my idea for publishing a list of helpful nonprofit leadership books came from the class i teach at upenn’s annenberg school on nonprofit communications strategy. Every year, I tell my students during the last class, “If nonprofit leaders (board and staff) read the same material they read this spring, the nonprofit sector would be infinitely more civilized.” , impressive and effective”.
and here you will find two lists. First, my top five nonprofit leadership books. so what I call “honorable mention”. I asked some friends and clients to suggest a leadership book that was instrumental in helping them become more effective nonprofit leaders.
You are reading: Best books for nonprofit leaders
Even if you take just one of these and read it in its entirety, it will be a true investment in your professional growth and will help make the work you do even more extraordinary.
and without further ado…
joan’s top five nonprofit leadership books you must read
1. good to excellent and the social sectors by jim collins
You must own this book. It captures in just 40 pages (yes… 40… so you have no excuse not to read it) the recipe for taking good organization to the next level. there are infographics that will totally stay with you as you go about your day. And I guarantee you’ll be much more intentional about the hires you make and the board members you invite to join you.
2. Give and Take
by Adam Grant
This is bigger than just your role as a leader. is a book about who you want to be in the world. grant identifies three types of people: ‘givers’, ‘takers’ and ‘matchers’. Those who give generously and freely of their time and expertise may not start out as the most successful, but end up at the top. they learn by solving the problems of others and develop extraordinary social capital. this is a great offsite read for staff or a gift for your senior team or board chairman.
3. Changing Minds
by Howard Gardner
gardner is an innovative educator who teaches us that we all have multiple intelligences that lead to different learning styles and a diversity of abilities throughout society. he understands how the mind works and therefore what it takes to change your mind. this is the job of the nonprofit sector: to get someone to think about something differently so that they care in a new way. don’t be put off by how long ago it was written. Trust me, as all good leadership books should be, this one is perennial.
4. Difficult Conversations
by Stone, Patton, and Heen
In my work as a consultant, I find myself facing conflicts. much. not only with those who oppose the mission but within the organizations themselves. between staff members, between staff and the board. this led me to becoming a certified mediator and also to this book.
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first of all, a lot of us are in the business of talking about tough issues (can you say family planning or any organization that has to do with race, gender, politics, religion, homosexuality, just for name a few). Second, I find too often that managers just don’t have tough conversations with staff and are reluctant to hold them accountable in ways that feel difficult.
This book reveals why, but it’s also useful for the difficult internal and external conversations that many people avoid due to lack of tools. the tools await you in this book.
5. Made to Stick
by Dan and Chip Heath
This is a must read. and an easy one. For me, the most important thing for nonprofits is that the leaders love their work and want everyone to love it. so they exaggerate and try to cover everything. the heath brothers talk about eliminating clutter and “the curse of knowledge”: we know so much about our organizations that we go into details that listeners don’t understand. They say that we cannot ignore what we know, so we have to transform the way we communicate with those who do not know our work.
five more books on leadership from friends, colleagues and clients
A quick survey uncovered five other leadership books you should know about. heck, some of them are new to me. I’m ordering them on amazon right now.
6. Start with Why
by Simon Sinek
Most leaders start by talking about what their organization does. But Sinek argues that it’s not the what or how that drives great staff candidates, five-star board prospects, or donors. is the why. sinek gave a great ted talk if you don’t have time to read the whole book.
recommended by dana weeks at germantown friends school in philadelphia.
7. It’s Your Ship
by Mike Abrashoff
I’ve never actually heard of this one, written by ex-us navy capt. uu. of the uss benfold. your practical recipe? lead by example; listen aggressively; communicate purpose and meaning; create a climate of trust; look for results, not greetings; take calculated risks; go beyond standard procedure; edify your people; generate unity; and improve the quality of life of your people. I think he’s a great non-profit leader.
recommended by kevin jennings, executive director of the arcus foundation.
8. Getting Things Done
by David Allen
one of the greatest productivity books of the last two decades, I’ve added it to the list. That said, I haven’t read it and am skeptical simply because the subtitle says: the art of productivity without stress. It may seem unattainable in a non-profit environment, but hey, isn’t it worth a try?
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recommended by mark pelavin at the union for reform judaism.
9. How the Way We Talk Can Change the Way We Work
by Kegan and Lahey
I am ordering this book, which addresses the inherent human resistance to change. one reader wrote, “most of the time when we are faced with change, a little voice inside us tells us why not change”. the authors write that this voice speaks in 7 tongues. one could even say that these “voices” make us immune to change. Fortunately, for each of the 7 languages, this book offers a powerful antidote.” I’m totally intrigued.
recommended by parisa parsa, the ed. of the public conversations project in boston.
10. Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization
by Logan, King, and Fisher-Wright
A 10-year study of 24,000 people in two dozen organizations revealed that separate tribes exist within these organizations. that certainly has been my experience. this book is a unique look at high-performance organizational cultures.
recommended by glennda testone, ed of the nyc lgbt center
one more…
okay, so this wasn’t on my original list. but I would be remiss not to mention my new book. 🙂
11. joan garry’s guide to nonprofit leadership: why nonprofits are messy by joan garry
I wrote the book I wish I had read with my board chairman at my first education job at a very messy nonprofit. is written for all nonprofit leaders: staff and board of directors. it’s fun, honest, intensely actionable, and is based on my own decades of experience working in the nonprofit sector as a CEO, board leader, volunteer, and donor.
hope you find it worthy to be on this list…
your turn
thanks to my friends for their suggestions. I’d love to know if you’ve read any of these. please share your own reviews, good or bad, in the comments below. and if you have anything you’d like to add, please do so!
I know many of you can’t imagine having time to read. but be honest. there are smart people who have resources for you that can make your work more effective. it is essential to make the time.
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