The Complete Idiot's Guide to Leadership

Bought for a an hourly employee of mine - helps to put things into perspective what leadershhip really is

I noted that one reviewer really panned this book, but I found it to be very useful. Granted, it's not theoretical or philosophical, but there's lots of those books available. This one is practical. It includes self-quizzes to let you know where you stand on various subjects. It gives you specific steps to take to project leadership qualities. It explains how to be a team leader, how to help groups help themselves (including how to be an empowering leader) and how to help others develop their full potential. This is not the deepest book you'll find on leadership, but it's not supposed to be. Warren Bennis writes books for CEOs (and they're good ones). This book is written for those in the trenches who want to help their people and themselves succeed. I know it's regularly used by trainers who are looking for what to use in their seminars.

I found this to be a useful introduction to leadership for a non-specialist. I found the section on conflict resolution to be especially useful -- not a deep psychological treatise on why people can be beasts, but a few helpful pointers on getting past a bad situation. My advice is to have a look at this book, then if you want more, go deeper, elsewhere.