A well-timed insight from someone who has walked in your shoes can mean the difference between exponential growth or sputtering out. At Advantage, we’ve got a deep catalog of books on leadership success from industry authorities. These books will hone your skills and rewire the way you wield your influence.
Whether you’re running a company, leading a team, or gearing up for your next move, you need to understand one critical thing: Real leadership is action. It’s the ability to drive change, make tough calls, and turn uncertainty into opportunity.
Industries shift overnight, and trends vanish as quickly as they appear. The best leaders understand this, and rather than being reactive, they anticipate and adapt their approach to stay ahead.
The Power of Leadership in Business & Sports
When pressure tests leadership, some crack. Don’t be one of them. Be the leader who steps up and takes control when the stakes are high.
Remember, regardless of context, your fundamentals should stay the same. Lean on trust, resilience, and discipline to make the tough calls when no one else will.
Bullets, Basketballs, and Boardrooms—A Leadership Playbook
Bullets, Basketballs, and Boardrooms departs from leadership-as-theory to help you fine-tune execution. It brings together three battle-tested perspectives: an NBA player who lived the daily grind of competition, a Navy SEAL who led teams on life-or-death missions, and a corporate executive who steered billion-dollar decisions. Each one mastered the art of leading under extreme conditions.
Leadership Lessons That Matter
The combined, real-life insights from leaders in sports, military, and corporate boardrooms leave readers with important takeaways they can apply to their leadership style
Here are three lessons for winning imparted by authors Jim Brogan, Dave Hubinger, and Andrew Pence:
- Pressure Reveals Character
High-stakes moments expose the difference between leaders who react and those who respond with precision. The best leaders rarely guess. They prepare, train, and trust their instincts when the moment arrives.
- Winning Teams Run on Trust
In basketball, no one can win if they try to play five versus one. In special operations, survival depends on total faith in the person beside you. Business is no different. The best leaders cultivate trust, eliminate silos, and build teams that move as one.
- Discipline Isn’t Glamorous, But It Wins
Championships aren’t won in stadiums but in empty gyms before sunrise. Business success doesn’t happen in board meetings; it happens in the relentless execution of fundamentals. Leaders set the tone. Culture follows.
Stepping Up When It Counts
Leaders who transcend titles face challenges head-on and strengthen their teams. Bullets, Basketballs, and Boardrooms is your game plan for leading with conviction, no matter the arena.
Leadership as a Personal & Transformational Journey
Great leadership starts within. The most effective leaders know that growth, authenticity, and self-awareness shape their ability to lead others effectively.
Without a clear understanding of your values and emotions, talent alone won’t be enough for you to inspire, connect, and make meaningful decisions.
Leadership is Personal by Brad Mahon and The Tao of Leadership by Jack Myers, explore leadership through two lenses: personal growth and timeless wisdom. Together, they reveal a path toward enlightened leadership that emanates outward from you to your teams.
Leadership is Personal—The Foundation of Authentic Leadership
For Brad Mahon, leadership is a mindset. He argues that authentic leadership begins with self-reflection and aligning personal values with professional actions.
Mahon challenges leaders to ask: Who am I when no one is watching? What drives my decisions? How do I want to show up for others?
In his book, Mahon unpacks the actual work of leadership:
- Knowing Your Values—Leadership without values is like a ship without a compass. Mahon stresses your values are the foundation for making tough decisions with integrity.
- Mastering Emotional Intelligence—Leading effectively means managing emotions—not just your own but also your team’s. Mahon explains how emotional self-awareness refines decision-making and strengthens trust.
- Building Authentic Relationships—Influence doesn’t come from authority alone. Leaders earn respect by listening, being present, and fostering an environment of mutual respect.
If leadership feels like an uphill battle, Mahon’s message is clear: leading yourself is the first step to leading others.
The Tao of Leadership—Mastering the Art of Non-Forceful Leadership
In compelling contrast to Bullets, Basketballs, and Boardrooms and its action-focused advice, Jack Myers’ The Tao of Leadership takes a more subdued tack. In it, Myers argues that sometimes, the best leaders know when to step back.
Inspired by Taoist philosophy, Myers offers a perspective that rebukes the relentless “hustle” culture of leadership. He introduces the idea of wu wei, or “effortless action,” where the best leaders don’t force outcomes but instead create environments where success happens naturally.
Key lessons from The Tao of Leadership:
- Leading with Balance, Not Force—Instead of pushing for control, Myers shows how great leaders trust their teams, set clear direction, and allow creativity to flourish.
- The Power of Stillness in Decision-Making—A leader who is always reacting will never be ahead. Myers emphasizes the importance of reflection, patience, and timing—especially in high-pressure moments.
- Serving Rather Than Commanding—Leadership is not about being the loudest voice in the room; it’s about guiding with wisdom and empowering others to thrive.
Myers’ book offers a life-altering perspective for leaders overwhelmed by constant, hectic decision-making: Taking a deep breath is okay. True leadership is about mastering when to act and when to let things unfold.
Integrating Both Approaches—A Blueprint for Growth
These transformative works internalize leadership as a spiritual, mental, and emotional process of becoming. One insists on controlling oneself, while the other tells leaders to loosen their grip on control.
Yet, rather than fighting for your attention, the result is something more symbiotic. Taken together, these books show leaders how to inhabit their values, show up as their authentic selves, and trust their teams to get the job done no matter the obstacle. Then these authors challenge their readers to go out and do the work.
Embracing Adaptability & Overcoming Adversity
One thing should be clear by now: Success doesn’t happen in perfect conditions.
Success, the kind that changes everything for you and your business, is built in the chaos—when plans fall apart. When the unexpected hits, the most resilient leaders turn adversity into a competitive advantage.
Two books—Catch as Catch Can by George Tinsley Sr. and The Turnaround Leader by Wes Wheeler—offer real-world strategies for leading through uncertainty. Tinsley’s journey from hardship to business success proves that adaptability is the ultimate skill. A seasoned corporate leader, Wheeler lays out the blueprint for reviving struggling businesses and making tough calls when failure isn’t an option. Together, these authors redefine what it means to lead in unpredictable times.
Catch as Catch Can—The Mindset of a Survivor
George Tinsley Sr. grew up refusing to accept that obstacles were roadblocks. To Tinsley, they have always been proving grounds.
From childhood poverty to basketball stardom to a business empire, Tinsley’s story is a masterclass in resilience. His philosophy is simple: Opportunity exists in every setback—you just have to find it.
What this book teaches leaders:
- Adversity sharpens your edge—Tinsley turned hardship into fuel, proving that the toughest conditions often produce the strongest leaders.
- Adaptability wins every time—He built a business empire by staying agile, pivoting when necessary, and refusing to accept defeat.
- Leadership is personal—Success isn’t just about strategy; it’s about character. Leaders who show up with integrity and determination create lasting impact.
Tinsley’s journey is all about relentless drive. He shows leaders how to overcome uncertainty, take control of their own stories, and transform setbacks into stepping stones.
The Turnaround Leader—How to Fix What’s Broken
Not every leader starts with a blank slate. Some walk into crises—companies on the brink, teams in turmoil, cultures poisoned by fear.
That’s where Wes Wheeler thrives. His career was built on turning failing businesses into market leaders. From corporate restructurings to leading UPS Healthcare through the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, Wheeler knows what it takes to drive transformation under pressure.
Key lessons from The Turnaround Leader:
- Speed matters in a crisis—Waiting too long to act is fatal. Wheeler teaches leaders how to diagnose problems quickly and take decisive action.
- Tough calls define leadership—Whether it’s cutting costs, restructuring teams, or rebuilding culture, making the hard decisions is what separates real leaders from placeholders.
- Fix the people first—Companies don’t fail; leadership fails. Wheeler prioritizes aligning the right people, eliminating toxicity, and creating a culture of accountability.
When things are falling apart, leaders can either panic or pivot. Wheeler’s playbook equips them to do the latter with clear strategies for stabilizing, rebuilding, and positioning organizations for future success.
The Ultimate Leadership Formula: Grit + Strategy
Tinsley and Wheeler represent two sides of the same leadership coin. Tinsley proves that mental resilience and adaptability are non-negotiable. Wheeler shows how strategic execution and decisive action separate those who lead from those who fold.
Together, their lessons create a leadership approach that thrives in uncertainty. Whether you’re struggling to stay ahead in a volatile market or reviving a failing business, these books offer essential leadership insights. They will help you lead with clarity, conviction, and an unshakable drive to succeed.
The Path to Becoming a Successful CEO
Let’s acknowledge that few titles carry as much weight as CEO. It’s a role that demands vision, execution, and the ability to manage constant change.
And here’s the not-so-secret secret: No one steps into the corner office fully prepared. Becoming a CEO isn’t a promotion—it’s a transformation.
In The Journey to CEO Success, Mike Praeger and Patrick Thean lay out a unique blueprint for transformation. They break down the mindset shifts, leadership strategies, and habits that separate high-growth leaders from those who plateau.
This book is for anyone aspiring to climb the corporate ladder or refine their leadership at the highest level. Achieve sustained success in the big chair.
The Journey to CEO Success—The Seven Practices for High-Growth Leadership
Praeger and Thean understand that busy executives have no time for vague information. With The Journey to CEO Success, they deliver a clear framework.
The seven practices they lay out have helped CEOs and executives lead companies through scaling challenges, crises, and market shifts. Beyond guidance on making good decisions, this book focuses on building the systems, habits, and personal resilience that CEOs need to stay ahead.
Core Lessons from The Journey to CEO Success:
- Be Curious—The best CEOs never stop learning. They ask the right questions, challenge their own assumptions, and adapt to new realities faster than their competition.
- Level Up Continuously—Growth companies demand growth leaders. CEOs must scale their leadership skills at the same rate as their business or risk becoming a bottleneck.
- Establish an Early Warning System—Surprises kill businesses. Great CEOs develop systems to anticipate problems before they become crises.
- Achieve Full Alignment—Vision is nothing without execution. Leaders must ensure their teams understand and commit to company goals at every level.
- Make Culture a Competitive Advantage—The best companies aren’t just well-run; they are built on strong, intentional cultures that drive performance.
- Build a Strong People Ecosystem—Success is never a solo journey. CEOs must attract, develop, and keep talent to sustain momentum.
- Focus on Core Customers—Not all customers are created equal. High-growth leaders focus relentlessly on serving their ideal customer base.
The CEO Mindset Shift
Transitioning into an executive role means recalibrating your thinking. CEOs must shift from doing the work to leading the work. That means making tough calls, empowering others, and maintaining a long-term strategic focus even when daily fires demand attention.
When your mindset shifts, so does the way you think about leadership. It’s not enough to just decide. You’ve got to make the right decisions consistently. The Journey to CEO Success doesn’t offer shortcuts. It provides a tested framework for those willing to put in the work.
This book delivers the insights needed to navigate complexity and lead with confidence. It’s essential reading for executives aiming to reach the next level, for entrepreneurs scaling fast-growing companies, and for managers preparing for future leadership roles,
Your Leadership Playbook Starts Here
Never forget that leadership is a privilege. Only a few get to embark on such a rewarding journey of growth, adaptability, and continuous learning.
The books highlighted here offer far more than abstractions or theories. They provide timeless insights, concrete strategies, and battle-tested lessons from leaders who have faced challenges at the highest levels.