· 6 min read
Resources for New Leaders
Top resources I've found as a leader that I recommend to new leaders.
I recently had a 1 on 1 with the soon-to-be-new-leader of the team I left. To help him on his way, I compiled a list of resources that I found beneficial. It’s not an exhaustive list, but I think it’s a good starting point.
The Best High-Level Summary of Leadership Skills in One Book
Yes, I know that’s a big claim, but if you only read one book on leadership principles, make it this one:
In this book, John Maxwell explains 21 laws of leadership that often make or break a leader. Understanding these principles will give you a map for your own strengths and weaknesses, and provide clues for what you can work on next.
(Yes, you can find summaries online, but it’s worth reading the book and not just a summary. Each chapter is one principle and often only a few pages long. Read and digest it slowly— you’ll be a better leader for it.)
Personal Skills
At its core, I believe leadership is about leading yourself before you lead others. Building your own healthy habits and having a good attitude is the foundation that all leaders build upon. Lead yourself well and you’ll be a better leader for others.
Habits
Good habits are like having wind in your sails. Bad habits are like having anchors weighing you down. These books talk about how to build the good ones, and how to make them stick.
Attitude
“Attitude is everything.” These resources tell you why.
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Audio: The Magic Word - Earl Nightingale (Youtube). A classic and a quick listen but very impactful. Describes how our attitudes affect everything we do.
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Book: Self Leadership and the One Minute Manager - Ken Blanchard. A business fable about leading yourself and taking personal responsibility.
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Book: Attitude 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know - John C. Maxwell. Another John Maxwell book, with practical observations on how attitude affects leadership.
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Book: Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win. Ownership is key to leadership. Leaders set the tone, take responsibility, and take action.
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Book: QBQ! The Question Behind the Question - John G. Miller. How to ask better questions and practice personal responsibility.
Effectiveness / Decision Making
As a leader, you’ll need to make the call. You won’t get it right all the time, but the resources here will help tip the odds in your favor.
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Book: The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done - Peter Drucker. At the top of most leadership “must read” lists. Contains very practical advice on how to make the most impactful decisions as a leader with limited time and attention.
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Articles: Farnam Street Blog. Packed full of articles that explain different mental models - like tools in a toolbox. Go here when you’re looking for new ways to analyze and solve challenging problems.
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Book: The Checklist Manifesto - Atul Gawande. Written by a surgeon with fascinating real-life stories. Describes the value of making checklists, and how having good checklists can reduce overall complexity and prevent errors.
Team Building / Trust
A leader without a team isn’t really a leader at all. These resources help you build team morale and trust.
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Book: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team - Patrick Lencioni. Explains how to build a team, how trust is vital, and where things often go wrong.
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Team Activity Wiki: teampedia. Games and icebreakers for small or large groups.
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Book: Turn the Ship Around! - L. David Marquet. An excellent book with real-world stories from a U.S. Navy Captain. It’s often at the top of the “must read” leadership book lists. Demonstrates the positive impact a good leader can have even in a discouraging situation, and is a good guide to how to build trust and lead during difficult circumstances.
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Book: Death by Meeting - Patrick Lencioni. Meetings can be boring, but they don’t have to be. This is a business fable that describes how to make meetings more meaningful so that people will want to attend.
Communication
Leaders who can’t listen well and who have difficulty communicating clearly will find leadership very difficult. These resources will help you improve.
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Article: Seek First To Understand. A reminder to listen to the whole story before jumping to conclusions.
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Article: 7 Suggestions for Asking More Powerful Questions. A practical guide for how to ask better questions.
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Toastmasters. Join a local club to practice public speaking in a safe environment and get valuable feedback. Participating in a local Toastmasters club has improved my public speaking & communication skills more than anything else, hands down.
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Book: Crucial Conversations - Tools for Talking When The Stakes are High - Kerry Patterson. A practical guide for how to approach tough (or “crucial”) conversations. Useful outside of professional settings for improving personal conversations and relationships as well.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is like the jet fuel for the leadership engine. Low emotional intelligence will limit a leader’s effectiveness, and without it you’ll feel like you’ve run out of gas.
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Article: Signs That You Lack Emotional Intelligence. Describes the telltale signs of low emotional intelligence, with strategies to improve.
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Book: Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves. Explains the different types of emotional intelligence, and how to work on each.
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Book: Switch - How to Change Things When Change is Hard - Chip & Dan Heath. Explains how emotions can impact our thinking when we try to implement a change.
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Book: Managing Humans - Michael Lopp. A real-world and humorous account of what it means to manage software engineers, with a good amount of leadership principles sprinkled in.
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Article: The Update, The Vent, and The Disaster. This is the one article you must read about why you need 1-on-1’s with your team and how to conduct them effectively.
Also check out the parent blog: Rands in Repose. It’s full of leadership gold, especially for technology leaders.
So if you’re new to this whole “leadership” thing, welcome. Recognize that leaders need to level up their skills and keep current just as much as other technologists or engineers do. Leaders are learners, and I hope this list helps you get started (or continue) on your learning journey.