A few weeks ago, I highlighted the top 8 leadership books of 2015. Now that we are almost into February, here is a list of leadership books I think all local government professionals should try and get their hands on in 2016. Not every leadership book is the same, some provide new survey results, case studies, and research in areas such as neuroscience, sports psychology and mindfulness, and positive psychology. Note: some books are not available until later in the year.

13 Must-Read Leadership Books in 2016
 

1. Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges by Amy Cuddy. 
As Harvard professor Amy Cuddy's revolutionary book reveals, we don't need to embark on a grand spiritual quest or complete an inner transformation to harness the power of presence. Instead, we need to nudge ourselves, moment by moment, by tweaking our body language, behavior, and mind-set in our day-to-day lives.
 

2. Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant.
A clever book filled with case studies and stories spanning business, politics, sports, and entertainment, Grant discusses how leaders can fight groupthink to build cultures that welcome dissent. 
 

3. Superbosses: How Exceptional Leaders Master the Flow of Talent by Sydney Finklestein.
This book tackles the question: What do the world's best bosses do that others don't?
 

4. The Right Kind of Crazy: A True Story fo Teamwork, Leadership, and High-Stakes Innovation by Adam Steltzner.
Ranked as the #1 leadership book to watch for in 2016 by the Washington Post, Steltzner, lead engineer of the team that landed the Curiosity Mars rover in 2012, this book is for anyone who wants to channel their craziness into creativity, balance discord and harmony, and find a signal in a flood of noise.
 

6. A Passion for Leadership: Lessons on Change and Reform from Fifty Years of Public Service by Robert Gates. 
From the former secretary of defense and author of the acclaimed #1 best-selling memoir, Duty, a characteristically candid, urgent assessment of why big institutions are failing us and how good leaders can change them.
 

7. The Art of Authenticity by Karissa Thacker. 
How do you remain authentic while being an effective leader? This book argues that the question isn't a duality. Authenticity is the best way to lead, and the only way to maintain sustainable success as an organization. This insightful guide shows you how to find your authentic self, and leverage that into an effective, executable leadership strategy.
 

8. Be Bad First: Get Good at Things Fast to Stay Ready for the Future by Erika Andersen. 
Explores how we can become masters of mastery; proficient in the kind of high-payoff learning that’s needed today.
 

9. Persuadable: How Great Leaders Change Their Minds to Change the World by Al Pittampalli.
Drawing on evidence from social science, history, politics, and more, business consultant Al Pittampalli reveals why confidence, consistency, and conviction, are increasingly becoming liabilities—while humility, inconsistency, and radical open-mindedness are powerful leadership assets.
 

10. Mastering Coaching: Practical Insights for Developing High Performance by Max Landsberg. 
This book summarizes the most important research in areas such as neuroscience, sports psychology and mindfulness, positive psychology, mastery and goal-setting and offers a clear, simple and practical guide to how this new thinking can help coaches and managers to develop their own coaching practice.
 

11. What Millennials Want From Work: How to Maximize Engagement in Today's Workforce by Jennifer J. Deal and Alec Levenson.
This essential book explains who Millennials really are, and offers practical advice to help those who manage, lead, and work with Millennials to improve teamwork, increase productivity, strengthen organizational culture, and build a robust talent pipeline.
 

12. Illuminate: Ignite Change Through Speeches, Stories, Ceremonies, and Symbols by Nancy Duarte and Patti Sanchez.
In Illuminate, acclaimed author Nancy Duarte and communications expert Patti Sanchez equip you with the same communication tools that great leaders like Jobs, Howard Schultz, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. used to move people. Duarte and Sanchez lay out a plan to help you lead people through the five stages of transformation using speeches, stories, ceremonies, and symbols.
 

13. The Happiness Track: How to Apply the Science of Happiness to Accelerate Your Success by Emma Seppala.
Drawing on the latest findings from the fields of cognitive psychology and neuroscience—research on happiness, resilience, willpower, compassion, positive stress, creativity, mindfulness—Seppala shows that finding happiness and fulfillment may, in fact, be the most productive thing we can do to thrive professionally.