5 Must-Read Books for Women Who Want to Lead

Leadership isn’t just about holding a title—it’s about breaking barriers, challenging norms, and owning your power. Yet, for many women, stepping into leadership comes with unique challenges, from navigating male-dominated industries to overcoming self-doubt and societal expectations.

The good news? There’s a wealth of knowledge out there to help women rise, lead, and thrive. Whether you’re climbing the corporate ladder, launching your own business, or redefining leadership on your own terms, these five books offer invaluable insights, practical strategies, and real-world inspiration.

From Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office, which tackles habits that hold women back, to Alpha Girls, a powerful look at female pioneers in Silicon Valley, these reads will help you sharpen your leadership skills, challenge limiting beliefs, and step into the role you deserve.

Let’s dive into the books that every aspiring leader should have on their shelf. 📚

📖 Books Recommended:

✔ Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office – Lois P. Frankel

✔ Lead from the Outside – Stacey Abrams

✔ If You Have to Cry, Go Outside – Kelly Cutrone

✔ Power Up: How Smart Women Win in the New Economy – Magdalena Yesil

✔ Alpha Girls: The Women Upstarts Who Took on Silicon Valley’s Male Culture and Made the Deals of a Lifetime – Julian Guthrie

Check out all these must read books for women and more in the Books section right here on The Feminist Exec.