Complete Bibliography & Further Reading
The science behind executive leadership excellence
UBATopCEO2 is built on decades of executive coaching experience and rigorous research with hundreds of successful CEOs. This page provides a comprehensive bibliography of the academic works, books, and research papers that inform the product's 22 vital traits framework. Each source is available through Amazon with direct purchase links where applicable.
The foundational research upon which UBATopCEO2's 22 vital traits are built:
1996 • Warner Books (Paperback reprint 1999)
The seminal work that forms the backbone of UBATopCEO2. Named one of the "Top 10 Coaches in the World" alongside Tony Robbins and Marshall Goldsmith, Benton draws on interviews with hundreds of top executives to identify the 22 vital character traits that distinguish those who reach the top from those who plateau. The book reveals that competence and intelligence are merely baseline requirements—these traits are the "tie-breakers" that determine advancement.
Benton's complete body of work on executive development and leadership:
2000 • McGraw-Hill
A practical companion to "How to Think Like a CEO," this book provides actionable rules for translating CEO thinking into daily behavior and leadership presence.
2009 • McGraw-Hill
Broadens the CEO mindset framework to all levels of leadership, demonstrating how anyone can develop executive-level thinking regardless of current position.
2004 • McGraw-Hill
Focuses specifically on developing charismatic executive presence—the ability to inspire, influence, and lead through personal magnetism.
1999 • McGraw-Hill
Provides a step-by-step coaching methodology for developing CEO qualities, drawing on Benton's decades of executive coaching experience.
2012 • McGraw-Hill
Adapts executive presence principles to the digital age, addressing virtual communication, remote leadership, and online professional image.
Classic and contemporary works that complement Benton's framework:
2001 • HarperBusiness
Collins' research on Level 5 Leadership reveals how the best executives combine deep personal humility with intense professional will—complementing Benton's traits of "Publicly Modest" yet "Tenacious."
2017 (6th Edition) • Jossey-Bass
Based on 30+ years of research, identifies five practices of exemplary leadership that align with many of Benton's 22 vital traits.
2007 • Hyperion
Fellow "Top 10 Coach" Goldsmith identifies behavioral patterns that stall careers—the flipside of Benton's positive traits framework.
1995 • Bantam Books
Goleman's foundational work on EQ supports multiple Benton traits including "In Control of Attitude," "Being Nice," and relationship-building characteristics.
2013 (Reprint) • Harvard Business Review Press
Applies emotional intelligence specifically to leadership, demonstrating how leaders' moods and behaviors directly impact organizational climate and performance.
1967/2006 • HarperBusiness
The classic management text on executive effectiveness. Drucker's focus on decision-making, time management, and results orientation complements Benton's character-focused approach.
2014 • Portfolio
Explores how the best leaders create environments where people feel safe—connecting to Benton's "Fighters for Their People" and trust-building traits.
2016 • Scribner
Research-based exploration of perseverance and passion that provides scientific grounding for Benton's "Tenacious" and "Constantly Improving" traits.
Peer-reviewed research underlying specific traits and executive effectiveness:
Judge, T. A., Bono, J. E., Erez, A., & Locke, E. A. (2005). Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(2), 257-268.
Research on self-confidence and self-esteem in leadership contexts, supporting Benton's "Secure in Self" trait.
Bandura, A. (1977). Psychological Review, 84(2), 191-215.
Foundational research on self-efficacy and confidence, explaining how belief in one's capabilities affects performance.
Brown, M. E., Treviño, L. K., & Harrison, D. A. (2005). Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 97(2), 117-134.
Research on ethical leadership behaviors, supporting Benton's "Honest and Ethical" trait and its organizational impact.
Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Moorman, R. H., & Fetter, R. (1990). The Leadership Quarterly, 1(2), 107-142.
Research on how specific leader behaviors build trust and commitment—relevant to multiple Benton traits.
Ericsson, K. A., Krampe, R. T., & Tesch-Römer, C. (1993). Psychological Review, 100(3), 363-406.
Foundational research on expertise development through deliberate practice, supporting "Constantly Improving" trait.
Ilies, R., Nahrgang, J. D., & Morgeson, F. P. (2007). Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(1), 269-277.
Research on leader-follower relationships and their organizational outcomes, relevant to relationship-building traits.
Google Scholar is a free academic search engine that indexes peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, and conference proceedings from universities and research institutions worldwide.
Unlike regular Google, Scholar focuses exclusively on academic and scholarly sources—the original research that books like those above are based on.
Use Google Scholar when you want to:
Note: Some papers require institutional access or purchase, but many are freely available as PDFs.
Transform executive leadership research into daily inspiration with UBATopCEO2's 48 modules and 4,800+ curated quotes.