A Leadership Reading List

In reflecting recently on J.O. Sanders and his impact on my life I was once again reminded of his exhortation, “Leaders are readers!”  ‘Of making many books there is no end…’ (Ecclesiastes 12:12).  And we could add our own thoughts, “Of the writing of many leadership books there is especially no end in sight!”

I am frequently asked which leadership books I would recommend to begin to read on this exciting and challenging topic.  Given the shear numbers of leadership books available, where should one begin?  Below is my recommended beginning leadership reading list.  It was compiled several years ago from my polling several leaders who were well-read and asking them for their top ten books on leadership.  Any book that made it into multiple lists was added to my recommended list.  It’s a good start for building a leadership library.

Leadership Bibliography

Books to be read for a foundational understanding of leadership

 The Bible  –  read and study this Book first as your basis for understanding the principles of spiritual leadership;  this will be the grid through which you evaluate all other teaching on the subject of leadership

Leadership Concepts

   1.      Spiritual Leadership / Sanders

  2.      Leadership is an Art  /  DePree

  3.      Leadership Jazz  /  DePree

  4.      Leaders:  Strategies for Taking Charge  /  Bennis & Nanus

  5.      Principle Centered Leadership  /  Covey

  6.      The Leadership Challenge  /  Kouzes and Posner

7.      The Making of a Leader /  Clinton

Leadership Practice

  1.      The Effective Executive / Drucker

  2.      Developing the Leader Within You  /  Maxwell

  3.      Developing the Leaders Around You  /  Maxwell

  4.      The Training of the Twelve  /  Bruce

  5.     Leading from the Sandbox   /  Addington

  6.     Leading Change  /  Kotter

7.     Biographies of great leaders  –  Dawson Trotman, Hudson Taylor, George Mueller, J.O Fraser, Adoniram Judson, Amy Carmichael, etc.