Books

Books Chris Monö

Below is a list of books I’ve read and found both enjoyable and valuable in my work on natural followership and collaboration. Some of the titles are more academic in nature, meaning they may be heavier reads. Because this doesn’t appeal to everyone, I’ve made a point of marking them as “academic text”.

 

While I welcome suggestions, I only add books I’ve personally read / listened to and consider relevant. For details on how I select these books, please visit our criteria page.

Classics Followership Books 

Let’s start with three books that are true followership classics, written by pioneers in the field. Although I define leaders and followers differently from these authors, they’re still valuable reads for anyone passionate about followership.

  • The Power of Followership – Robert E. Kelley
    Published in 1992, this was, to my knowledge, the first book on followership. It was groundbreaking for its time, challenging the dominant focus on leadership when it was seen as the answer to most workplace and societal problems. This book may be difficult to find.
  • The Courageous Follower – Ira Chaleff
    One of the most popular followership books, this work doesn’t challenge the leadership industry like Kelley’s book does, but it highlights many of leadership’s flaws.
  • Followership – Barbara Kellerman (Academic text)
    Though not as reader-friendly as Kelley’s and Chaleff’s books, Kellerman’s work has been just as influential in shaping the field of followership.

On Asking Questions and Challenging Status Quo

I would never have discovered natural followership and collaborationship if I hadn’t challenged traditional thinking. Below is a list of books that explore the significance of questioning and the art of challenging what we think we know.

  • The Death of Why – Andrea Schlesinger
    An excellent book on the importance of asking questions.
  • The Science Delusion – Rupert Sheldrake (Academic text)
    A provocative and highly recommended read that questions how objective scientists truly are. For example, why are some topics acceptable to study while others are off-limits?
  • How to Be Right in a World Gone Wrong – James O’Brien
    An entertaining book filled with examples that showcase the power of asking the right questions.
  • Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know – Adam Grant
    This insightful book explores why it’s so difficult to change our opinions and how adopting a more research-oriented mindset can benefit our daily lives.

Human Evolution and Being Human

These fascinating books explore human evolution and what it means to be human. 

  • Patterning Instinct – Jeremy Lent
    A fascinating exploration of human evolution.
  • The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity – David Graeber and David Wengrow (Academic text)
    A brilliant, thought-provoking examination of the complexity of human societal development.
  • Guns, Germs, and Steel – Jared Diamond (Academic text)
    A classic work on human evolution and the forces that have shaped civilizations.
  • Sapiens – Yuval Noah Harari
    A popular book, similar to Patterning Instinct, offering an engaging look at human history.
  • Becoming Human: A Theory of Ontogeny – Michael Tomasello (Academic text)
    A compelling book on human cooperation and development.
  • Together – Vivek Murthy
    An insightful, easy-to-read exploration of the vital role social connections play in our well-being.
  • Politics and History in Band Societies – Eleanor Burke Leacock, Richard B. Lee (Highly academic text)
    For those interested in delving deeper into the lives of traditional band societies. 

On Power and Decision-Making

Books that address issues of power, hierarchies, and decision-making.

  • Obedience to Authority – Stanley Milgram (Academic text)
    While many people have heard about Milgram’s experiment, few have read his book.  
  • On Tyranny – Timothy Snyder
    A short but essential read for everyone.
  • The Starfish and the Spider – Ori Brafman
    This book made the list for its groundbreaking challenge to traditional thinking about hierarchies when it was first published.
  • Intelligent Disobedience – Ira Chaleff
    Though I define followers differently than Chaleff, I appreciate this book for its insightful discussion on resisting dangerous or misguided orders.
  • In Sheep’s Clothing: Understanding and Dealing With Manipulative People – George K. Simon Jr.
    There are several good books on how to deal with manipulative people. This is one of them. 

Psychology

Books on psychology often provide valuable insights into human behavior. There are many brilliant books out there, but here are some noteworthy titles:

  • The Social Animal – Elliot Aronson (Academic text)
    Essentially a psychological encyclopedia. While it’s not the cheapest book, it provides a comprehensive overview of psychology.
  • Thinking Fast and Slow – Daniel Kahneman (Academic text)
    I’ve met plenty of people who’ve started reading this book but never finished it. It’s a heavy read, no doubt about it, but it holds many interesting insights. 
  • Before You Know It – John A. Bargh
    Bargh is a leading expert on the human subconscious. This entertaining book explores how our subconscious continually influences us.
  • The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty – Dan Ariely
    I’m a big fan of Ariely’s work and recommend that you have a look at his other titles as well. This professor of psychology and behavioral economics offers engaging insights into human nature. 
  • Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World – David Epstein
    Another thought-provoking book. Epstein explores how some of the world’s most successful individuals are generalists, rather than specialists, and reveals why a broad range of skills can lead to greater success.
  • Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading, and Public Speaking – Mehdi Hasan
    While this book focuses on teaching you how to win arguments, it’s also an excellent read for understanding the techniques skilled speakers use to convince others they’re right—even when they’re not entirely sure themselves.

Natural Followership-Friendly Workplace

Explore these exciting books about human enterprise and organizational dynamics:

  • Tribal Leadership – Dave Logan, John King & Halee Fischer-Wright
    This intriguing book examines how different individual attitudes impact group performance. Although it focuses on “leadership” in a traditional perspective, it does offer valuable insights from a natural followership perspective.
  • Humanocracy – Gary Hamel
    A book that challenges traditional business practice. It highlights companies that have replaced bureaucracy with collaboration and individual participation. It’s an easy read.
  • Most Likely to Succeed – Tony Wagner and Ted Dintersmith
    This book critiques the current education system’s limitations on creativity and curiosity and explores what needs to change.
  • The Fearless Organization – Amy Edmondson
    Chris: This book focuses on the importance of psychological safety in the workplace and how to cultivate such an environment.
  • Holacracy: The New Management System for a Rapidly Changing World – Brian J. Robertson
    Holacracy offers a structured approach to managing organizations without traditional hierarchies. While it may not suit everyone, the book provides useful tips and ideas for reducing hierarchical structures.
  • Tear Down the Pyramids – Jan Carlzon
    A Swedish classic detailing how Carlzon transformed SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) by challenging its hierarchy. I’m impressed by his methods for fostering natural followership within the company, even if he doesn’t use that terminology. 
  • The Effective Executive – Peter Drucker
    Drucker, a highly influential management consultant, addresses many relevant issues for managers and decision-makers, even though his perspective on leadership and followership is more traditional.
  • Turn the Ship Around – David Marquet
    Marquet, a former submarine captain, unknowingly applied natural followership-friendly principles on his submarine to achieve surprising results. 
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History 

Books that describe historical events. 

  • Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland – Christopher R. Browning
    A chilling account from WWII that reveals how fear and group pressure can lead ordinary individuals to commit horrific acts.
  • The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II – Iris Chang
    An often overlooked historical event from WWII, that, like Browning’s book, reveals how far people are willing to go to conform. 
  • Gandhi: A Memoir – William L. Shirer
    While it’s often claimed that Gandhi’s vision made him a leader, I believe this is a misinterpretation. Gandhi became a representative of those who already shared his vision.