Leadership Under Constraint: A Book I Recommend Often

On International Women’s Day, I found myself thinking about the leadership books that have stayed with me over time. One I return to often — and frequently recommend — is When Women Lead by Julia Boorstin.

What stands out in the book is how many of the leaders studied built their organizations under real constraint — limited capital, skepticism, structural barriers — and how those conditions sharpened their judgment.

While the book focuses on women leaders, the leadership patterns that emerge — resilience, disciplined decision-making, and building organizations that can adapt in complex environments — feel relevant to anyone thinking seriously about leadership today.

It’s a book I continue to come back to — and one I often recommend when conversations turn to leadership.

Part of an ongoing reflection on leadership, judgment, and navigating complex decisions.

Reading that shapes how I think about leadership

Selected books that have influenced how I think about leadership and complex decisions.

• Thinking in Systems: A Primer — Donella Meadows
• Theory U — Otto Scharmer
• Reinventing Organizations — Frederic Laloux
• Coaching and Mentoring: A Journey Through the Models — David Clutterbuck
• When Women Lead — Julia Boorstin