8 New CEO Books Reshaping Leadership in 2025

What if everything you knew about CEO success was wrong? Claudius Hildebrand and Robert Stark draw on their deep experience at Spencer Stuart and a unique dataset analyzing every S&P 500 CEO of the 21st century, combined with 100 interviews, to map out the predictable life cycle of a CEO's tenure. You learn how CEOs face a series of distinct stages, each with its own challenges like stakeholder criticism and risk aversion, and how thriving leaders develop new skills to navigate these passages. For anyone stepping into a CEO role or supporting executives, this book offers insight into the evolving demands of leadership beyond stereotypes and myths.

When T. Paul Thomas reflects on his three decades steering companies worldwide, he challenges the usual CEO playbook with stories from diverse markets like Africa and Asia. You gain insight into forming high-performing teams and cultivating workplace culture, grounded in his direct experience rather than abstract theory. The book drills into essential CEO skills such as tough decision-making and effective communication, illustrated through candid examples of both successful and flawed leadership. It’s an especially useful guide if you’re navigating global business challenges or aspiring to lead with empathy and clarity. However, if you prefer purely academic leadership models, this hands-on narrative might not be your top pick.

This tailored book explores the latest leadership developments and emerging insights shaping the CEO role in 2025. It examines cutting-edge discoveries and evolving executive practices, focusing on areas that match your background and leadership goals. By presenting fresh approaches grounded in recent trends and research, the book helps you stay ahead of the curve and deepen your understanding of modern CEO challenges. With a personalized lens, it concentrates on your unique interests and priorities, making complex new concepts accessible and relevant. This approach ensures you engage with material directly applicable to your evolving leadership journey, enriching your perspective with timely knowledge and innovative ideas.

Matt Sharrers draws from decades as a coach and advisor to CEOs and private equity firms to unpack the challenges unique to succeeding a founder as CEO. You’ll learn how to balance respect for the founder’s vision with the need to establish your own leadership style and drive growth. The book offers a detailed roadmap through the first year and beyond, with strategies for cultivating culture, overcoming common pitfalls, and accelerating enterprise value. Whether you’re stepping into this rare role or aiming to prepare for it, Sharrers’ insights into mindset and key leadership qualities stand out as particularly useful.

What started as a detailed look into Ted Sarandos's journey from an uncertain youth in Phoenix to the helm of Netflix unfolds into a nuanced portrait of leadership and innovation. Herbert M. Windley captures how Sarandos's early challenges and keen eye for content deals propelled him to disrupt the entertainment industry, championing diverse voices and pioneering streaming. You'll gain insight into the evolving role of a modern CEO who balances creative risk-taking with strategic vision, illustrated through episodes like Netflix's bold content strategies and inclusive culture. This book suits those intrigued by leadership in rapidly changing industries and the personal grit behind corporate revolutions.

When Keith Ferrante explores what it means to be a Kingdom CEO, he moves beyond traditional leadership advice to prioritize eternal significance alongside business success. You’ll encounter a framework that reorders your life, business, and relationships by integrating faith-based values with practical leadership. For example, Keith differentiates between superficial Christian identity and genuine fruitfulness in leadership, challenging you to reflect on your personal and professional integrity. This book suits CEOs and founders seeking a deeper purpose in their roles, especially those who want to harmonize family, faith, and business without compartmentalizing them.

This tailored book explores the evolving landscape of CEO leadership in 2025, focusing on the latest developments and emerging insights that will shape your role. It covers key topics such as adaptive leadership, future trends, innovation management, and stakeholder engagement, all aligned with your background and specific goals. By concentrating on your interests, this personalized guide reveals how to anticipate challenges and embrace opportunities with confidence. The content is crafted to help you understand and navigate the fast-changing demands of tomorrow’s executive environment, ensuring you stay ahead of new discoveries and evolving leadership dynamics.

After guiding numerous startup CEOs through leadership transitions, Evgeny Shadchnev offers a clear-eyed exploration of what it takes to hand over the CEO reins thoughtfully. Drawing on his own experience co-founding Makers and coaching others, Shadchnev walks you through understanding your motivations, assessing your readiness, and managing the emotional complexity of succession. The book breaks down the often unspoken fears and doubts founders face, providing a structured approach to choosing a successor and executing a smooth handoff. If you’re a founder approaching this pivotal stage, this book gives you a pragmatic pathway to move forward without sacrificing your values or relationships.

After studying philosophy and stepping into the tech world, Charles Kenneth Kennedy captures Alex Karp's unusual rise as CEO of Palantir Technologies, illustrating how unconventional thinking can reshape an industry. You’ll learn about Karp's unique leadership style that values intellectual curiosity and challenges the status quo, with chapters revealing how he fostered innovation while navigating complex ethical and business challenges. This book suits those curious about leadership beyond traditional corporate playbooks and anyone interested in how a maverick can build a data analytics empire amid controversy. It’s less a manual and more a deep dive into the mindset that powers a disruptive CEO in today's tech landscape.

The research was clear: traditional learning methods weren't delivering the competitive edge organizations crave. Will Thalheimer, with three decades immersed in workplace learning research and consultancy for top institutions like the Navy Seals and the Gates Foundation, developed this guide to reframe how CEOs and learning professionals approach training and eLearning. You’ll uncover how to align learning initiatives with organizational goals, enhance performance through evidence-based practices, and foster a partnership between leadership and learning teams that drives real impact. The book’s modular chapters and in-depth notes let you tailor insights to your needs, making it especially useful if you’re responsible for elevating workforce capability and gaining an advantage in a crowded market.