Leaders are readers. Reading helps you discover ideas to try and expand your mental models. In this post, I point you to reviews of recent business books. You’ll find pointers to reviews of Win from Within: Build Organizational Culture for Competitive Advantage, The LEADERS Model: Essential Practices for Today’s Leaders, Deep Purpose: The Heart and Soul of High-Performance Companies, Simple Truths of Leadership: 52 Ways to Be a Servant Leader and Build Trust, and CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest. There’s also a pointer to Michael McKinney’s preview of leadership books due out in April 2022.

From Theodore Kinni: A leader’s handbook for managing culture

“Harvard Business School professor emeritus James Heskett sums up the insights he’s gleaned in more than 30 years of studying corporate culture.”

From Julie Winkle Giulioni: Intuition: How’s Your Gut Feeling?

“I’m delighted to host this guest post from Jim Dittmar, co-author of A Leadership Carol: A Classic Tale for Modern Leaders as well as The LEADERS Model: Essential Practices for Today’s Leaders. His latest book is an operating manual for leadership today, offering a much-needed resource for those new to the role as well as seasoned professionals. The LEADERS Model: Essential Practices for Today’s Leaders is available for order through all fine book-sellers.”

From HBS Working Knowledge: When Employees Feel a Sense of Purpose, Companies Succeed

“Corporate cultures tend to encourage conformity. At a time when employees expect more from their jobs, companies should make space for individuality, Ranjay Gulati argues in this excerpt from his book Deep Purpose.”

From Ken Blanchard: Simple Truths for a New World of Work

“In my new book Simple Truths of Leadership: 52 Ways to Be a Servant Leader and Build Trust—cowritten with my colleague, trust expert Randy Conley—we take a look at some practical, day-to-day leadership principles leaders can apply in their organizations. Simple Truths of Leadership is broken down into 52 concepts/quotes, half on the topic of servant leadership and half on trust. Each concept has descriptions and activities that will result in increased trust, collaboration, innovation, and engagement in relationships involving leaders and their team members.”

From McK0msey & Company: Leadership lessons from the world’s best CEOs

“In the upcoming book, CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest, three McKinsey senior partners offer leadership lessons from 67 CEOs of some of the world’s most successful companies. In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, the authors explain what sets the best leaders apart and how others can emulate their practices and mindsets. Carolyn Dewar and Scott Keller, who co-lead McKinsey’s global CEO Excellence practice, are joined by Vik Malhotra, former chair of McKinsey’s Americas region. This is an edited transcript of the discussion.”

From Michael McKinney: First Look: Leadership Books for April 2022

“Here’s a look at some of the best leadership books to be released in April 2022.”

Reading recommendations are a regular feature of this blog. Want more recommendations about what to read? Monday is “Book Day.” Come back for book reviews, reading lists and other reading-related posts.