The Best Leadership Books to Read in 2026 (and How to Use Them)

Before I give you a list of leadership books, I’ll tell you something I’ve learned over the years:

Leadership is not built by speed-reading 50 books.

You don’t become a better leader by reading about leadership, just you don’t become a better baseball player by reading about baseball.

You grow as a leader by trying one thing, measuring what happens, reflecting on it and adjusting.

Then you do that again. And again. At least three times before you move on.

That’s the leadership growth cycle. Everything else is noise.

So now that you know how to apply what you learn, I’ll list my favorite leadership books. I’ve placed them in four categories for you:

• Self-leadership
• Staff leadership
• Peer leadership
• Tribe leadership.

Want a free copy of one of my books?
DM me through Gym Owners United.
Name your greatest challenge. I’ll send a digital book.

1. Self-Leadership: Fix the Owner First

If you struggle to focus, stay calm, remain patient or think long term, start here.

I’ve mentored thousands of gym owners, and I can tell you this with confidence:

Fixing the owner fixes the business.

Most business problems trace back to the person in the mirror—lack of focus, confidence, clarity or emotional control. Until you have a baseline level of competence here, leading staff will always feel harder than it needs to be.

Best self-leadership books for 2026:

• “Think Like a Monk” by Jay Shetty— learn to quiet your mind, find clarity and make decisions that are aligned with your values.
• “The Creative Act” by Rick Rubin—discover how to tap into your creativity and sustain deep focus without burning out.
• “Courage Is Calling” by Ryan Holiday—build the courage to face fear, take action and lead through uncertainty.
• “Dare to Lead” by Brené Brown—develop vulnerability-based leadership and emotional resilience.
• “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield—overcome resistance and develop the discipline to do the work that matters.
• “Drive” by Daniel Pink—understand intrinsic motivation and how to align your actions with long-term goals.

These books don’t say “business” or “scale” on the cover—but they solve the problems that actually block growth: burnout, fear, resistance and lack of clarity.

2. Team Leadership: Get the Business Out of Your Head

At some point, you need a team. And teams don’t run on vibes.

Team leadership means documented systems, clear expectations, training, evaluation, coaching and accountability. This is how you move from a sick business to a well business.

If you can’t take a vacation without everything falling apart, start here.

Best team-leadership books for 2026:

• “Be the Unicorn” by William Vanderbloemen—learn to hire, develop and retain exceptional team leaders.
• “Good to Great” by Jim Collins—build a culture of disciplined people, thought and action.
• “Vivid Vision” by Cameron Herold—create a compelling vision your team can rally behind.
• “Leadershift” by John Maxwell—make the critical shifts necessary to become a more effective leader of people.

Read fewer books here. Read them multiple times. Apply them deliberately.

3. Peer Leadership: Influence Without Authority

Peer leadership is influencing people you don’t pay and don’t control.

Most entrepreneurs never reach this level. The best ones do—because people want to follow them, not because they have to.

Influence is built fastest in times of crisis. It’s also built through generosity, clarity and trust.

Best peer-leadership books for 2026:

• “Influence” by Robert Cialdini— master the psychology of persuasion and ethical influence.
• “Building a StoryBrand” by Donald Miller—clarify your message and you connect with people emotionally.
• “The Go-Giver” by Bob Burg & John David Mann—act with generosity and create lasting influence.
• “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie— a classic on building relationships and influencing others.

4. Tribe Leadership: When Influence Scales

Most gym owners don’t need this yet. Greg Glassman did. You probably don’t—yet.

But if you’re ready to lead a movement, not just a team, these books matter.

Best tribe-leadership books:

• “The Wisdom of Joseph Campbell” by Michael Toms—understand the power of myth and storytelling to unite communities.
• “The Dichotomy of Leadership” by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin—balance the competing demands of leadership at scale.
• “Enchantment” by Guy Kawasaki—learn to inspire and delight people and win their hearts.
• “Resilience” by Eric Greitens—build the mental toughness to lead through adversity.
• “Tribes” by Seth Godin—understand what it takes to lead and have members of your tribe connecting to one another.

Your Next Step

Pick one book from your priority area.

Then:

1. Try one idea.
2. Measure what happens.
3. Reflect.
4. Adjust.
5. Repeat three times.

Leadership isn’t about hacks or slogans. It’s about practice.

And if you want help through a book written specifically for gym owners, I’m giving away digital copies of my books for free this week.

Go to gymownersunited.com, send me a DM, tell me your biggest challenge, and I’ll tell you which book to start with.

If you want to fix your business, start by fixing the owner.