Top five books for charity leaders

We’ve put together a top five book list for charity CEOs and leaders. The aim of this annual celebration is to “change lives through a love of books and reading”.

So, we want to give readers a selection of books that will help them to make positive changes for themselves, their staff, and the people who use charity services.

Reading is a great way to build your knowledge. There are a lot of benefits to professional development and learning. It can give you a fresh perspective on your work and help solve a problem with which you’ve been struggling.

Best book on delegating work

One of the most important lessons to learn as a CEO or leader is delegation. It can help you to get the best out of your team and avoid taking on too much work.

The Directory for Social Change (DSC) has a book on delegation. Part of the Speed Read series, the book looks at what delegation is, what passing the buck is, how to pass on responsibility, how to coach people alongside delegating, and giving feedback and evaluation to help develop staff.

The DSC Speed Read Series aims to give practical guidance on a wide range of subjects. They include top tips, case studies and where to go next for more ideas. Other topics in the series that charity leaders may find helpful are: motivating staff, flexible working, interviewing and team building.

Best book on supporting newly appointed leaders

There is a lot learn when you take on a chief executive role in a charity. A good place to start is by speaking to experienced leaders who have been doing the job for a while.

It’s tough at the top: the no-fibbing guide to leadership draws on the experiences of Debra Allcock Tyler, chief executive of the DCS, who wrote the book. This practical guide includes case studies from experienced sector leaders, information on working with trustees and answers to questions that people may be too embarrassed to ask.

The DSC says the book is also useful for more experienced chief executives who want to recap and refresh on their knowledge.

Best book on creating a happy and healthy workplace

Published in 2016, the message of Beth Kantar’s book on preventing burnout in charities is even more important eight years later. Limited budget and stretched resources are putting pressure on staff – especially those working in small charities.

The Happy, Healthy Nonprofit: Strategies for impact without burnout looks at how to practise self-care in the workplace and create a culture of wellbeing.

It helps charity leaders to assess their organisation, identify areas that could cause problems and resolve issues, while achieving the organisation’s goals.

Best book on having difficult conversations

As a senior leader in a charity, having difficult conversations is part of the job. For example, you might need to speak to a staff member about their performance at work or tell someone their job is being made redundant. It’s only natural that this may make someone feel uncomfortable and anxious.

The book Difficult conversations: how to discuss what matters most can help you to handle challenging discussions in the workplace. Written by Bruce Patton, Douglas Stone, and Sheila Heen, the book looks at how to have a conversation without being defensive, managing attacks and accusations, and not letting emotions get in the way of being able to solve problems.

Best book on encouraging people to take action

Ever wondered what makes a successful leader? Author Simon Sinek’s book Start with Why shows you how to think, act, and communicate as a leader to inspire people to take action.

The book is based on Simon’s TED Talk that encourages leaders to start with “why” when communicating. The author says that people are inspired by a sense of purpose (why you are doing something), rather than “how” (which is the processes and methods for doing something) and “what” (which are the outcomes and results of doing something). He calls this the “golden circle”.

The book looks at the human brain and how “why” motivates the limbic system, which controls a person’s feelings, decisions and behaviour.

You may also be interested in our top book lists for charity communicators and fundraisers.