15 Inspiring Biographies for Aspiring Leaders

Posted on January 5th, 2011

Leadership isn't a quality only reserved for CEOs and presidents, once they're voted into office. Individuals who have found success in business, politics, entertainment and other industries have cultivated their leadership skills and natural talent for positively influencing others, even when lucrative job opportunities were scarce. You'll learn from these biographies that men and women like Steve Jobs, Estee Lauder and Andrew Carnegie weren't perfect. But what stood them apart from mid-level managers and ordinary dropouts was their ability to accept their weaknesses, obstacles and challenges, and move on, helping them to become some of the most revolutionary and inspirational leaders of all time.

1. The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder: Even though Schroeder was selected by Buffett to be his biographer, this book reveals an honest and candid look at Buffett's indulgences, as well as his accomplishments. It's an inspiring read for anyone who's frustrated by his or her own weaknesses, proving that everyone's got their own issues to get over.
2. Only in America: From Immigrant to CEO by Paul Oreffice: Oreffice became the CEO of The Dow Chemical Company and has served on boards for mega companies like Coca-Cola and Morgan Stanley. But this book explains how he barely escapes to the U.S. from Mussolini's Italy as a young boy, just before the outbreak of WWII. Not only a thoughtful book for immigrants, Oreffice's autobiography proves anyone can rise to the top if they push hard enough.
3. Losing My Virginity: How I've Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way by Richard Branson: Here's an outrageously titled autobiography from an equally dynamic businessman, Richard Branson. This is a lively book sharing all the businesses and adventures the high school dropout created for himself, and many of the life threatening obstacles that got in his way.
4. My Life by Bill Clinton: The former POTUS released this autobiography in 2005, and it was a big summer read that year. Praised by critics for its honesty, the memoir — which some felt the book was a little long — can serve as a model for designing your own second chances, in life, in the public eye, and in business.
5. The Wizard of Menlo Park: How Thomas Alva Edison Invented the Modern World by Randall E. Stross: If you want a comprehensive history of how the light bulb was invented, pick another book. This biography explains Edison's business strategies, and how he courted the public and the media to get what he wanted. It turns out he was a master at personal branding, and you can learn about his cutting edge tactics for spin and fundraising here.
6. iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business: This well-reviewed biography recaps Steve Jobs' history with Apple and Macintosh, but then explains how he sparred with executives, was forced to leave the company, practically failed in his next business attempt, and eventually become one of the world's most famous and successful CEOs.
7. Estee: A Success Story by Estee Lauder: Makeup and personal care pioneer Estee Lauder writes her own story in this autobiography, which was first released in 1985. She reveals how her character and resourcefulness led her out of Queens and ultimately founded companies that are still popular today, like Estee Lauder, Clinique, Origins, MAC, La Mer, Jo Malone, and more. It's also a fun book that includes her style secrets and some some anecdotes from schmoozing with New York City's upper crust.
8. Direct from Dell: Strategies that Revolutionized an Industry by Michael Dell, Catherine Fredman: Dell Computers CEO famously dropped out of college at the University of Texas to start his own company, an early foundation for the PC powerhouse that's still a leader in the industry. You'll learn about Dell's unique business and marketing strategies which have allowed him to connect with customers more directly than many of his competitors.
9. Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama: It's gotten a lot of hype, but the current president's memoirs — and the first book he ever wrote — is worth reading if you're looking for some advice or support in an effort to fit in without compromising your integrity. A commentary on society and also the dynamic and purpose of personal journeys, Dreams of My Father is a champion of grassroots community collaboration and making small changes day by day.
10. Personal History by Katharine Graham: Katharine Graham ran the Washington Post, after inheriting it from her husband, and before that, father. She oversaw the Watergate scandal and many other top stories, but her personal, private journey is what's so inspirational.
11. Hard Drive: Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire by James Wallace and Jim Erickson: Today, it seems like Bill Gates can do no wrong. But this book proves that even freakishly gifted people make mistakes, just as Gates did in the 80s. Publishers Weekly calls it an expose, and you'll get to read about Gates' 20-hour work days, innovative collaboration and competition tactics, and his controversial management style.
12. Beyond Business: An Inspirational Memoir from a Visionary Leader by John Browne: BP's got a really dirty connotation right now, but Lord Browne, who ran the company for 12 years as CEO, actually was a pioneer in climate change and corporate responsibility. He's also very candid about life in the public eye while trying to maintain a sense of privacy.
13. Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination by Neal Gabler: This well-reviewed biography of an American cultural icon and pioneer tracks Disney's early days, his quizzical financial situation, his motives for launching Disneyland, and lots of little-known trivia about the businessman. For instance: did you know that Mickey Mouse was almost never distributed because of a studio executive's fear that the character would scare pregnant women? Besides the silly anecdotes, Gabler focuses on revealing to readers how Disney "got people to believe in the power of wish fulfillment — in their own ability to impose their wills on a recalcitrant reality…He sold us on the idea of control because Walt Disney was himself a master of control."
14. The Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie and The Gospel of Wealth by Andrew Carnegie: Legendary businessman Andrew Carnegie wrote his essay The Gospel of Wealth in 1889 in an effort to explain the wealthy population's responsibility to philanthropy. One of the first to pledge much of his net worth to charities, universities and other causes, Carnegie also wrote his own autobiography about immigrating to the U.S. from Scotland and taking advantage of any opportunities that were thrown into his path.
15. The People's Tycoon: Henry Ford and the American Century by Steven Watts: Ford's contemporaries may have called him lazy, but his belief that machines could do work better and more efficiently than humans changed whole industries forever. You'll learn about all of his revolutionary business ideas in this book, ranging from the five-dollar workday to the start of the Ford Motor Company.

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