After the easy rhythm of summer, it’s not unusual to return to work feeling a little sluggish or out of sync.
The shift back into full pace can be a challenge, and that spark that drives your best work might need a gentle nudge. That’s why this is the perfect time to bring in fresh ideas, build new skills, and recharge your motivation.
We’ve rounded up five inspiring books to help you get back into your stride – whether you’re leading a team, growing a business, or mapping out your next career move. These reads will help you return with focus, energy, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Best read for: Thriving in high-growth environments
How to Survive in a Scale-Up Business
Vidya Murali
£32.99, Routledge
Scale-ups are thrilling places to work – fast-paced, full of opportunity, and bursting with ambition. But they can also be exhausting and unpredictable. How to Survive in a Scale-Up Business is your emotional survival kit for thriving in this high-growth world.
Vidya Murali offers a personal scale-up suitability checklist to help you decide if this environment is right for you, along with advice for nailing interviews and making the most of your first 90 days. You’ll find real-life case studies, practical strategies for underrepresented or neurodiverse talent, and tools to manage the emotional rollercoaster of scale-up life.
From tackling toxic patterns to building resilience, this book is packed with insights for graduates, corporate transitioners, founders, and HR professionals alike. It’s an essential read for anyone determined not just to survive, but to thrive, in the exhilarating, demanding world of scale-ups.
Best read for: Creating a safe and authentic workplace
The Authentic Organization
Gina Battye
£24.99, Wiley
If you want to build a workplace where people feel safe to speak up, collaborate, and bring their whole selves to work, The Authentic Organization is the blueprint you’ve been waiting for.
Gina Battye, CEO of the Psychological Safety Institute, introduces her world-renowned 5 Pillars of Psychological Safety framework, a practical, transformative guide to embedding inclusivity and trust at the heart of any organisation. You’ll find out how to challenge outdated workplace norms, communicate more effectively, and empower individuals to succeed.
From leaders and HR professionals to Employee Resource Group champions, this book offers a step-by-step process for creating an environment where psychological safety fuels performance, innovation, and cultural change. It’s both a call to action and a toolkit for anyone ready to build a truly authentic organisation.
Best read for: Leading with purpose in uncertain times
Our Conscious Tipping Point
Dr Lisa Turner
£16.99, Rethink Press
In a world of uncertainty and upheaval, Our Conscious Tipping Point offers a bold vision for personal and societal transformation. Dr Lisa Turner reveals her transformative model, Project THEOSS, to help leaders and change-makers step into their power and guide others toward a higher level of consciousness.
She takes you on a journey through the energetic qualities of PowerCentres, how to spot and release the blocks that hold us back, and how to use the Cycle of Transcendent Awakening to transform even the most chaotic moments into catalysts for growth.
It’s an inspiring, thought-provoking read for anyone who wants to lead with clarity, courage, and a deep sense of purpose – both in business and in life.
Best read for: Turning workplace pressure into performance
Brave New Leader
Lesley Cooper & Vicky Smith
£19.99, Right Book Press
Pressure is part of modern work life, but fear doesn’t have to be. Brave New Leader tackles the silent cultures of fear that stifle openness, trust, and performance, and offers a practical route to turning pressure into sustainable growth.
Lesley Cooper and Vicky Smith show how to identify the fears that sabotage workplace culture, and how to replace them with trust, resilience, and constructive challenge. Packed with achievable steps, this guide helps leaders create an environment where people can speak openly, perform at their best, and feel valued.
For managers, executives, and HR leaders, this is an empowering read on creating a culture that supports both well-being and high performance.
Best read for: Building emotional intelligence in client relationships
The Heart of Finance
James Woodfall & Cliff Lansley
£16.99, Rethink Press
For financial planners and advisers, technical knowledge is only part of the job. The ability to connect on a human level is what sets the best apart. The Heart of Finance shows how to harness emotional intelligence to build trust, strengthen relationships, and deliver better client outcomes.
James Woodfall and Cliff Lansley share down-to-earth, practical ways to handle tricky conversations, connect with different personalities, and create the kind of rapport that leads to more referrals and loyal clients.
For finance professionals who want to blend expertise with empathy, this book is a refreshing and valuable guide to growing both your relationships and your business.
