Top three leadership books that should be on your Autumn reading list

Alison Roberts, Senior Programme Manager - Leadership, chooses her favourite leadership books for managers and aspiring managers.

I am always on the lookout for exciting books on leadership and management that don’t re-hash the same old principles. Likewise, I don’t see the need to re-invent the wheel. These three are my top picks. They draw on cutting edge theory and practice whilst reminding us of what has always worked.

1. Gower Handbook of Leadership and Management Development. Richard Thorpe, Jeff Gold, and Richard Thorpe (ed).

A who's who of current writers on leadership and development. A definitive read for senior managers, those who develop them and for management students aspiring to become the next generation of leaders. I particularly loved this, quoted from Chapter 7: Crafting a Leadership and Management Development Strategy by John Burgoyne: “Leadership works on the chaos/complexity side… and management works on the order side. Both are needed and need to work together, often through the same person or team.”

• Action point: New and aspiring managers should learn to embrace chaos and complexity. Doing this will help you to become solutions focused and more proficient at pattern recognition.

2. How to Grow Leaders: The Seven Key Principles of Effective Leadership Development by John Adair

John Adair’s work features in our courses. He’s known for a conversational writing style and effective leadership and management models and theories that have stood the test of time.  In Part 2, he makes a great point about ‘thinking’, stating that organisations shouldn’t rush into leadership development programs or quick fixes. It makes them “vulnerable to people who will offer to do the thinking for them – at a price”.

• Action point: Think about what ‘leadership and management’ needs to look like in your organisation for it to grow and thrive. What behaviours, characteristics, values and attitudes are you looking for? Understand that training requirements for Managers and Leaders will vary according to position, level of responsibility and alignment with the areas listed above. After your thinking is done, ensure buy-in at the very top. Then read CASE STUDY: ICI IN 1983 in the book!

  The above two books are available for you to read free from our Library with your IMechE membership

3. Leadership: plain and simple by Steve Radcliffe

I have created successful Leadership courses around the three principles of ‘Future, Engage, Deliver’ outlined in this slim, easy to read, yet powerful book. It is one of my favourites. Steve is one of Europe’s most successful leadership coaches, and shows you in simple terms how to develop faster as a more confident, and capable leader.

• Action point: “Leading always starts with the Future”. What is your strategic plan? Once you have that clearly nailed down, determine how you will engage your teams around your future vision.

For more information about our leadership and management courses, email training@imeche.org or visit us to find out how we can support and empower you in your current and future roles.