5 Reasons Why Reading Leadership Books Is A Waste Of Time
Most management books aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. They typically have no scientific rigour, relying on anecdotes and that favourite of management writers, the case study.
Leadership is often thought of as something you learn in business seminars, or something that you get when you hit a certain level on the corporate ladder. But the truth is, everyone can be a leader. 1. They’re a waste of time
Most leadership books aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. They either pretend to solve a complicated management problem (which by definition has no easy solution) or they have some magical recipe for how to become a great leader (which most people don’t have).
In fact, some leadership books are worse than useless; they’re downright dangerous. They’re often filled with pseudo-scientific mumbo-jumbo and a lot of graphs and pie charts. This makes them very difficult to read. They’re also usually biased and full of excessively flattering language.
However, there are some good leadership books out there that are worth your time. One such book is Simon Sinek’s Start With Why. This book is based on a conversation Sinek had with a Marine Corps general who told him that “officers eat last.” The book teaches readers how to create a culture of mutual vulnerability and strength in their workplace.
Another good leadership book is The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell. This book teaches leaders how to develop their own unique leadership style. It focuses on topics like motivation, vision, and alignment.
Finally, there’s Dare to Lead by Brené Brown. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in building a strong team culture. It focuses on themes like vulnerability, courage, and core values.
Overall, the best leadership books are those that teach readers how to be a better version of themselves. They’re not just about becoming a better manager; they’re about being a better human. Whether it’s helping an old lady across the street or marshaling a hundred engineers to ship a new product, leadership is all about inspiring others to believe what you believe. 2. They’re boring
We think of leaders as charismatic and fast-paced, charging ahead and pushing the boundaries. But the truth is, leadership requires a different mindset, and it’s not something that you’re born with, but rather something that you can learn through reading. In his book Call Sign Chaos, former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis writes that “leaders are readers.” He believes that if you want to become a better leader, you must read books about leadership.
Books about leadership often cover a wide range of topics, including people management, organizational structure, and how to lead teams. They are usually structured in parts for easier comprehension: “six steps to success,” “four phases of this new process,” and so on. Some are written by consultants, and they contain plenty of graphs and complicated-looking diagrams.
Autobiographies and biographies are another popular subgenre of management books. They usually tell the story of a great leader or company, either through the writer’s own experiences or through a third-party ghostwriter. This type of book can be highly entertaining, but it can also be excessively flattering and full of false humility.
Some books have a more niche subject, such as “change management in a digital age” or “increasing resilience in your team.” These are more likely to appeal to new leaders who are looking for specific insight into their specific areas of interest. They are also more likely to provide an empathetic view into other viewpoints than one’s own, which is a critical trait for leadership. 3. They’re a waste of money
Traditionally, we think of leadership as something you learn in business seminars or maybe after you’ve made it up high enough on the corporate ladder to be considered a leader (though some companies do offer leadership training for those who want to advance). The truth is, everyone has the ability to be a great leader. It’s an attitude you can choose to adopt and it doesn’t have anything to do with your title, position or job.
Leadership is also a mindset you can cultivate in yourself through practice, study and learning. In fact, making it a habit to read leadership books is a great way to improve yourself and the people around you. But beware of the many poorly written leadership books that promise to teach you how to be a better leader, and end up only confusing you more.
If you’re looking for a good leadership book, look for one that doesn’t fall into the category of “management.” Management books are full of anecdotes and, worst of all, case studies. Case studies are based on the premise that you can generalize from very specific cases or examples, and they’re typically filled with cherry-picking data to support an argument or a new methodology.
A good example of a leadership book that doesn’t fall into the management category is Simon Sinek’s New York Times bestseller, Leaders Eat Last. Sinek draws on military principles to show that the most successful leaders put their team’s needs first, which engenders trust and psychological safety. This is a powerful lesson for any leader who wants to inspire and motivate his or her team. This is a must-read for anyone who’s serious about becoming a great leader. 4. They’re a waste of time
Leadership books are the nonfiction works that offer leadership advice and often feature anecdotes or personal experiences of famous people. They usually cater to professionals trying to move up the corporate ladder or improve their leadership skills. They can be written by celebrities, successful business people, educators and military or political figures.
Most of these books have very little scientific rigour, and are full of that favourite of management writers, the case study. They take a few specific anecdotes and then generalize them into what they claim are the universally accepted rules for running a happy and effective company, or being a great leader.
While these leadership books have some useful information, they tend to perpetuate the myth that leadership is an elusive thing that you can only attain if you’re a certain kind of person or you’ve worked really hard. In reality, leadership is a mindset, and anyone can learn how to become a better leader, no matter their job title or the size of their company.
This book teaches leaders how to foster an environment of trust and respect that enables individuals to thrive and contribute their best work. It is an important read for any leader that wants to create a high-performing team www.snapreads.com/books/the-four-agreements-summary/
This book offers an interesting angle on the leadership genre and is written by a former CEO of a Fortune 500 company. It explores the concept of ‘radical candour’ and teaches leaders how to be more direct with their employees in order to promote greater performance and wellbeing. It is an excellent read for leaders who want to create a safe space for their teams to express their true selves. 5. They’re a waste of time
Most management books aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. They pretend to have the magic formula to solve some complex management problem (which by definition can’t be solved in a 200-page book), or that ideal “leadership” is some specific type of behavior that will make everyone happy. They’re filled with anecdotes and that favourite of management writers, the case study: they take a few very particular examples and conclude some general rules for all companies and leaders on Earth.
Leadership is an attitude, not a job title or a set of skills. It’s what you do in your personal life as much as it is what you do at work. A single mom taking time out of her busy day to help the old lady across the street is leadership as much as marshaling a team of 100 engineers to ship a critical feature on deadline. Unfortunately, many people don’t understand this concept and believe that leadership is reserved only for certain types of jobs.
As a result, when they get promoted, they often look for a book that will teach them how to be a great manager or leader, or at least show them how other people do it. And this is where the waste of time really begins.
The best leadership books are often written by people who’ve done it themselves, and they’re often the most fun to read. One of our favourites is Simon Sinek’s Leaders Eat Last, which draws inspiration from military principles, arguing that high-ranking officers put their teams’ needs before their own, making crew members feel valued and safe and encouraging them to give their all. This type of leadership is especially appealing to new leaders who’re navigating the tricky waters of managing others for the first time.