At Appliscale, leadership isn’t just about managing roadmaps – it’s about understanding the complex web of history, global power, and human motivation that defines the tech landscape. To continue our series on the literary influences of our team, we spoke with our Head of Operations, Magda Śleboda, about the books that have shaped her strategic mindset.
As an International Relations graduate operating in the tech sector, Magda’s selection offers a unique perspective. Her list bridges the gap between 19th – century statecraft and the modern – day race for AI supremacy. It is a guide for leaders who want to see the “big picture” and understand the systemic forces that drive
1. Diplomacy by Henry Kissinger
First leadership book I read, not being aware it is a leadership book. As it may seem not an obvious choice, it inspires building solid leadership grounds and strengthens strategic mindset. It encourages systems thinking and responsibility. My main takeaways: Leaders are responsible for outcomes, not intentions. Long – term consistency beats reactive decision – making. Focus on what truly matters. Vision must be matched with operational discipline. Influence matters more than formal authority. This book teaches how leadership works in the real world of competing interests.
2. The Art of War by Sun Tzu
One of the most common books recommended to future leaders. It offers timeless principles on strategy, adaptability, and competitive advantage helping leaders navigate complex markets, anticipate rivals, and win through insight rather than brute force. As much as some parts of it may seem outdated nowadays, it’s a book worth having on your bookshelf to understand the foundations of strategic conflict and resolution.
3. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey
This book builds strong leadership foundations, focusing on personal ethics and self – management. It encourages strategic thinking by aligning daily actions with long – term goals. As such, it scales well from a personal point of view to an organizational one, providing a universal language for effectiveness and integrity.
4. Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek
This book is particularly valuable for technical leaders as it clarifies purpose, improves decision – making and shows how to embed purpose into organizational culture, not just metrics. A strong “why” acts as a compass when prioritizing features, tech choices, or strategy. Steve Jobs built the philosophy of Apple on Why – you need to understand people’s motivation in order to deliver them a successful product.
5. Value Proposition Design: How to Create Products and Services Customers Want by Alexander Osterwalder
Valuable for tech teams because it provides a clear, practical framework to understand customer needs, design compelling product value, and align teams around building solutions people truly want. It moves the conversation from “what can we build” to “what should we build” to create real impact.
6. Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology by Chris Miller
When operating in a global environment, you need to read Chip War to understand how semiconductors drive technological leadership, supply – chain resilience, and geopolitical interests that increasingly shape business risk, innovation, and strategic decision – making. For me, as an International politics graduate, geopolitics was always on the radar and this book combines my deep interest in both geopolitics and tech.
7. The Founders: The Story of Paypal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley by Jimmy Soni
Named a best book of 2022 by the New Yorker, this is a must read for tech geeks and those who want to understand today’s big tech industry. Especially important when you work with US tech leaders on a daily basis. Today, PayPal’s founders and earliest employees are considered the technology industry’s most powerful network. Since leaving PayPal, they have formed, funded, and advised the leading companies of our era, including Tesla, Facebook, YouTube, SpaceX, Yelp, Palantir, and LinkedIn. The book reveals how bold risk – taking, intense execution, and a strong entrepreneurial network shaped Silicon Valley.
8. Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI by Yuval Noah Harari
To understand current AI expansion and its future, you need to know the context and the history that led us to it. Harari places artificial intelligence within the long history of information networks, helping tech leaders see how data, power, and narratives shape societies, and why AI is a transformational, not just technical, force.
9. Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT and the Race that Will Change the World by Palmy Olson
When operating in a global environment, tech leaders should read Supremacy because it provides a compelling, journalist – led account of the fierce competition between AI powerhouses like OpenAI and DeepMind. It highlights how technological ambition, commercial pressures, and ethical dilemmas are reshaping industry dynamics, societal impact, and global strategic interests.
10. The Agile Mindset: Making Agile Processes Work by Gil Broza
This book provides a much – needed focus on culture, leadership, and mindset – not just defined agile practices. It helps leaders understand that agility is a way of being and thinking, rather than just a set of ceremonies to follow.
11. Lean Thinking: Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation by James P. Womack and Daniel T. Jones
One of the Lean foundations books. As much as it’s not about tech per se, it’s more universal – it teaches how to eliminate waste, optimize end – to – end value delivery, and build a culture of continuous improvement. These are principles that are critical for scaling technology organizations efficiently and sustainably in any market.
12. Bóg techy. Jak wielkie firmy technologiczne przejmują władzę nad Polską i światem by Sylwia Czubkowska
Although we all tend to benefit from technology, Czubkowska investigates how major tech giants like Google, Meta, and Amazon exert unprecedented influence over daily life, politics, and education. It is an essential read for understanding the power dynamics between big tech and society, especially from a Polish perspective.
