5 Books About Leadership And Leveling Up By Women, For Women
Walking the leadership path requires growth, resilience, and finding your authentic voice. It is a transformative experience, both challenging and rewarding. If you are interested in leadership or taking your skills to the next level, learning from those who have already walked this path can be illuminating.
Many women leaders understand the importance of sharing their experiences and the lessons they learned. Their books offer practical advice, actionable tips, and relatable stories to help you confidently embrace your inner leader. No matter where you are in your leadership journey, the five books below will inspire and guide you.
A promotion and title change don’t also come with all the knowledge you need to succeed in your new position. But you are expected to know what to do and how to lead from day one. The learning curve is steep but Julie Zhuo, named one of Silicon Valley’s most influential design leaders in 2024, offers guidance.
Her bestselling book serves as a field guide to leading confidently and nurturing your managerial skills. Zhuo normalizes feeling like you don’t know what you are doing by breaking things down with humor and simplicity. You will learn different manager types, how to build trust and nurture culture, ways to give feedback, how to run amazing meetings, and what to avoid and aspire to.
Likeable Badass: How Women Get the Success They Deserve by Alison Fragale, PhD
According to organizational psychologist Alison Fragale, PhD, status and how others perceive you are at the root of many women’s workplace challenges. It can be difficult to strike the right balance between warmth, approachability, and assertiveness.
Also a bestseller, Fragale’s book combines behavioral science, practical advice, and real-life stories from diverse women. It answers the questions she has heard from countless women: “How do we get credit for both likability and competence? How can we get the recognition we deserve, negotiate like a boss, and navigate the intricate dance of office politics without losing our sanity or the respect of our peers?”
Named to Forbes’ World’s Most Powerful Women list in 2024, Raja Al Gurg is a trailblazer. An advocate for women’s economic empowerment and a supporter of Arab women entrepreneurs, Al Gurg’s memoir shares her wisdom and experience. It details the obstacles she faced and how she overcame them to achieve influence and success. Al Gurg explains how leadership should be based on personal authenticity that harnesses your emotional, spiritual, and intellectual energy.
Women and Leadership: Real Lives, Real Lessons by Julia Gillard and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Julia Gillard, a former Australian prime minister, and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, current Director-General of the World Trade Organization, know what it means to lead. Leading publications, including Forbes and TIME, have recognized their leadership contributions and influence. Their book shares valuable lessons and wisdom for women interested in leadership.
The authors explore gender bias and its impact on women’s ability to reach top positions. They blend research with the lived experiences of successful women leaders. In candid conversations, these women share stories of sexism, shaming, and struggle and how they overcame it all. It gives readers an inside look at what it really means to be a woman in leadership today.
Professional Troublemaker: The Fear Fighter Manual by Luvvie Ajayi Jones
Leadership requires boldness and grit but fear can fuel self-doubt and hold us back. Luvvie Ajayi Jones is no stranger to fear and she tackles this issue with humor and honesty in her bestselling book.
Ajayi Jones explains that fear is an everlasting hater but it is up to us to do the inner work necessary to tackle what scares us. We cannot let fear talk us out of action or silence us. The book walks readers through how to address our fears, overcome imposter syndrome, and speak our truth loudly.
