Every year McKinsey collates its recommendations for the best books in business, technology, workplace culture, and more.
This year, more than 90 books made the list and, while we can’t feature them all, these five caught our eye.
The Journey of Leadership: How CEOs Learn to Lead From The Inside Out
The Journey of Leadership offers a deep dive into the demanding role of today’s CEOs, who must navigate high-risk environments and complex challenges without room for error.Â
Authored by McKinsey senior partners Hans-Werner Kaas, Dana Maor, Ramesh Srinivasan, and Kurt Strovink, the book reveals McKinsey & Company’s methods for transforming leaders both professionally and personally.
It shares insights from their legendary CEO leadership program, “The Bower Forum,” and global CEO counseling practice, detailing how leaders develop crucial psychological and emotional skills.
Featuring reflections from prominent leaders across various industries, the book provides practical guidance on assessing personal leadership styles, discovering true leadership mandates, and reinvigorating yourself and your organisation.
Ultimately, it offers invaluable lessons for anyone aiming to lead in today’s complex world.
How Legendary Leaders Speak
How Legendary Leaders Speak addresses the common pitfalls in leadership communication, offering a time-tested strategy to overcome them.
The book reveals a hidden five-step communication strategy used by legendary leaders like Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and John F. Kennedy, proven to unify, clarify, engage, excite, and motivate.
Authored by a top communication consultant, Peter D Andrei, it teaches leaders how to adopt winning communication habits, speak with conviction, and avoid common pitfalls.
This book will help you learn to clarify your narrative, build excitement, and inspire action effectively.Â
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, explores the transformative power of our beliefs about our abilities, revealing how they shape our success and resilience.Â
This updated edition delves deeper into Carol S. Dweck’s groundbreaking research on the fixed and growth mindsets, explaining how a growth mindset can significantly enhance performance in various fields.
She also introduces the concept of false growth mindset and provides guidance on embracing a genuine growth mindset.
The book extends the application of mindset beyond individuals to groups and organisations, demonstrating how the right mindset can foster outstanding achievement.Â
Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create and Lead
Tara Mohr’s Playing Big equips women with the practical skills to voice and implement meaningful changes in their lives and careers.
Through her coaching and programs, Mohr addresses how women often ‘play small’ and provides a proven method for achieving their dreams by playing big from the inside out.
Acclaimed by figures like Maria Shriver and Jillian Michaels, and featured on major media platforms, Mohr’s work helps women overcome self-doubt, discover their true callings, and take bold actions.
Unlike typical career books, Playing Big is designed for all women, regardless of their professional aspirations, offering tools to help them thrive in any role.Â
Culture Is the Way: How Leaders at Every Level Build an Organisation for Speed, Impact, and Excellence
Culture Is the Way, by Matt Mayberry offers a practical guide for leaders at all levels to build an organizational culture that drives speed, impact, and excellence.
The book provides strategies to create a workplace where employees can reach their full potential and enhance overall performance.
Mayberry identifies five common roadblocks to cultural excellence and provides solutions to overcome them.
The book also details how to implement a playbook for cultural transformation across an entire organisation.Â
This essential roadmap for improving team performance and engagement is invaluable for managers, executives, and business leaders dedicated to fostering a thriving workplace culture.
