13 leaders on the books that changed how they work, live and lead

We all have a book that has changed something about us – maybe how we approached a problem, our perspective on an issue or our mindset towards a task or challenge.

The latest episode of the World Economic Forum’s Meet the Leader podcast asks leaders from around the world for the books that have changed their minds or given them hope, direction or support.

From big-tech executives to non-profit bosses, here are some of their recommendations.

The Lion Tracker’s Guide to Life, by Boyd Varty

Recommended by: Alexi Robichaux, CEO and Co-Founder of digital coaching platform Better Up

Perhaps unexpectedly, this is a great book for leaders, according to Robichauz. How do you stay composed in unsettling situations, figuratively – or literally in the author’s case – staring into the mouth of a lion? From the plains of Africa to the corporate boardroom, there are more parallels than you might think.

The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement, by Eliyahu Goldratt

Recommended by: Mark Lundstrom, CEO and Founder of wind energy company Radia

This may be a decades-old novel about a plant manager who is racing to save his factory from closure, but it carries serious, practical lessons for business leaders today, Lundstrom says.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, by Mark Manson

Recommended by: Sahil Tesfu, Chief Strategy Officer at global health and hygiene company Essity Group

For anyone who might need the occasional reminder to focus on what they want to achieve, rather than what other people expect them to achieve, this popular book still fits the bill, says Tesfu. It’s a book that will help you recalibrate – and make you laugh at the same time.

A World Without Email, by Cal Newport

Recommended by: Christopher Oakes, marine biologist and CEO of ocean restoration technology start-up Reefgen

This book makes the case that in the age of knowledge workers and constant communication, the world’s current approach to work is broken. Oakes likes it for its recognition that programme management can be undervalued. “There's real value in having somebody who's overseeing programmes and ensuring that the silos that naturally form in companies are being constantly challenged,” he says.

Blood in the Machine, by Brian Merchant

Recommended by: Brad Smith, Vice Chair & President of Microsoft

For Brad Smith, there are thought-provoking parallels between the impact of technology on the world today and the subject of this book. It’s an examination of the 19th-century Luddite movement, when English factory workers broke the new automated machines they saw as a threat to their livelihoods. “It provides a very personal glimpse into the lives and the beliefs and the worries of the people who were living in that time, as well as their hopes and aspirations. And you see that reflected in the hopes and worries of the people of our own time as they think about, for example, what AI will mean for societies around the world,” he says.

Turning the Flywheel, by Jim Collins

Recommended by: Serge Raemaekers, Co-Founder and Executive Director of South Africa-based social enterprise Abalobi

According to Flywheel, the key to success in business doesn't lie in one single innovation or plan but through slowly gaining momentum and eventually reaching a breakthrough. It's a book that can inspire anyone looking to make business work for people and planet. Plus, says Raemaekers, “it’s a short book, which is very handy when you’re in a social enterprise and you don’t have much time”.

The Innovator’s Dilemma, by Clayton Christensen

Recommended by: Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO of school-bus start-up Zum

Why do successful companies miss out on new waves of innovation? This best-selling work, which has been referenced by everyone from Steve Jobs to Tipping Point author Malcolm Gladwell, looks at disruptive innovation and how businesses of all sizes can capitalize on it. “I love this book,” Narayan says. “It changed everything in terms of my perspective on how you can bring innovation to scale in the world.”

How Innovation Works, by Matt Ridley

Recommended by: Jordan Justus, CEO of Automotus, a company that provides automated curb management for cities and airports

Innovation powers our societies but, Ridley argues, it remains a mysterious process that is poorly understood, including by businesspeople and policymakers. "A great book on the process of innovation broadly and how many people think," Justus says.

Leading from the Emerging Future, by Otto Scharmer and Katrin Kaufer

Recommended by: Catalina Cock Duque, Co-founder and President of Fundación Mi Sangre

This book makes the case that meeting global challenges will mean moving from “ego-systems”, focused on the self, to a conscious, inclusive and collective awareness of the ecosystems around us. "It has really inspired my work," Duque says.

Homo erectus, by W. Henry Gilbert

Recommended by: Christophe Catoir, President of global staffing and recruitment firm Adecco

To understand how to build the future, it’s important to know where we’re coming from, Catoir says, and his pick goes right back to the beginning of human evolution.

Down Girl, by Kate Manne and Invisible Women, by Caroline Criado Perez

Recommended by: Kara Alaimo, author and Professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University

Alaimo, who has written about the effect of social media on women and girls, shares two books that deepened her understanding of systematic barriers – and can help anyone recognize and better bridge gaps they experience.

The Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkien

Recommended by: Jonathan Reckford, CEO of housing nonprofit Habitat for Humanity International

It’s a classic story of the struggle between good and evil, but for Reckford, it’s the hope that exists within The Lord of the Rings that is inspiring. "Written in the context of the World War, it's a reminder that we all have to take an active role in building democratic societies – we can't assume that if we don't contribute we will keep seeing the benefits," he says.

Candide, by Voltaire

Recommended by: Florian Hoffmann, Founder and CEO of entrepreneurship platform The DO

The French writer and philosopher’s satirical novel may have been published in the 18th century but it offers timeless commentary on human nature and society – and how every individual has the power to create change. Rereading it gave Hoffmann “a lot of motivation for 2024 to keep getting involved … There’s no time for apathy,” he says.