Whoa! Does anyone else have whiplash from 2025? It feels like we just started the year but here we are finishing out. And I hope with a good bang!
As it’s the end of the month, it’s time for my monthly book recommendations. I’ve heard from plenty of readers how these books have impacted their lives.
Let’s get to the book recommendations.
5 Leadership Books To Read In January 2026
1. The Need to Lead: A TOPGUN Instructor’s Lessons on How Leadership Solves Every Challenge by Dave Berke:
The Need To Lead is Dave Berke’s third book in his Extreme Ownership series. He loves leadership and helping leaders improve.
Berke has the experience of someone from TOPGUN. He’s been in the Marine Corps, a fighter pilot, and ground combat leader.
His experience is time-tested and approved. He’s someone we can learn from. I hope his experience can change your leadership.
2. Give First: The Power of Mentorship by Brad Feld:
What do you do if you don’t have the connections or capital to get things done? Brad Feld has cracked the secret code. He’s learned that great leaders give first before they ever receive.
Feld pushes this philosophy in Give First. He shares how it helped him within his organization and can help you grow yours.
If you want to grow, you’ve got to give.
3. Supervisor, Manager, Leader; The Basics of Being a Boss: A common sense approach to the critical skills that most organizations fail to teach their people by Mike Kraus:
Mike Kraus has over 30 years of experience in managing and leading others. He’s taken that experience and condensed what he’s learned into this book.
He takes a look at leadership from three different angles:
- Supervising
- Managing
- Leading
As you read through Supervisor, Manager, Leader, you’ll see how these three pieces fit together. You’ll learn how you can move from one stage to the next. You may even learn how to help those who report to you to do the same!
You can get a copy of this book on Amazon.
4. How Leaders Can Inspire Accountability: Three Habits That Make or Break Leaders and Elevate Organizational Performance by Michael Timms:
If there’s one thing I’ve heard a lot recently, it’s that people lack accountability. No one wants to admit when they’re wrong. They don’t want to take on the consequences of their actions.
What if you could change this mindset within your organization? What if you could help inspire accountability?
Michael Timms gives readers a great outline on how to inspire your people to take accountability when they mess up. It’s an inspiring read you won’t want to put down.
5. Be the Unicorn: 12 Data-Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest by William Vanderbloemen:
What does it take to stand out from the crowd of other leaders? The right habits.
In Be The Unicron, William Vanderbloemen shares 12 habits that will make you a standout leader. One people recognize and goes to.
His research will show that these habits matter. That you can be a better leader.
Let’s separate ourselves!
