--- title: 7 Books To Read To Become A Better Leader description: Many podcast listeners/friends have asked me what books they should read to become a better leader. The totality of this list is in the hundreds... But for now, let's start with seven. image: https://blog.brixeyandmeyer.com/hubfs/Copy%20of%20How%20to%20(3)-4.png --- [![Brixey Meyer](https://blog.brixeyandmeyer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Brixey_and_Meyer_January2023/images/Brixey-white.png?width=3092&height=1080&name=Brixey-white.png "Brixey Meyer")](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/) - [Home](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/) - [Our Services](https://brixeyandmeyer.com/#headline-143-59) - [Audit & Assurance](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/audit-and-assurance) - [CFO Services](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/cfo-services) - [Cyber Risk Management](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/cyber-sure) - [Environmental, Social & Governance](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/environmental-social-governance-services-esg) - [Human Resources](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/human-resources) - [Operations, Technology & Strategy](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/operations-technology-strategy) - [Retirement Plan Administration](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/retirement-plan-administration) - [State & Local Tax](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/state-local-tax) - [Tax Compliance & Consulting](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/tax-compliance-and-consulting) - [Transaction Advisory](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/transaction-advisory-services) - [Valuation](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/valuation-services) - [Insights](https://blog.brixeyandmeyer.com/) - [About](https://brixeyandmeyer.com/?page_id=206) - [About B&M](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/about-bm) - [Our Team](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/our-team) - [Join Our Team](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/join-our-team) - [Contact](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/contact) - [Get Started](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/get-started) - [Client Portal](https://www.clientaxcess.com/#/login) - [Make a Payment](https://secure.cpacharge.com/pages/brixeyandmeyer/payments) - [Home](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/) - [Our Services](https://brixeyandmeyer.com/#headline-143-59) - [Audit & Assurance](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/audit-and-assurance) - [CFO Services](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/cfo-services) - [Cyber Risk Management](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/cyber-sure) - [Environmental, Social & Governance](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/environmental-social-governance-services-esg) - [Human Resources](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/human-resources) - [Operations, Technology & Strategy](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/operations-technology-strategy) - [Retirement Plan Administration](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/retirement-plan-administration) - [State & Local Tax](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/state-local-tax) - [Tax Compliance & Consulting](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/tax-compliance-and-consulting) - [Transaction Advisory](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/transaction-advisory-services) - [Valuation](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/valuation-services) - [Insights](https://blog.brixeyandmeyer.com/) - [About](https://brixeyandmeyer.com/?page_id=206) - [About B&M](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/about-bm) - [Our Team](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/our-team) - [Join Our Team](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/join-our-team) - [Contact](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/contact) - [Get Started](https://www.brixeyandmeyer.com/get-started) ![](https://blog.brixeyandmeyer.com/hubfs/Copy%20of%20How%20to%20(3)-4.png) # 7 Books To Read To Become A Better Leader Published by [Ryan Hawk](https://blog.brixeyandmeyer.com/author/ryan-hawk) on Sep 17, 2018 10:30:06 AM ![Copy of How to (3)-4](https://blog.brixeyandmeyer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Copy%20of%20How%20to%20(3)-4.png?width=1024&name=Copy%20of%20How%20to%20(3)-4.png) Many [podcast listeners/friends](http://learningleader.com/) have asked me what books they should read to become a better leader. The totality of this list is in the hundreds... But for now, let's start with seven. You'll notice I'm more interested in reading about fascinating stories and the heroes in them than I am about "business" type books. There is so much to learn from real stories and the action taken (and the subsequent consequences of those actions) by the leaders in those stories. *Note\*\* This list will evolve over time...* 1. *[The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey](https://www.amazon.com/River-Doubt-Theodore-Roosevelts-Darkest-ebook/dp/B000Q9ITGW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536763310&sr=8-1&keywords=river+of+doubt)* by Candice Millard Not many people are aware that President Roosevelt was the first to chart and navigate a totally unknown river in the Amazon... And he did that AFTER he was President. 2. *[Legacy](https://www.amazon.com/Legacy-James-Kerr/dp/147210353X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1536763692&sr=8-3)* by James Kerr The simplicity and beauty in which this story is told is inspiring and useful.   3. *[The Effective Executive](https://www.amazon.com/Effective-Executive-Definitive-Getting-Things/dp/0062574345/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1536763737&sr=8-3)* by Peter Drucker The questions we should ask ourselves on a daily basis: "How can I be more effective?" "If I do this, what am I choosing not to do? Does THIS give me the opportunity to be more effective?" 4. *[The Wright Brothers](https://www.amazon.com/Wright-Brothers-David-McCullough/dp/1476728747/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1536763755&sr=8-2)* by David McCullough An incredible story of curiosity, determination, and an immense desire to teach the world how to fly. 5. *[Shoe Dog](https://www.amazon.com/Shoe-Dog-Memoir-Creator-Nike/dp/1501135910/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1536763773&sr=8-1)* by Phil Knight This is a non-fiction book written like a beautiful novel. This is a book written by someone who "just did it." And continues to do so... 6. *[In Search of Excellence](https://www.amazon.com/Search-Excellence-Americas-Companies-Essentials/dp/0060150424/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1536763792&sr=8-1)* by Tom Peters & Robert Waterman There's a reason this book was checked out of the library more than any other for 17 years! Tom has a no BS approach. Straight, to the point. And always useful. 7. *[Mastery](https://www.amazon.com/Mastery-Robert-Greene/dp/0670024961/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1536763829&sr=8-1)* by Robert Greene This book will help you better understand  the evolution of mastery: The keys to it.   You can read the full article and more specifics on each book [HERE](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/7-books-read-become-better-leader-ryan-hawk/).  I am happy to have a conversation about specific questions related to this blog. Please fill out the contact form below. 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