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Guest Post: 5 Business Audiobooks to Refresh Your Leadership Skills

This article was written by Rita Jolene, exclusively for inspiring-workplaces.com.

Regardless of how long you’ve been in business, the value of lifelong learning is immeasurable. Just as the world of business continues to evolve, you must constantly strive to improve and adapt your skills to its changing landscape.

In a Forbes article, Ray Titus, CEO of United Franchise Group, emphasizes the role of reading books for skills improvement, particularly in the realm of business leadership. Books written by business experts whose success and expertise speak for them can be valuable sources of knowledge, wisdom, and practical advice.

In the same article, Titus shares tips on how business leaders and professionals can embark on their respective reading journeys. These include asking for recommendations during networking events and meetings, setting a reading goal, and spending at least one hour a week learning from business books.

However, another practical tip to be more engaged in reading is to listen to audiobooks. A Fox News article highlighted the convenience of audiobooks, as you can listen to them and multitask, whether you’re on your daily commute or working out. This factor alone makes audiobooks particularly suitable for leaders who otherwise have busy day-to-day schedules.

Another advantage of listening to audiobooks is their accessibility, especially with the rise of subscription-based digital libraries that offer unlimited access to titles, so you don’t have to buy them individually. The leading digital library Everand has a diverse collection of business audiobooks, ranging from trending guides like How to Talk to Anyone to new releases from entrepreneurs like Kathleen Griffin. Everand subscribers can also take advantage of user-friendly features like playback control and offline listening after downloading the best audiobooks on business leadership.

Below are recommendations on business audiobooks that can refresh your leadership skills and help you reach your full potential.

The Strategist by Cynthia Montgomery

Based on Professor Cynthia Montgomery’s highly regarded strategy course at Harvard Business School, The Strategist: Be the Leader Your Business Needs helps you gain insight into which business strategies contribute to long-term success. Narrated by Karen White, the audiobook distills learnings and experiences from Montgomery’s classroom, from the fundamental components of strategic leadership to examples of strategy dilemmas that must be addressed.

Since The Strategist is designed like a course, Montgomery combines frameworks, tools, case studies, and discussions to illuminate what strategy is — framing it not just as a competitive tool but as a means for shaping a company’s future and overall journey. Whether you’re an executive or a small business owner, the book can help you develop the skills and sensibilities of a truly strategic leader.

Think Faster, Talk Smarter by Matt Abrahams

In a previous post, it was explained that communication skills are crucial to effective leadership, with 75% of employees valuing them the most for their productivity, engagement, and overall satisfaction. As such, the post also shares strategies on how to enhance leadership communication, such as delivering constructive feedback and incorporating visual aids into your messaging.

In the same vein, Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You’re Put on the Spot imparts tips for navigating spontaneous communication situations leaders are usually subject to, such as public speaking, job interviewing, and networking. In narrating the book, Stanford lecturer and communication expert Matt Abrahams himself draws on various scientific studies and real-life examples to guide readers through navigating communication anxiety and providing concise and compelling content.

Dare to Lead by Brené Brown

Beyond knowing how to strategize and communicate effectively with their teams, clients, and fellow professionals, business leaders must also know how to take risks, whether it’s with ideas or people whose potential they recognize. Thus, Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead encourages you to stay curious and lean into vulnerability to truly grow and transform with the people you make an effort to lead.

Brown’s core teachings also include empathetic communication, which she has also talked about in an article on CNBC News. To create emotional connections with people, especially during workplace meetings, Brown suggests asking attendees to express how they are feeling using two-word prompts.

The Emotionally Intelligent Leader by Daniel Goleman

Similarly, Daniel Goleman’s The Emotionally Intelligent Leader underscores the importance of leadership not being about power and status but about emotional intelligence. In this book narrated by Mike Lenz, the American psychologist and best-selling author discusses the common leadership styles that leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs can adopt based on different circumstances.

Each leadership style springs from a specific component of emotional intelligence, thus allowing you to understand how to flexibly change your approach while still connecting with your team. The book also guides you through understanding the complex connection between emotionally intelligent leadership and measurable business outcomes.

Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 by John Maxwell

Lastly, John Maxwell’s seven-hour audiobook, Developing the Leader Within You 2.0, can help you understand how to serve and influence others while also embracing good ethics and directing them toward a well-thought-out vision. While the work was first released in 1993, this revised and updated version includes new chapters that build on Maxwell’s foundational principles for leadership styles and motivational approaches.

Whether you’re a long-time fan or a new reader of Maxwell’s classic work on business leadership, this audiobook is essential for honing your self-discipline and making impactful changes throughout your career.

Continue reading Inspiring Workplaces for more insightful guides and resources on workplace leadership and management.