There is much more to effective management than telling your employees about productivity hacks or time management recommendations. Sharing knowledge with your team won’t make you great at your job, but learning to strategize, delegate, and listen might!
Countless popular philosophies outline what makes an effective leader. If you want to learn more, we recommend reading a book or two on management to see how well your current methods fit. To help you out, we’ve listed some of the best management books of 2024 below. Let’s get right to it!
This Article Covers:
Our Top 5 Books on Management (Editor’s Picks)
- The One Minute Manager – Best All-Around Management Book
- The Happiness Advantage – Getting Results with the Happiness Quotient
- The Speed of Trust – Read for Trust-Based Management
- How to Lead – A Collection of Advice from Prominent Leaders
- 101 Tough Conversations to Have with Employees – For Practical and Hands-On Situations
Best Management Books [2024]
1. The One Minute Manager – Best All-Around Management Book
Key Information
- Rating: 4.6/5
- Author: Kenneth Blanchard Ph.D. and Spencer Johnson M.D.
- Publisher: William Morrow; Harper Collins India (Paperback)
- Edition: 1st Edition
- Pages: 111
- Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Audio CD, Audiobook
The One Minute Manager is a short read with only 111 pages. Despite its length, it offers a simple yet practical approach to genuinely effective leadership. Readers learn more about getting results through the “one-minute management approach” that balances three elements: One Minute Goals, One Minute Praising, and One Minute Reprimands.
One Minute Goals teaches readers how to set clear, concise goals that are quickly achievable. Managers will learn how to catch employees doing things correctly and provide them with positive feedback involving specific praise. Managers will also discover a better way of addressing poor behavior or performance directly (yet respectfully) while offering guidance for future improvement.
Co-author Ken Blanchard, Ph.D., is one of the world’s most popular and influential leadership experts responsible for 60 books. Spencer Johnson, MD, is one of the world’s most widely-read authors (Who Moved My Cheese). With their combined expertise, it’s no wonder that The One Minute Manager is one of the best books on management today.
Related: Top 14 Best Productivity Books You Must Read in 2024
2.) On Becoming A Leader – A Pioneering Book on Leadership Studies
Key Information
- Rating: 4.4/5
- Author: Warren Bennis
- Publisher: Basic Books
- Edition: 4th
- Pages: 304
- Formats: Paperback, Kindle
On Becoming a Leader is a classic read and has been one of the top books on management for over three decades. It was written by Warren Bennis, a leadership studies pioneer and scholar who has advised business executives and presidents on becoming more successful leaders. This book covers Bennis’ core belief: Leaders are not born but made.
In this book, Bennis shares his knowledge and extensive experience from years as a leadership consultant and advisor. He outlines the fundamental qualities that define a leader and provides concrete strategies that anyone can apply for more effective leadership.
On Becoming a Leader includes many quotes from famous personalities to help inspire and influence readers as they learn. Bennis also emphasizes how important it is for leaders to continue to learn and self-improve if they want to be effective in the long run.
3.) Turn the Ship Around!: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders – How to Learn Intent-Based Leadership
Key Information
- Rating: 4.7/5
- Author: L. David Marquet
- Publisher: Portfolio
- Edition: 1st
- Pages: 272
- Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback, Audio CD
Turn the Ship Around! was written by L. David Marquet, one of the top graduates of the US Naval Academy. From 1999 to 2001, he commandeered the USS Santa Fe, a nuclear-powered, fast-attack submarine. After his storied Naval career, he became a leadership consultant to businesses nationwide.
In this book, Marquet shares how he transformed the USS Santa Fe from a low-performing submarine to one of the best-performing in the fleet. He shares how the traditional Naval leadership model (where captains bark out orders and the crew unquestioningly follows) wasn’t adequate for the Santa Fe. Marquet provides examples of how he empowered his team, taught them to think and act for themselves, and created a leadership culture using an “intent-based leadership” system.
Today, Turn The Ship Around! is one of the best books on people management. It offers practical advice and plenty of clear examples, making it an often-praised read for people seeking insights into leadership and organizational change.
4.) Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t – How to Learn Modern Management
Key Information
- Rating: 4.7/5
- Author: Simon Sinek
- Publisher: Portfolio
- Edition: 1st
- Pages: 368
- Formats: Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook, Paperback, Audio CD
Simon Sinek is a teacher, bestselling writer, world-renowned speaker (you may have heard one of his TED Talks), and a leading authority on leadership.
In Leaders Eat Last, Sinek explores the idea that leaders in highly successful organizations prioritize the happiness and well-being of their colleagues and employees. The book discusses how important trust is in leadership and how leaders can create a culture of trust in their organizations. Sinek also explores how modern technology impacts relationships, suggesting that in-person interactions are still some of the most potent and effective ways to build trust.
Overall, Leaders Eat Last is one of the best books on management for those seeking to establish a healthy workplace culture that’s built on shared purpose, support, and growth.
5.) Nine Lies About Work: A Freethinking Leader’s Guide to the Real World – A Practical Read for Managers
Key Information
- Rating: 4.6/5
- Author: Ashley Goodall, Marcus Buckingham
- Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press
- Edition: 1st
- Pages: 256
- Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback, Audio CD
Nine Lies About Work was written by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall. Buckingham is a bestselling author and the head of people and performance research at the ADP Research Institute. Goodall is a senior vice president of leadership and team intelligence at Cisco and the former Chief Learning Officer at Deloitte. Together, they draw from their extensive experience as consultants and researchers to share a fresh perspective on what drives workplace success.
Buckingham and Goodall explore nine “lies” that they believe to be particularly damaging to companies. They explore every “lie,” sharing their thoughts on better methods for managers to handle their employees and organizations.
Nine Lies About Work also covers other topics, such as the need for meaningful work, the role of leadership, and the importance of feedback in the workplace. Today, this book is often on lists of top management books to read.
6.) The Art Of War – A Classic Read
Key Information
- Rating: 4.5/5
- Author: Sun Tzu
- Publisher: Filiquarian
- Edition: 1st
- Pages: 68
- Formats: Paperback, Hardcover
How could we create a list of the best books for managers without including one of the most popular books of all time? Written by Sun Tzu, The Art of War is a classic military strategy book believed to have been written around the 5th century BCE. But how can an ancient Chinese general and philosopher help managers excel at their roles?
The Art of War offers valuable lessons and insights on strategy and decision-making that leaders (and managers) can apply in various work and business situations. The book covers topics like the importance of strategic thinking, effective communication, leading by example, and more.
However short The Art of War is, it’s been one of the top books for people in powerful positions for centuries. While many find the perspectives and strategies too rigid and extreme for the modern business world, it’s great to pair this with other books that provide a better vantage point into modern management.
7.) Primal Leadership, With a New Preface by the Authors: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence – Learn Emotional Intelligence-Based Management
Key Information
- Rating: 4.6/5
- Author: Daniel Goleman, Richard E. Boyatzis, Annie McKee
- Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press
- Edition: 10th Anniversary Edition
- Pages: 336
- Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback,
Primal Leadership is a book by Daniel Goleman, Annie McKee, and Richard E. Boyatzis. Goleman is an internationally-acclaimed bestselling author known for his work on emotional intelligence and leadership. McKee is a bestselling author, Ph.D. holder, and a renowned coach to Fortune 500 companies. Boyatzis is a distinguished professor and academic (with a Social Psychology MS and Ph.D. from Harvard).
Together, these respected authors explore emotional intelligence and its role in effective leadership. In the book, the authors share that leaders capable of managing their emotions – and responding to others appropriately – are more successful overall. The authors also explore the different leadership styles and how leaders can create positive emotional climates within their teams and organizations.
As one of the best books on managing people, Primal Leadership offers practical tools and strategies for developing emotional intelligence in yourself and others.
8.) The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work – Getting Results with the Happiness Quotient
Key Information
- Rating: 4.6/5
- Author: Shawn Achor
- Publisher: Currency
- Edition: 1st
- Pages: 256
- Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback, Audio CD
You may have heard of Shawn Anchor through his famous TED Talk, which has accrued over 25 million replays on the TED Talk website (and is one of the most popular TED Talks ever). Anchor is a world-leading expert on success, happiness, and potential, with his research landing on the cover of the Harvard Business Review. He has even shared his research with the Pentagon and the White House and currently serves on the World Happiness Council.
In this book, Shawn Anchor argues that happiness leads to success – not the other way around. He explores seven positive psychology principles that can help people achieve happiness and success, supporting his ideas with evidence from neuroscience and psychology.
Overall, The Happiness Advantage is one of the best books for managing people, especially if you want to keep workplace culture happy and healthy.
9.) The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything – Read for Trust-Based Management
Key Information
- Rating: 4.6/5
- Author: Stephen M.R. Covey, Rebecca A. Merrill
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster
- Edition: 1st
- Pages: 384
- Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback, Audio CD
The Speed of Trust is one of the best people management books around. It argues that trust is vitally important – and the most critical component – for successful leadership. In this book, the authors share that trust is the foundation for successful interactions and relationships.
The Speed of Trust defines trust as character and competence combined, emphasizing that trust can be earned and restored while offering practical tips and strategies to help. It also identifies thirteen high-trust leaders’ behaviors and the five waves of trust that must be created to establish trust in an organization.
This book was written by Stephen R. Covey and Rebecca A. Merrill. Covey was a highly sought-after and incredibly compelling author, speaker, and advisor. An expert on ethics, trust, culture, leadership, and collaboration, he was also the author of the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Rebecca A. Merrill has served in various leadership positions in education, community, and women’s organizations. She has co-authored numerous books and assisted Covey with the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.
10.) Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead – Best for Women In the Workplace
Key Information
- Rating: 4.5/5
- Author: Sheryl Sandberg
- Publisher: Knopf
- Edition: 1st
- Pages: 224
- Formats: Audiobook, Kindle, Hardcover
Lean In was written by Sheryl Sandberg, the former Chief Operating Officer at Meta (Facebook), who left her position to focus on philanthropic work and her non-profit company, Lean In. After her highly distinguished academic career at Harvard, she now serves on several boards, including organizations like Facebook, SurveyMonkey, and the Walt Disney Company.
In her book, Sandberg aims to help empower women of all identities to take leadership roles in the workforce. The book discusses many unique challenges women experience in the workplace, such as bias, discrimination, and double standards. Sandberg shares how women can create their own opportunities, support systems, and networks without sacrificing or compromising their personal lives or values.
While this book is an excellent read for anyone who wants to understand the unique challenges women in business face.
11.) The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers – Best for Startups
Key Information
- Rating: 4.6/5
- Author: Ben Horowitz
- Publisher: HarperAudio, Harper Business
- Edition: Kindle
- Pages: 308
- Formats: Audiobook, Kindle, Hardcover
This book is by Ben Horowitz, co-founder and general partner of the Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. The firm invests in some of the biggest tech companies, including names like GitHub, Facebook, Airbnb, and Twitter. Horowitz was also the co-founder and CEO of Opsware (formerly Loudcloud), purchased in 2007 for $1.6 Billion by Hewlett-Packard.
In The Hard Thing About Hard Things, Ben Horowitz shares a personal account of his experiences as a “techpreneur” and CEO of particularly successful startups. He shares his insights and advice on various topics around building and successfully managing a business, including creating a company culture, hiring and firing business executives, and dealing with various crises.
Horowitz emphasizes the importance of leaders making tough decisions and risks, even when outcomes are risky or uncertain. He shares more about the psychological and emotional challenges of entrepreneurship, making this a fantastic read for managers and those starting small businesses.
12.) How to Lead: Wisdom from the World’s Greatest CEOs, Founders, and Game Changers – A Collection of Advice from Prominent Leaders
Key Information
- Rating: 4.5/5
- Author: David M. Rubenstein
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster
- Edition: Illustrated
- Pages: 448
- Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback, Audio CD
Published in 2020, How to Lead is a collection of interviews with some of the world’s most successful and influential leaders like Warren Buffett, Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey, and Bill Gates.
Author David M. Rubenstein explores the characteristics and qualities that have made these people successful. He also offers advice and insights on how readers can cultivate such qualities in themselves. The book covers topics like innovation, leadership, perseverance, risk-taking, and more, providing unique perspectives on various successful leadership styles and philosophies.
13.) 101 Tough Conversations to Have with Employees: A Manager’s Guide to Addressing Performance, Conduct, and Discipline Challenges – For Practical and Hands-On Situations
Key Information
- Rating: 4.5/5
- Author: Paul Falcone
- Publisher: HarperCollins Leadership
- Edition: 2nd
- Pages: 384
- Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Paperback, Audio CD
101 Tough Conversations is a book by Paul Falcone, an author, consultant, and HR executive with over three decades of experience in human resources. He’s held senior-level positions at companies like Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, City of Hope, and Time Warner. As a consultant, he provides executive coaching, leadership training, and other related services.
Falcone shares his practical and straightforward approach to management and HR in this book. As the title may suggest, it offers managers and leaders actionable advice on handling difficult conversations with their employees and team members.
Readers will discover how to address performance problems, deal with personal issues, and how to prepare for these tough conversations (with sample scripts and strategies to help the dialog go more smoothly).
14.) The Manager’s Path: A Guide for Tech Leaders Navigating Growth and Change – Best for Leaders in Tech
Key Information
- Rating: 4.6/5
- Author: Camille Fournier
- Publisher: O’Reilly Media
- Edition: 1st
- Pages: 241
- Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Paperback, Audio CD
In The Manager’s Path, Camille Fournier offers a practical guide for any leader working in tech, whether they’re a tech lead, manager, or mentor. The book covers different management stages, starting from the very beginning and slowly ramping up in terms of complexity.
Fournier draws from her experience as a tech leader and Chief Technology Officer, providing advice and real-world examples to clearly illustrate her points. She divides the book into sections that contain chapters to address specific situations or challenges that leaders are likely to encounter. Challenges include giving feedback, effective delegation, conflict handling, team scaling, and more.
The book also emphasizes the importance of empathy, communication, and continuous learning. Readers should discover what it takes to become good tech leads and mentors while managing individual team members – without losing sight of the entire team. Finally, it also covers creating a unifying workplace culture, even while managing multiple teams.
15.) The First-Time Manager (First-Time Manager Series) – Best for New Managers
Key Information
- Rating: 4.6/5
- Author: Jim McCormick
- Publisher: HarperCollins Leadership
- Edition: 7th
- Pages: 304
- Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback
The First-Time Manager is a book written by Loren B. Belker, Jim McCormick, and Gary S. Topchik, three veterans in the field of business, consultancy, and leadership. The authors designed the book to help individuals new to leadership or management positions by offering them guidance and practical advice on becoming effective leaders.
The First-Time Manager is divided into chapters that focus on various management aspects, including exercises, practical tips, and case studies. This book touches on topics like delegation, communication skills, team building, performance management, and more. It contains valuable real-world examples and insights, making the advice more actionable.
The book covers the importance of leading by example and establishing strong relationships with team members. It also addresses common challenges that new leaders face, like navigating office politics, handling difficult employees, and managing time more effectively.
Related: Consider some of the best time management apps.
Wrapping Up
Some people are natural leaders, but leadership skills aren’t an unreachable dream. With enough effort placed toward learning and self-improvement, anyone can become a successful manager. A great place to start is by reading the best management books. You might just find the right style to suit you and your team!
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