ETG’s Top 10 Must-Read Books About Women in Leadership
From the #MeToo movement to exciting shifts in political leadership, the past year has been groundbreaking for women. The gender dynamic, while still imperfect, feels a little different than it did just a few short years ago. Slowly but steadily, we seem to be moving ever closer to gender equality.
Despite the momentum, the road ahead is neither easy nor unobstructed. In acknowledgement of International Women’s Month, I’ve compiled a list of my top ten favorite books that celebrate and encourage women in leadership. Each book in this list has a gift to give to women of all backgrounds and aspirations.
No matter which title you start with, I hope you find some inspiration within.
1. Through the Labyrinth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders by Alice H. Eagly & Linda L. Carli
While the absence of women from leadership roles is certainly no accident, the gaping statistics leave ample room for assumptions and head-scratching. In Through the Labyrinth, Alice H. Eagly and Linda L. Carli do the analytical heavy-lifting to uncover the reasons why women are still fighting for gender equity. In what should be required reading for leaders of all genders, Through the Labyrinth examines how we got here, and how we can forge a way forward.
2. Rising Strong: The Reckoning. The Rumble. The Revolution. by Brené Brown
Emotional intelligence expert Dr. Brené Brown has devoted her life to studying and understanding vulnerability, shame, and worthiness. In Rising Strong, Dr Brown touches on personal anecdotes and her professional expertise to help us own our mistakes, rise from failure, and emerge stronger for it.
Are you ready to make the mastery of emotional intelligence a part of your leadership strategy? Then download a complimentary copy of our Insights Article, Emotional Intelligence and Smart Leadership.
3. Secrets of Six-Figure Women: Surprising Strategies to Up Your Earnings and Change Your Life by Barbara Stanny
Despite decades of progress, working women are still fighting to break the glass ceiling, close wage gaps, and manage the division of unpaid labour at home. For many women, a six-figure income carries meaning that transcends mere financial freedom. While developing Secrets of Six-Figure Women, Barbara Stanny performed hundreds of interviews to analyze the common traits of women who have managed to break through the five-figure salary. Their insights, combined with Stanny’s supporting research, will help women absorb the seven key strategies needed to join the club.
4. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
The road to mastery is littered with failures. In Grit, Angela Duckworth posits that the defining characteristic of success is neither talent nor luck, but motivation and perseverance in the long-term. With takeaways from powerful leaders like JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, Duckworth’s personal reflections, and the stories of working Americans dedicated to serving a larger purpose, Grit has been described by many readers as “life-changing”.
5. The Next Generation of Women Leaders: What You Need to Lead but Won’t Learn in Business School by Selena Rezvani
With only 23% of corporate senior positions occupied by women across the globe, there is a dearth of high-ranking female role models in most organizations. In The Next Generation of Women Leaders, Selena Rezvani catches up with women in some of the most prestigious leadership positions in the United States. The result is a narrative of triumphant stories, actionable advice, and powerful tools to motivate and inspire highly ambitious women.
6. Impact & Excellence: Data-Driven Strategies for Aligning Mission, Culture and Performance in Nonprofit and Government Organizations by Sheri Chaney Jones
Often in public and non-profit institutions, the stakeholders are many, the missions are immense, and the budgets are limited. To make significant headway toward the goals of the organization, Sheri Chaney Jones makes the case that nonprofit and government orgs need to fully embrace a measurement culture. Using valuable data-driven tools, like predictive data and formulas for calculating ROI, Impact & Excellence is an invaluable handbook for organizations looking to make a major impact with lean resources.
7. The CEO Next Door: The 4 Behaviors that Transform Ordinary People into World-Class Leaders by Elena Botelho and Kim Powell
The path to becoming a CEO is not as it’s portrayed in pop culture. In The CEO Next Door, Elena Botelho and Kim Powell demonstrate that it isn’t an Ivy League education or an immaculate resume that make someone corner-office material. Instead, they explain the four key attributes embodied by effective CEOs, with tips on building executive presence, managing risks, and overcoming career obstacles.
8. Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott
Author and Candor, Inc. CEO Kim Scott is no stranger to the inner workings of powerful companies. With a management background at corporations like Google and Apple, Scott is a master of the art of feedback. When mastered, ‘Radical Candor’ is a tool capable of unleashing potential at every level of an organization.
9. In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs by Grace Bonney
A C-Suite title isn’t the only marker of career wisdom. To produce In the Company of Women, Grace Bonney collected the stories of over one hundred women, pieced together in a mosaic of perspectives. From lessons in B2B leadership to tips on how to put a price on your art, every woman is bound to find something resonant in these pages.
10. Rebel Talent: Why It Pays to Break the Rules at Work and in Life by Francesca Gino
Rebellion is typically associated with rock stars, troublemakers, and outliers, but as Francesca Gino outlines in Rebel Talent, it should also be considered a core trait of those who endeavor to change the world. Some of the most innovative, prosperous, and adaptive businesses in history have been fronted by leaders who exude rebellion. Rebel Talent champions the rebel in all of us, and guides the reader to embrace their inner rule-breaker.
If you are like me, reading full books these days is challenging. Using Audible or getAbstract are great ways to get through them in a more manageable way.
And, if the concepts found within these books sparks a desire to make a impactful change in your leadership strategy, contact my team and I at East Tenth Group today.
