Enter the Boardroom Summer Reading List 2025

The 10 Most Recommended Books by Enter the Boardroom Guests

Across 133 episodes, guests on Enter the Boardroom with Nurole have shared the books that shaped their thinking and guided their leadership.

As the recommendations stack up, a few titles clearly stand out. Here are the top ten most frequently recommended reads:

1. Rebel Ideas by Matthew Syed

A bold argument for cognitive diversity, Rebel Ideas shows how diverse teams consistently outperform homogenous ones when it comes to problem-solving, innovation, and resilience. For boardrooms grappling with complexity and change, it’s a powerful case for bringing in different perspectives.

2. Good to Great by Jim Collins

A classic on sustained performance, Good to Great unpacks what separates high-performing organisations from the rest. It explores disciplined leadership, strategic focus, and the power of getting the right people on your team.

3. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

This groundbreaking book on human decision-making offers deep insight into the unconscious biases that shape boardroom behaviour. Kahneman's work is particularly valuable for directors seeking to strengthen their judgment and reduce unintentional blind spots.

4. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

Covey’s enduring framework for personal leadership helps individuals lead with clarity, consistency, and purpose. For NEDs who influence without direct authority, it’s a timeless reminder of the power of trust, empathy, and proactive behaviour.

5. CEO Excellence by Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra

Based on in-depth interviews with successful CEOs, this book distills six mindsets that separate exceptional leaders from the rest. It’s particularly useful for board members who want to understand what great CEO performance looks like and how boards can help enable it.

6. Maverick by Ricardo Semler

A radical and personal story of democratic leadership, Maverick tells how Semler transformed his family business by relinquishing control and trusting his people. It challenges conventional governance thinking and inspires boards to rethink the balance between structure and empowerment.

7. Net Positive by Paul Polman and Andrew Winston

This is a call to action for businesses to deliver more than they take. Net Positive argues that long-term commercial success is deeply tied to environmental and social responsibility. Board members committed to ESG and future-fit strategy will find it both practical and inspiring.

8. The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt

Presented as a business novel, The Goal explores systems thinking and constraint management. It’s a fast, engaging read with a surprisingly deep message; focus on the right bottlenecks and you unlock real strategic value. Highly applicable to board-level discussions about pace, growth, and scale.

9. Range by David Epstein

Range makes the case for generalists in a world that often celebrates specialists. It argues that breadth of experience fosters better long-term decision-making — an idea with obvious relevance for boards seeking to balance deep technical knowledge with broad strategic insight.

10. How Big Things Get Done by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner

This book explores why some complex projects succeed while others fail. With lessons drawn from architecture, politics, and space exploration, it’s a brilliant guide to strategic planning and execution. It’s vital reading for any board overseeing major change or capital investment.