Best Running Meetings & Presentations Books of 2026

The book "Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High, Third Edition" focuses on effective communication skills, especially in difficult situations. It provides readers with techniques to be persuasive instead of abrasive, navigate high-stakes conversations, and handle digital communication. Written in an engaging style, the third edition includes modern-day issues and challenges. The authors, Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler, and Emily Gregory, are international corporate consultants and leaders at Crucial Learning. The book is a must-read for anyone looking to improve their communication skills and build better relationships, whether at work or home.

If you aspire to lead transformational workshops, trainings, or retreats, then "Designing & Leading Life-Changing Workshops" is the book for you. Drawing on real-life stories, new science, and ancient wisdom, this guide provides you with the tools to inspire self-discovery, build trust, and ignite original thinking. With ready-to-use exercises, templates, worksheets, and checklists, you'll create and fine-tune your workshops, trainings, and retreats. This book is full of value for both beginner and experienced workshop teachers, providing specific tips, heartfelt support, respect for diversity, and practical troubleshooting for any issues that arise. It is a masterful, thorough, encouraging, and useful guide that is beautifully written.

Cómo ganar amigos e influir sobre las personas (How to Win Friends & Influence People) by Dale Carnegie is a classic self-help book that provides readers with practical advice on how to improve their social interactions. The book offers fundamental techniques for dealing with people, making a good impression, becoming a good conversationalist, and achieving cooperation. Carnegie's principles are still relevant today and can help readers reach their full potential in the modern and competitive world. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to improve their communication and leadership skills.

The First-Time Manager is a classic guide that helps new managers conquer every challenge they face. The book delivers new information that helps manage across generations, use online performance appraisal tools, persuade with stories, oversee remote employees, build a team dynamic, match a boss’s style, and more. With little experience or training, a coveted promotion can become a trial by fire. This book provides clear, candid advice and teaches skills, including leading meetings, hiring employees, motivating others, actively listening, staying calm under pressure, overcoming resistance, and much more. Overall, this book is an essential tool for those who want to hit the ground running as a first-time manager.

The updated edition of "Expert Secrets" by Russell Brunson, CEO and co-founder of ClickFunnels, provides step-by-step strategies to convert online visitors into lifelong customers. Brunson emphasizes the importance of positioning oneself as an expert and using storytelling to guide customers through a value ladder, offer solutions, and deliver results. The book teaches how to craft a sales message that attracts the dream customers and helps to grow the business. The book is a must-read for anyone looking to master the art of direct marketing and increase their sales.

The Robert's Rules QuickStart Guide from ClydeBank Media is a must-read for anyone looking to run productive meetings within their organization. This book presents a modernized and easy-to-understand breakdown of Robert's Rules of Order, providing organizers, hosts, presidents, chairmen, and women with a simplified beginner's guide to this venerable system. The book ensures that everyone present has a voice and discussion stays on topic, making it no surprise that this system has withstood the test of time. Overall, the book is an essential resource for anyone looking to bring order and structure to their meetings.

Death by Meeting by Patrick Lencioni is a must-read for any leader seeking to improve their meetings. Lencioni presents a fictional story that provides a practical framework for creating engaging and effective meetings. The book centers around a CEO struggling with bad meetings, and an unlikely advisor who proposes a radical approach to solving the problem. Lencioni's model is applicable to the real world and provides a blueprint for leaders to eliminate waste and frustration among their teams. This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in organizational development and leadership.

Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds by Carmine Gallo is a must-read for anyone who wants to improve their public speaking skills. Gallo breaks down the most successful TED talks and interviews the top presenters to reveal the nine secrets of all successful TED presentations. He presents a step-by-step method that can help anyone deliver a presentation that is engaging, persuasive, and memorable. The book draws on current brain science to explain what wins over an audience and what doesn't. Overall, this dynamic work focused on storytelling, is filled with examples from TED Talks, and is sure to be a hit with anyone who wants to be a more successful communicator.

Unleash the Power of Storytelling by Rob Biesenbach is a practical guide that teaches readers how to craft and deliver compelling stories for personal and professional success. The author provides a clear roadmap and a five-step process to create powerful stories that can inspire, teach, and influence people to act. This book is a go-to authority for ambitious leaders who want to become masterful storytellers. The author's unique point of view and experience make this book stand out from the rest. Overall, this book is a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their storytelling skills and achieve their goals.

Robert's Rules of Order (Quick Study Business) is a comprehensive guide that covers everything one needs to know about parliamentary procedure for organizing and running different types of meetings. The guide features all the guidelines from the original Robert's Rules of Order publication, including key definitions and step-by-step meeting procedures using BarCharts' handy color-coded format. This book is an essential tool for anyone who needs to facilitate meetings effectively and efficiently. The clear and concise format makes it easy to understand and follow. Overall, Robert's Rules of Order (Quick Study Business) is an excellent resource that provides a wealth of information in a user-friendly format.