February is the month of love… Or, maybe in business, relationships. That’s why this month’s “Leadership Books To Read” is going to be about relationships. More specifically, about trust building.
The five books below will help readers better understand how trust works, how to build trust, and why it matters.
Photo by Jayanth Muppaneni on Unsplash
5 Leadership Books To Read In February 2026
1. “The Speed of Trust” – Stephen M.R. Covey:
Trust can be a difficult thing to cultivate in leadership. Yet, it is one of the most crucial things you must do. Without trust, you’re going to struggle.
The Speed of Trust is a definitive guide on building and maintaining trust in leadership. Stephen Covey knows that trust isn’t just a softskill. Trust is the backbone of the economy.
Covey introduces readers to the “5 Waves of Trust” model in the book. He also gives readers 13 specific behaviors that build trust.
This is a book you don’t want to miss. It’ll transform the way you lead.
2. “Dare to Lead” – Brené Brown:
Brené Brown believes vulnerability is directly related to building trust. Too many leaders overlook the power of vulnerability.
Brown helps leaders tease out their vulnerability, since so many leaders are afraid to expose any kind of vulnerability. Being vulnerable can be uncomfortable. But leaders do uncomfortable things.
Brown also uses the “BRAVING” acronym (Boundaries, Reliability, Accountability, Vault, Integrity, Non-judgment, and Generosity) to give readers a memorable checklist to build trust.
3. “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” – Patrick Lencioni:
I’ve always been a huge fan of Patrick Lencioni. The way he tells stories to inspire leaders is engaging and memorable. I love that he teaches business practices through fables.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is one of his classics. Originally published in 2002, the principles he espouses in it still ring true almost 25 years later.
Lencioni believes the absence of trust is a foundational dysfunction that will cause all other team problems in organizations. The fable is highly engaging and life-changing, if you take the lessons to heart.
4. “Leadership and Self-Deception” – The Arbinger Institute:
Leadership and Self-Deception was a game-changer for me when I first read the book. I’m not even sure who turned me onto it but this book is powerful.
In Leadership and Self-Deception, the author explores how we unconsciously betray ourselves and then erode trust. Most of the time we don’t even realize we’re destroying multiple layers of trust. Trust that’s hard to rebuild.
The authors use the concepts of being “in the box” and “out of the box” to identify blind spots in how they treat others. You’ll walk away changed and ready to lead differently than you have in the past.
5. “The Culture Code” – Daniel Coyle
What is the secret to building trust? Author Daniel Coyle studied high-performing groups. These groups included the Navy SEALs, Pix, the basketball team San Antonio Spurs, and more, to uncover what made them click. What made them thrive?
What did Coyle discover? Trust is at the core of high-performing teams.
In The Culture Code, Coyle reveals three key skills to build trust. Those are:
- Build safety
- Share vulnerability
- Establish purpose
With these three skills, you will be a culture of trust.
