Leadership Development: Top 10 Influencers

A good leader is an inevitable arsenal of any organization. It would be this reason that many organisations place great emphasis on developing great leadership skills. Who are the most influential global thinkers whose work business leaders must follow in leadership development? Here are 10 big thinkers who are paving the way.

1. John C. Maxwell

Thus, John C. Maxwell with more than three decades of leadership development experience can confidently be considered one of the leaders in this area. He had published more than a hundred books that talking about the influence, teamwork, ethical and personal development issues that have been sold over 30 million of copies. His training seminars and broadcast podcast have audience in millions of viewer in the world. Actually, there are two books authorised by Maxwell that are recommend to read to get a best understanding on how to enhance your leadership skills which are ‘The 21 Unquestionable Laws of Leadership” and ‘The 5 Levels of Leadership’. 

2. Marshall Goldsmith

Marshall Goldsmith is a leadership coach who is best known for helping high-level performers build sustainable behavioral change. As the most sought after executive development advisor and coach in America he has coached more than one hundred CEOs and helped many of the nation’s leading organizations to design and carry out substantial executive leadership initiatives. Goldsmith is the million copy international best selling author of numerous books that have been much acclaimed such as ‘What Got You Here Won’t Get You There’ and ‘Triggers’, both of which offered great tips on leadership personal development.

3. Brené Brown 

Brené Brown is a scientist in the circle of social work who turned into an initiative master and offers a dream on a best supervisor. She has accomplished pivotal work in characterizing weakness, fortitude, value and disgrace, and why such ways of behaving as mindfulness, validness, sympathy, and the capacity to take part in hard discussions is fundamental to administration. This is on the grounds that Brené is one of the features of the TED Talks, and her TED Chat on weakness is one of the most seen recordings ever.   

4. Simon Sinek  

The optimist, ethnographer and leadership expert Simon Sinek has risen to prominence due to his Golden Circle and his dare to leaders to start with the “why”. His insights into the leadership best practices have assisted many managers improve their understanding of marks of inspirational leadership that drive employees to excellence. The writings of Sinek and his two books “Start with Why” and “The Infinite Game” have a great deal of wisdom to teach us about leadership for strategic, inspirational, and pro purpose leadership.

5. Daniel Goleman

CEOs have turned to emotional intelligence especially after Daniel Goleman’s early work introduced the idea to the business world. In “Emotional Intelligence”, “Social Intelligence” and “Primal Leadership” he explain that other factors such as self or social awareness, self or social control motivation or empathy defines leadership more than aptitude. What Goleman presents is scientific suggestions on how to foster the EI leadership competencies that all chief executives should acquire.  

6. Tom Peters  

Often referred to as one of the greatest management gurus of the modern world, Tom Peters has always worked towards building leadership that brings about change. Author of other management books such as “In Search of Excellence”, the author’s revolutionary ideas question management conventions including the status quo that depicts management as a linear system headed by the top. With a high level of energy and availability, thought leadership from Peters is essential in providing active leadership that fosters engagement, problem solving, and high idea generation.

7. Adam Grant 

Adam Grant, a professor of management at Wharton, has spoken to many readers through his best-selling books “Give and Take” and “Originals” both of which offer evidence-based tips for leaders. What is familiar with Grant is questioning orthodox assumptions and relying on psychological literature, which shows that when employers embody wise leadership based on kindness, modesty and innovation, or employees, companies perform better than brutal executives who put former Soviet-style hierarchy into practice. His led thinking thus aids in the formation of todays ideas concerning motivational leadership.  

8. Liz Wiseman  

In her several works, Liz Wiseman, an authority on anchors of top leadership, brings into focus what she terms as ‘accidental detractors,’ often managers who disempower subordinates. Instead, she says that the best “ multiplier” leaders succeed in multiplying talent and ideas in their teams through the following :; Wisdom Teaching skills Focused-thinking on innovation Support for growth. Wiseman presents valuable knowledge and action plan to cultivate talent and intelligence in others handling one’s insecurities-based diminishing behaviors negatively affecting many leaders and managers. 

9. Sheryl Sandberg  

Being one of the most prominent female executives in tech, Sheryl Sandberg’s leadership story and vision contains a lot of insights for leaders. Having taken a mission to advance women’s causes, she has applied her insight and authority as the COO of Facebook to practice work-executing leadership, flexibility and better gender balance within the technological behemoth as well as for other similar companies. In the book “Lean In” that became a bestseller, Sandberg gives practical recommendations when good management can help many women become more successful in their careers according to the studies.  

10. Satya Nadella   

His visionary, empathetic, and customer-centric leadership in the last four years has been instrumental in moving The Redmond-based firm to cloud, AI & mobile computing under Satya Nadella’s tenure as Microsoft’s CEO since he joined in 2014. He has been pivotal in changing the culture needed at the technology pioneer. Nadella writes his memoir “Hit Refresh” revealing ideas around purpose, empathy and growth mindset together with practice for inclusiveness defining the nature of his optimistically bold, positively oriented, and innovative ideas on leadership most applicable in the 21st century organizational culture.