8 Books All Aspiring Leaders Should Look Out For in 2021

As we look ahead to 2021 with plenty of reasons for optimism, there’s no better time to discover new ideas and develop your own leadership abilities. Add these books to your ‘Zoom bookshelf’, keep them on your bedside table, and devour them excitedly in between online learning sessions.

Here are eight books every good leader needs for 2021.

Post Corona: From Crisis to Opportunity by Scott Galloway

All businesses were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but there is a concrete divide between industries that are set to thrive and those that are struggling to survive as a result of the disruption.

NYU Business School professor Scott Galloway provides an insight into what’s currently happening across government, big tech, education, and other industries – offering a framework on how to think about the post-pandemic future.

Girl Decoded: A Scientist’s Quest to Reclaim Our Humanity by Bringing Emotional Intelligence to Technology by Rana el Kaliouby

Artificial intelligence entrepreneur Rana el Kaliouby shares her story of transformation, showing how her experiences have inspired her to lead a technology revolution.

She says to lead others and pursue audacious change, we need to be self-aware and draw from our own lives. In Girl Decoded, leaders can learn how to draw from their own experiences, make intentional changes in their lives and infuse more humanity into their work.

Conscious Leadership: Elevating Humanity Through Business by John Mackey

Whole Foods CEO John Mackey and his co-authors released Conscious Leadership as a follow-up to Conscious Capitalism. This latest installation presents a framework for how leaders drive societal change through their business leadership.

John Mackey shares the principles, vision and mindset he’s used to reach the top of the business world—and do plenty of good in the process.

The Gumbo Coalition: 10 Leadership Lessons That Help You Inspire, Unite, and Achieve by Marc Morial

Marc Morial, former mayor of New Orleans and current president and CEO of the National Urban League says: “To be a great leader, you must be able to unite people from all backgrounds with seemingly competing agendas to come together under a common cause.”

He hopes the The Gumbo Coalition will teach others what he has learned, by showing readers what it means to be a leader who can unite voices and create meaningful change.

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg said: “The book is a fascinating political memoir, it’s also something more: a leadership manual, complete with checklists, tips, and pitfalls to avoid. Marc writes about how to increase your collective power by building consensus, how vital it is to communicate your vision to your team at every step, and how networking done right is about building purposeful and intentional relationships for the common good.

“To my mind, that makes The Gumbo Coalition essential reading for people across all sectors – especially business leaders.”

Leading Without Authority: How the New Power of Co-Elevation Can Break Down Silos, Transform Teams, and Reinvent Collaboration by Keith Ferrazzi

Keith Ferrazzi is an entrepreneur, coach and author of Never Eat Alone details a new principle in his latest book Leading Without Authority: co-elevation.

He says co-elevation enables employees at all levels to connect with colleagues, collaborate freely, and inspire their shared growth. Leaders can learn how to use co-elevation in their own organizations to help their teams build trust, manage stress, and improve performance across the entire company.

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg

Award-winning business reporter Charles Duhigg says to successfully build habits and harness your true potential, you must understand the science behind habits.

In The Power of Habit Duhigg shows readers how utilizing this knowledge can help you change your life for the better and for good.

Humanocracy: Creating Organizations as Amazing as the People Inside Them by Gary Hamel and Michele Zanini

The future of business is still uncertain in these current times, and businesses to be resilient and adaptable to change.

In Humanocracy, Hamel and Zanini make a passionate, data-driven argument for excising bureaucracy and replacing it with something better.

The co-authors say top-down power structures and bureaucracy slow businesses down and stifle creativity, and their offers a compellingly argued expose on the massive costs of bureaucracy in society. Humanocracys lays out a detailed blueprint for creating organizations that are as inspired and ingenious as the human beings inside them.

Unleashed: The Unapologetic Leader’s Guide to Empowering Everyone Around You by Frances Frei

Frances Frei is one of the world’s foremost authorities on leadership. In Unleashed, she teams up with Anne Morriss to teach leaders how to dig deep and empower others. 

Leadership takes grit, toughness, and the ability to motivate others. Frei and Morriss offer advice from top-performing organizations that can help you raise your game as a leader and pull others up along the way.