Reviewed by Joe Wisinski for Readers' Favorite

Leader, Not a Boss: Start Leading Today by Benjamin Babic is a guide for new managers. As the title implies, the author writes that managers should not be the traditional “I’ll tell you what to do and you do it” type but should be leaders in the finest definition of the term. Some of the chapter titles are Don’t Hold Your People Back, Individual Development Plan, and How to Keep Employees Motivated. There are numerous quotations about leadership and real-life anecdotes from the author’s extensive experience as a manager, with some of the anecdotes being about mistakes the author made. The book discusses how to deal with both high and low-performing employees, as well as those in the broad area in between. Babic also writes about how to handle the situation when a manager must let an employee go.

I’ve held leadership roles throughout my life and wish I could have read Leader, Not a Boss by Benjamin Babic when just starting my career. But I’m glad to have read it now. Babic effectively contrasts being a boss with being a leader, both with instructions and with examples. Although the book addresses business relationships, it’s equally valuable to those with positions in volunteer organizations. Also, although the book is intended for young managers or those who are rising in their organization, it contains excellent tips for any manager, no matter where they are in their career. The quotations help reinforce the current point the author is making, and the anecdotes help readers apply what they’re learning. The anecdotes about mistakes the author made lend additional credence to the authenticity of the principles laid out in the book. Not only is it a fine handbook for managers and potential managers, but I could also see this being used as a textbook in colleges and universities. I’ll be applying some of the principles in my current leadership roles and highly recommend that all those in leadership positions read this book and put its ideas into action.