Leadership
A Surprising Reading List for CEOs in 2026
Leaders today aren’t gathering inspiration from best-selling business books. Instead, they’re finding it in more unexpected places.
January 05, 2026
What CEOs Are Reading and Listening to For Inspiration
When the likes of Warren Buffett and Barack Obama put out reading recommendations, there’s a reason people pay attention: We can’t resist an inside look at what’s inspiring leaders.
And while business book bestsellers still occupy the backpacks of undergrads and the syllabi of Business 101 reading lists—think Good to Great, Blue Ocean Strategy and The Outsiders—CEOs and board members are finding solace, and knowledge, in more unlikely places these days. “Business leaders can feel like they’re at war and need alternative sources of inspiration," says Dominic Schofield, Korn Ferry’s chair of Board and CEO Services in the United Kingdom. “They have to spring into action and then recharge and do it all over again.”
With so much uncertainty surrounding the next few years—whether it’s the composition of the workforce or geopolitical shifts or the continuing drumbeat of AI—leaders can use some extra doses of hope and inspiration. “It’s important to be mindful of what fills your tank,” says Jane Edison Stevenson, global vice chair of Korn Ferry’s Board and CEO Services practice. “What you read and listen to, it’s not the same for all of us.”
Here are the top categories of books and podcasts that leaders—who sometimes read as much as one book a week—are diving into to learn and get inspired.
Tech Tales
Of course, anything having to do with generative AI—from how it’s deployed to what impact it will have on corporate governance—is lighting up a leader’s list. AI has significant implications for the future reshaping of the workforce, as well as for how leaders can fill skill gaps, says Joe Griesedieck, vice chairman at Korn Ferry.
And while seeing beyond AI may seem difficult right now, most CEOs will need to keep informed about advances in quantum computing and other new technologies. Several podcasts that address these topics include Agents of Scale, about how C-suite leaders are implementing and scaling AI across organizations, and The AI-Driven Leader, about how to lead AI initiatives in companies.
Chronicles of Conflict
In times of major disruption, be it World War II or the advent of the internet, leaders have looked to history for guidance. “So much is unknown about what will happen, and many predictions will miss the mark,” says Sarah Oliva, principal in Korn Ferry’s Board Effectiveness practice.
Books that focus on high-level lessons can help quell anxieties about approaching disruption. “Reading about people who have gotten walloped and managed under immense pressure, like generals and athletes, can be helpful,” Schofield says, noting that Churchill may be a more timely read today than, say, Peter Drucker.
Fiction for Fun
Sometimes, it’s easy to forget that CEOs and other executives aren’t always in work mode. When James Stark, a senior client partner in Korn Ferry’s Financial Officers and Industrial practices, asked CFOs at a conference to suggest a book, they named everything from textbooks on corporate finance to Dr. Seuss. “CFOs are people, too,” he said. Adds Tierney Remick, co-leader of the Board and CEO Services practice, “Sometimes CEOs tell me they’re reading silly novels or the equivalent of a beach read because they just want to relax and not think about work.”
The plethora of podcasts out there is, for many executives, their chosen way of resetting and recharging. A recent favorite that’s made the rounds? The Mindful CEO, which specifically discusses burnout prevention and resilience. “It’s critical for the business that leaders take time to recharge and reset,” Schofield says.
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