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Leadership book awards
Recognition for leadership books about the actual work of leading people, including the parts that do not go well. Every book is read in full and measured against our published Standard of Excellence.
What this category recognizes
Leadership is about the relationship between a person and the people they are responsible for. That makes it distinct from Business, which is about the work, and from Entrepreneurship, which is about the risk.
The category covers management practice, developing and retaining people, difficult conversations, organisational culture, leading through change, executive and team leadership, and leadership outside business entirely: nonprofit, military, educational, and community.
The most common weakness is aspiration without instruction: a book that describes what a good leader is without saying what one does.
What the standard looks like here
The ten pillars apply to every category. This is how each one is read when the book is about leadership.
The Writing
Voice, Tone and Style
Whether the author sounds like someone who has led people rather than studied leadership.
Craft and Technical Execution
Whether principles are illustrated in specific situations a reader recognizes.
Structure and Organization
Whether the book is navigable by someone looking for the part that applies today.
The Substance
Originality and Concept Strength
Whether it contributes beyond widely circulated leadership language.
Depth of Content and Insight
Whether it engages with the situations that do not resolve well, including failure and the limits of the author’s own approach.
The Reader
Audience Impact and Purpose Fulfillment
Whether it serves the leader it addresses, whether that is a first-time manager or an executive.
Emotional and Psychological Impact
Whether the reader recognizes their own difficulty in it.
Overall Impact and Distinction
Whether something changes in how the reader leads.
The Finished Book
Production Quality and Presentation
Trade-standard production, with accurate sourcing where research is cited.
Category Relevance
Whether leading people is genuinely the subject.
Business, Entrepreneurship, or Leadership?
The most common reason a strong book is entered in the wrong category.
Business
How to run, grow, or operate. Focused on the work.
Tell: a reader could apply it without starting anything.
Entrepreneurship
How to start something and carry the risk of it. Focused on the founder.
Tell: it assumes the reader is building from nothing.
Leadership
How to direct and develop other people. Focused on the relationship.
Tell: it is about people, not operations.
You may enter up to five categories, and each is evaluated independently.
Questions about entering a leadership book
Does my book need to be about business leadership?
No. Leadership in nonprofits, education, the military, and community organisations is assessed within this category.
Do I need to have held a senior role?
No. The book is assessed, not the author's title.
Can I enter Leadership and Business?
Yes, and many books legitimately sit across both.
Related categories
Submit your leadership book
Entry is $79 for your first category. Your complete manuscript is read in full and measured against the ten pillars.