These Leadership Books Are Like Having a Pocket-Sized Mentor

Dr. Brené Brown is a fount of knowledge on virtually any topic relating to the human psyche, but her leadership book, Dare to Lead, is a must-have for entry-level employees and managers alike.

In it, she presents the idea of "daring leadership" not in the ladder-climbing, workaholic sense, but as a trait that any person can cultivate by staying curious, listening to others, and "choosing courage over comfort."

More: Our Favorite Books From Inspiring Female Authors

Why is it that we can remember every criticism we've received, but never any of the praise? The Progress Principle explores how crucial it is to pat yourself on the back for a job well done, and for managers to celebrate small wins and recognize the hard work that goes into it.

It centers around the idea that employees should cultivate "great inner work lives," so that motivation and drive can come from within, instead of from competitive office culture.

Many leadership books encourage readers to run their teams with empathy and clear communication — Simon Sinek's Leaders Eat Last takes it a step further and explains how we can hack our biology for a better and more productive work life. 

Sinek (who you may know from his viral talk on millennials in the workplace) refamiliarizes readers with chemicals like endorphins, dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin, and explains how each of these chemicals can be triggered in the brain — for better or for worse — during the workday.

Using a unique combination of biological insight, social psychology, and military work ethics, Sinek explains about how to boost morale while recentering business goals.

The best leadership books are those that share insights on how to be a better communicator. Author and former Apple exec Kim Scott understands that providing clear feedback, both good and bad, is integral to the strength of a team.

In this book, she explains that good bosses should be able to find the passion within their own work, so that they can create a workplace that runs on creative fuel, not fumes.

Design executive Julie Zhuo has been a boss since age 25, and her book, The Making of a Manager, is the rookie manager’s field guide that she always wished she had. 

Even if you never thought of yourself as a manager type, Zhuo explains that to rise to the task, anyone can develop leadership and decision-making skills that work for their own personality.

An enduring favorite, this well-known leadership book by motivational speaker Stephen R. Covey is an invaluable resource to anyone who wants to identify the skills that can make them a more effective leader and communicator. In business and in life, the habits extolled in this text are applicable for boosting virtually anyone's natural charisma.

If you've ever listened to The Tim Ferriss Show podcast, you've probably come away from it with more productivity and lifestyle hacks than you ever knew what to do with. 

Host Tim Ferriss's book, Tools of Titans, distills the wisdom from many of his esteemed guests (which include celebrities, therapists, product designers, and athletes) into digestible and actionable form. Ferriss doesn't just take this advice at its word — he tests them out himself and only endorses methods that he has proven to be worthwhile.

Whether you're a manager, or hoping to be one someday, this book is the perfect starting point to kickstart your most optimized life yet.

You don't need to have a background in design to apply design-oriented thinking to your life. The best-selling Designing Your Life zooms out to the big picture, helping readers identify where they may be feeling stuck or uninspired in their work and personal lives, so that they can make tweaks — or completely pivot — to help resolve the issue. 

This book is best for people who feel as though they are on the precipice of change, but need to find some direction on where they want to go next.