Great board leaders are always learning, and our Dynamic Boards NED community knows that the right book can spark new ideas, perspectives, and approaches. We asked our members to share their go-to reads, and we’ve compiled their recommendations into a summer reading list to help you reflect, develop, and thrive in your board career.
Get A Grip by Gino Wickman and Mike Paton
Told through the story of a growing company facing familiar leadership challenges, Get A Grip introduces the Entrepreneurial Operating System, a framework designed to help businesses become more focused, organised and effective. Gino Wickman and Mike Paton highlight the importance of clear priorities, strong teamwork and accountability, showing how leadership teams can move from confusion to alignment and achieve better results.
Recommended by…Helen Forsyth
“In terms of laugh-out-loud storytelling, it’s very good and highly relatable! Best listened to as an audio book. I’ve recommended it to many CEOs!”
Kind by Graham Allcott
Kind is about creating a better way of working: one where people feel valued, supported and motivated, while still achieving meaningful results. It explores the role of kindness in modern workplaces and examines how empathy, trust and thoughtful leadership can strengthen relationships, improve collaboration and help people perform at their best.
Recommended by…Deepa Mistry
“Kind captures a leadership approach I’ve refined throughout my career across retail, banking, the not-for-profit sector and education. It affirmed what experience has taught me: kindness and accountability are not competing ideas – they depend on one another.
Leading with kindness isn’t about lowering standards; it’s about setting clear expectations, giving honest feedback and building the trust that enables people to perform at their best without normalising unsustainable pressure.
The most effective boards understand that culture is a core governance responsibility. By investing in people with the same rigour they apply to strategy, finance and risk, they build resilient organisations, develop future leaders and leave a legacy that endures long after individual board members have moved on.”
Directors: Myth and Reality by Miles Mace
First published in the 1970s, Directors: Myth and Reality takes a closer look at what really happens inside the boardroom and questions the assumption that directors are always the driving force behind corporate decisions. Drawing on research and interviews, Miles Mace reveals the gap between the formal responsibilities of boards and the influence they actually have in practice.
Recommended by…Heather Connery
“Despite being decades old, and a little cynical at times – a lot of the observations and insights still resonate today. It provides a very realistic feel for what actually happens in boardrooms.”
Range, How Generalists Triumph In A Specialised World by David Epstein
Rather than focusing on the benefits of becoming a specialist from an early age, Range makes the case for the power of breadth. David Epstein brings together stories from sport, science, business and other fields to show how varied experiences can build creativity, adaptability and the ability to tackle unfamiliar challenges.
Recommended by…Shona Marsh
“It validated the value I bring as a generalist and also as a Chair thinking a lot about board composition and succession. It’s helpful to share as an articulation as to why a blended board of specialists and generalists is really powerful for better decision making. It also highlighted the value of the charity I Chair having a board that’s made up of people who are still all in active employment as they bring external perspectives from so many sectors and organisation styles.”
The Authority Gap by Mary-Ann Sieghart
Drawing on conversations with influential figures, research and her own experiences, Mary-Ann Sieghart examines why women can still face barriers when it comes to being seen as credible and authoritative. The Authority Gap explores the subtle ways confidence, expertise and leadership are judged differently, and considers how changing these perceptions could create a more equal environment where talent is recognised on its merits.
Recommended by…Jacqueline Planner
“This book is about how things are said, and the implication of thought. It examines the unseen bias in everyday lives to reveal the scale of the gap that exists between men and women. It’s a brilliant read for both men and women, as bias of all kinds exists at every level, including in the boardroom. Follow the author on LinkedIn as she does talks too that are worth picking up.”
Playing to Win by A.G. Lafley and Roger Martin
Drawing on decades of leadership experience, Playing to Win sets out a practical approach to building strategies that create real competitive advantage. A.G. Lafley’s time transforming Procter & Gamble, combined with Roger Martin’s strategic expertise, provides a framework for making better choices about where to compete, how to win and how to turn bold goals into measurable results.
Recommended by…Reni Oikonomou
“Many boards spend significant time discussing what to do, but not enough time discussing what not to do. The book sharpened my understanding that strategy is about choices and trade-offs. It has influenced how I approach strategic discussions, helping organisations focus on where they can create meaningful advantage rather than pursuing every opportunity.”
Defeat into Victory by Field Marshal Sir William Slim
Written after the Second World War, Defeat into Victory is Field Marshal Sir William Slim’s account of how a defeated and demoralised army was rebuilt into a force capable of achieving victory. Through his experiences in the Burma Campaign, Slim offers enduring lessons on leadership, morale and resilience, revealing how trust, adaptability and understanding people can be just as important as strategy on the battlefield.
Recommended by…Tim Law
“This book is a masterclass in strategic leadership. It details how Slim took over a broken, multi-ethnic Allied force in 1942, executed the longest retreat in British history, and subsequently transformed them into the victorious 14th Army. Its core strategic leadership lessons focus on emotional resilience, cultural transformation, and foundational structural changes. Given the number of books that emanate from military classics, e.g. Sun Tzu, I think this has been underused. It kind of underpins the ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’ argument.”
Will It Make The Boat Go Faster by Ben Hunt-Davis MBE
Written from the perspective of an Olympic gold medal-winning rower, Will It Make The Boat Go Faster? shares the mindset and methods that helped the British rowing team achieve success at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Ben Hunt-Davis and Harriet Beveridge reveal how focusing on the right priorities, making better decisions and removing distractions can help individuals and teams perform at their best.
Recommended by…Rob Foreman
“I found the book was very useful in ensuring leadership teams are working closely as a team with one goal. The clarity of the book is key – the simple question on the cover is a brilliant way of checking direction. The BS filters story worked for me – cutting outside noise in the pursuit of team objectives. Overall a very motivating book and one I have shared with some of my clients.”
Written by the community and friends…
Here are some honorary mentions featuring books written by our guest speakers and members of the community:
- Boards 3rd Edition by Patrick Dunne
- My View of The Data World by Elizabeth A. Henderson
- The Financial Times Guide to Business Ethics (Book) by Pablo Hepworth Lloyd
Want more great reads? Discover book recommendations shared previously by members of the NED community here.
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