You’ve probably been following a lot of the same leadership voices for a while.
They’re solid. Many of them helped shape how we think about leadership in the first place.
But algorithms tend to show us more of what we already know. Same names. Same general ideas. Slightly different packaging.
At the same time, there are a lot of smart, experienced leaders quietly writing great stuff to tiny audiences, not because the work isn’t good, but because it’s hard to get discovered.
And that matters, because leadership today looks different than it did five or ten years ago.
For writers, the opportunity isn’t to try to outshine the big voices.
It’s to share what you’ve actually lived.
The messy parts. The lessons you earned. The patterns you keep seeing.
There are people out there who need exactly that perspective, even if it takes a while for it to find them.
Here is a list of 10, that even in the short amount of time I’ve been here, I’ve seen have well-written, insightful wisdom that can all make us better leaders and developers of people.
The Mindful Manager by The Mindful Manager
I share practical insights grounded in care, connection and intentionality to help develop individuals and build resilient, thriving teams. If you want to make work a little more human, you’re in the right place.
Pursuing Pragmatic Leadership by Josh Gratsch
Father of three, husband, and behavioral health technology CEO. My mission is to empower others to realize they are more capable than they believe by aligning decisions, actions, and behaviors with values and principles.
The Leadership Lounge by The Leadership Lounge
Welcome to The Leadership Lounge, here we will talk about all things related to leadership; from how to be a brilliant leader to how to find leadership opportunities and get yourself ready to take on those roles.
Honest Office by Melissa Muth Martinez
Let’s make work better for people. Writings, rants, and resources on leadership, learning and development, and the employee experience.
Get Good with People (For Managers) by Nicky Lawrence
I'm Nicky, an Engineering Director. After 15 years in software (startup founder to fintech leader), I know imposter syndrome well. I write practical guidance to help managers get genuinely good with people, not just good at pretending.
Developing Leadership by Developing Leadership
Hi! We're Jason Warner and Eiso Kant, co-hosts of Developing Leadership! Here to share our episodes, deepdives, and topic explainers from the podcast :)
Braver Leadership by Ian Browne
For leaders of leaders in their first 100 days. Creator of the BRAVER™ framework. I help you navigate the identity lag and build credibility fast—before the vulnerability window closes. Author of The Leading Leaders Handbook.
These next 3 do have over 2,000 subscribers, but I have found them to be well aligned with what I write about and very informative.
The Good Boss by Gaurav Jain
Allergic to fake leadership. I decode real leadership with tools and frameworks to help you lead with clarity, not confusion. Tech Leader, Coach, Author of The Leader’s Playbook.
Leadership Letters by Leadership Letters
Illuminaire is a learning community & independent press, with a mission to bring life and light to leaders around the world. Our leadership letters deliver thought leadership, leadership resources and research-informed essays to your inbox.
The Effective Project Manager by The Effective Project Manager
Trusted by over 2000 project managers | Sharing 15+ years of industry knowledge | Do better work, in less time
This list is certainly not comprehensive and there are others I have found and yet to find that drive significant value in the leadership space. Thanks to all for the insights. Keep writing!
Excellent! Thanks for sharing Ryan.
Great list, thank you! Following all of them now.