Leadership sounds really glamorous and exciting, but truth is most newly minted managers feel a little overwhelmed. Unfortunately, most companies give little or no training to first-time managers, leaving them to figure out everything on their own, from resolving employee conflicts to getting projects completed, budget handling, etc.

So how do you balance it all without coming off as an arrogant jerk or a complete ignoramus? Try these 2 books… They are not targeted specifically for young managers, but the pearls of wisdom provided are extremely valuable for such situations.

#1. Truth About Managing People

I was assigned this book by Stephen Robbins for my MBA class, and it is brilliant. Not sure why it is not more popular among corporate executives. However, if you are a time-crunched new leader, you will appreciate the bite-sized chapters on a variety of topics – hiring, employee feedback, negotiation, getting results, growing your team, etc.

I have a detailed review here, if you want to investigate further.

#2. Leadership Secrets from the Monk Who Sold His Ferrari.

Honestly, you could pick any Robin Sharma and it would be fantastic. However, this one is really useful if you want to establish yourself as a respected leader while getting positive results (read profits) and meeting corporate KPIs. Without selling your soul, I might add.

This book is something to savor, so get a copy that you can refer periodically. The anecdotes and quotes are amazing. I’ve read this book dozens of times and it never fails to impress.

If you don’t have so much time or need a quick summary, just read the last chapter and the overview after each chapter.

Hope you found this useful. If you are interested in honing your leadership skills further, you may also want to peruse this other list of leadership books.

Until next time, Adieu!