The Best Leadership Books to Read in 2025 📚 (That Are Fun and Easy to Read)
Leadership isn’t about having all the answers - it’s about continuously growing, learning, and adapting. These ten books aren’t just insightful; they’re genuinely fun and engaging to read. Whether you're leading a Toronto-based team or working on professional growth, these books will inspire and energize you!🙌
Why Reading is Essential for Leadership Development 🦸🏻♂️
Gaining New Perspectives 🌍
Leadership books let you step into the shoes of other leaders, offering fresh perspectives and innovative ideas. They help you tackle challenges with creativity and confidence.
Learning from Proven Leaders 👩💼👨💼
The authors of these books have been in the trenches, learning the hard lessons so you don’t have to. Their stories and frameworks are like having a mentor at your fingertips. Invaluable lessons for you and your team!
Top 10 Best Leadership Books (That Are Fun to Read Yet Powerful) 🎉💪💡
- Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
Brené Brown takes the fear out of vulnerability and reframes it as the ultimate strength in leadership. Her personal stories and relatable tone make this a page-turner. If you want to build trust and connection within your team, this is a must-read. - Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
Simon Sinek explores what it takes to create a culture of safety and collaboration. Packed with fascinating anecdotes, this book explains how leaders can inspire loyalty and trust. If you’ve enjoyed his TED Talk, you’ll love diving deeper into his ideas. - Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H. Pink
Daniel Pink’s engaging writing style makes the science of motivation easy to understand and fun to apply. This book is perfect for leaders who want to unlock what truly drives their team. Spoiler: It’s not always about money. - Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott
Kim Scott’s candid humor and real-world examples make this guide to giving and receiving feedback highly entertaining. This book will teach you how to create a culture of open communication without sacrificing kindness. - Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter by Liz Wiseman
This book dives into how great leaders amplify their team’s potential. Liz Wiseman uses lively case studies and practical advice, making this a fun read for anyone managing a team. - The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni
Written as a captivating fable, Patrick Lencioni’s book reads more like a story than a traditional leadership guide. It’s insightful, practical, and incredibly easy to digest. - The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle
Daniel Coyle takes you behind the scenes of top-performing teams to uncover their secrets. This book is filled with compelling narratives that keep you hooked from start to finish. - The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander
Equal parts inspiring and creative, this book combines uplifting stories with actionable advice. It’s perfect for leaders looking to think outside the box and inspire their teams. - Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul by Stuart Brown
Stuart Brown’s book is a celebration of play and its power to unlock creativity. Written with humor and charm, it’s a refreshing take on leadership and team dynamics. - Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam Grant
Adam Grant’s conversational style makes this a joy to read. His insights into rethinking and unlearning will challenge and inspire you to lead with curiosity and adaptability.
How These Books Enhance Leadership Skills
Challenge your team to think outside the box! These questions promote creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration.
Strategies and Techniques 🚀
Each book is packed with actionable advice. For example, Radical Candor teaches you how to give better feedback, while The Culture Code helps you build trust and collaboration.
Personal Growth and Self-Awareness 🌱
Books like Dare to Lead and Think Again push you to confront your blind spots and grow into a more empathetic, adaptable leader.
Applying Lessons from Books to Real Life 🧩
Actionable Steps for Implementation 🛠️
Put the lessons into practice by setting goals. For instance:
- After reading Leaders Eat Last, focus on creating a culture of safety by fostering honest conversations during team meetings.
- Use Drive to rethink your incentive structures and explore how autonomy can boost motivation.
Leading by Example for Teams 💡
The best way to inspire your team is to lead by example. Share your favorite leadership book during a team discussion, or even start a workplace book club! (Bonus points for linking it to fun activities - our PLAYshops at FUNdamentals of Play are great for this.)
Continuing Your Leadership Journey 🧭
Of course books aren't the be-all, end-all. If you are serious about enhancing leadership skills for yourself or your team, you need to put it all into action and seek other mediums to learn and entrench the lessons.
Experiential Workshops and Trainings (Try FUNdamentals of Play!) 🎭
Leadership is about connection and relationships, at FUNdamentals of Play, we bring that to life. Our Leadership PLAYshop Program in Toronto, ON is designed to make learning leadership skills interactive and fun. We have PLAYshops on the most critical skills for leaders such as Psychological Safety, Emotional Intelligence, Resiliency and Teamwork.
Embracing Lifelong Learning 🔄
Don’t stop at books! Attend workshops, seek mentorship, and embrace curiosity. Leadership is a journey, and the more you learn, the more you grow.
Next Steps 🌟✨
Our experiential team building workshops use the power of play to help teams learn, connect, and grow! We teach valuable leadership skills through the power of PLAY!
To enhance your team's dynamics and and create a thriving culture, consider booking a PLAYshop with FUNdamentals of Play (or fill out the form below!)
