10 Surprising Reads That’ll Make You a Better Leader, Thinker, and Human
Great leadership isn’t just about vision and decision-making—it’s about self-awareness, empathy, curiosity, and growth. The books below weren’t written as “leadership books,” but they might just make you the kind of leader (and human) people want to follow. Get ready to be surprised—in the best way.
1. Bird by Bird
📖 By: Anne Lamott
What’s it about?
Technically, it’s a writing guide. But really, it’s a hilarious, deeply human reflection on creativity, fear, perfectionism, and showing up when it’s hard. Lamott’s wisdom is raw, funny, and quietly radical.
Why it’s a must for SME owners:
Because leadership is creative. Because self-doubt is real. Because learning to take things “bird by bird” (step by step) is how you avoid overwhelm and keep moving forward.
2. The War of Art
📖 By: Steven Pressfield
What’s it about?
Resistance. That invisible force that keeps you from doing your best work. Pressfield personifies it, challenges it, and gives you a kick in the pants to create, lead, and live with purpose.
Why it’s a must for SME owners:
Every big idea meets internal resistance. This book helps you recognize it, beat it, and show up anyway—whether you’re launching a product, starting a movement, or leading your team through change.
3. The Left Hand of Darkness
📖 By: Ursula K. Le Guin
What’s it about?
A sci-fi novel set on a planet where gender doesn’t exist the way it does here. It’s poetic, strange, and deeply human. At its core: a story about trust, diplomacy, and connection across massive differences.
Why it’s a must for SME owners:
To stretch your imagination. To lead with empathy. And to understand how otherness—whether cultural, political, or personal—shapes our relationships and decisions.
4. Man’s Search for Meaning
📖 By: Viktor E. Frankl
What’s it about?
A Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist reflects on his time in concentration camps and discovers that purpose—not pleasure or power—is what sustains us through suffering.
Why it’s a must for SME owners:
Because when you know your “why,” you can endure almost any “how.” This book helps you reconnect with meaning—your own and your team’s. Leadership without purpose? Hollow.
5. Range
📖 By: David Epstein
What’s it about?
Epstein takes on the myth of specialization and makes a case for generalists—people who learn broadly, connect dots, and thrive in complex environments.
Why it’s a must for SME owners:
Because great leaders need range. This book will convince you it’s okay (and powerful) to be a curious dabbler who pulls ideas from everywhere, not just your own industry.
6. The Book of Delights
📖 By: Ross Gay
What’s it about?
A collection of short daily essays that celebrate small joys: a high-five from a stranger, a lucky parking spot, a flower blooming. It’s a radical act of paying attention.
Why it’s a must for SME owners:
It’s a reminder that presence, gratitude, and delight are leadership skills. When you notice what’s good, people feel it. And when you lead from joy—not just pressure—everything changes.
7. Thinking in Bets
📖 By: Annie Duke
What’s it about?
A professional poker player teaches you how to make smarter decisions by embracing uncertainty and separating results from the quality of your thinking.
Why it’s a must for SME owners:
Because every decision is a bet. This book rewires how you think about risk, success, and failure—so you can lead with clarity even when the outcome’s uncertain.
8. Daring Greatly
📖 By: Brené Brown
What’s it about?
Vulnerability is not weakness. Brown, a shame researcher, shows how being open, honest, and human is the key to meaningful connection, creativity, and leadership.
Why it’s a must for SME owners:
Because you can’t lead people if you’re hiding behind armor. This book helps you build trust, speak truth, and create cultures where people feel safe enough to do great work.
9. Meditations
📖 By: Marcus Aurelius
What’s it about?
The personal journal of a Roman emperor grappling with power, loss, ego, and morality. It’s full of ancient wisdom and deeply modern insights.
Why it’s a must for SME owners:
Because it teaches you how to lead yourself first. It’s a stoic masterclass in staying calm, grounded, and purposeful when things get chaotic (read: every Tuesday).
10. Big Magic
📖 By: Elizabeth Gilbert
What’s it about?
A joyful, unpretentious take on creativity, fear, and the weird, wonderful nature of ideas. Gilbert invites you to co-create with inspiration, not strangle it.
Why it’s a must for SME owners:
Because innovation is creativity in disguise. This book gives you permission to be playful, take risks, and create without fear—whether you’re designing products or reimagining strategy.
Leadership isn’t just a role—it’s a practice. And the best leaders don’t just read business books. They read widely, deeply, and curiously. These 10 surprising titles will grow your mind, your heart, and your ability to lead from a more authentic, human place.
