge strong relationships with their teams, inspire greater productivity from all of their workers, and create a more positive environment for everyone. 
 

The End of Jobs: The Rise of On-Demand Workers and Agile Corporations
By Jeff Wald

The world has witnessed three technological changes: mechanization, electrification and computerization. As the world enters the fourth great leap forward in technology with robots and artificial intelligence, author Jeff Wald predicts that companies will face the first services revolution. Leaders will need to balance the power between organizations and employees as in this future of work. 
 

Unleashed: The Unapologetic Leader’s Guide to Empowering Everyone Around You
By Frances Frei and Anne Morriss

Despite the current thought that leaders need to develop strengths and dig deep into their grit and courage, authors Frances Frei, a Harvard Business School professor, and Anne Morriss, a top leadership coach, offer a different view—it’s not about you. A leader’s greatest impact is in how effective you are at empowering others through a mix of trust, love and belonging. 
 

You're About to Make a Terrible Mistake: How Biases Distort Decision-Making and What You Can Do to Fight Them
By Olivier Sibony

What makes a good decision? Author Olivier Sibony explores practical improvements amid the nine common traps of business decision-making, including avoiding cognitive biases, creating a system to make better decisions, and balancing intuition with collective intelligence. 
 

The Authors: 

Deborah Stadtler is Managing Editor at SHRM’s Executive Network, HR People + Strategy.