Five books to give your team a mid-year boost

The halfway point of the year is often when teams start to take stock.

Some goals are gathering momentum, others may have slipped down the priority list, and the energy that comes with a new year can begin to wear off. For leaders, it’s a useful opportunity to pause and consider what their team needs to stay motivated, engaged, and productive in the months ahead.

Giving a team a boost isn’t about setting bigger goals or piling on more work. It’s really about building a workplace where people feel supported, valued, and free to keep learning and developing their ideas.

The books below offer practical ideas for leaders who want to help their teams grow, stay motivated, and do their best work. Whether the focus is innovation, communication, learning, or navigating change, each offers practical takeaways that can help build momentum for the rest of the year.

Best read for: Building adaptability and confidence through change

Experimental

Amale Ghalbouni

£14.99, Intellectual Perspective Press

Change is something every team has to deal with, but that doesn’t make it any easier. In Experimental, Amale Ghalbouni explores how organisations can become more comfortable with uncertainty and better equipped to adapt when things don’t go to plan.

Drawing on real-world experience, she encourages leaders to see experimentation as a strength rather than a risk. Instead of waiting for all the answers, teams are encouraged to try ideas, learn along the way, and build confidence through action.

The result is a practical guide to developing resilience, curiosity, and adaptability. For teams navigating change or looking to become more agile, this offers plenty of useful lessons.

Best read for: Strengthening communication and influence

Magnetic Influence

Tim Castle

£16.99, Kogan Page

Great ideas rarely succeed on their own. They need support, buy-in, and people who can communicate with them effectively. In Magnetic Influence, Tim Castle explores how professionals can strengthen their communication and influence skills to gain support, build credibility, and create lasting impact in an increasingly complex landscape.

Drawing on behavioural psychology, negotiation expertise and his practical MAGNETIC framework, Castle shows how to communicate with greater clarity, build meaningful connections, and understand the motivations that drive decision-making. Authentic relationships, emotional intelligence, and trust form the foundation of effective influence.

For leaders, sales professionals or anyone looking to improve their persuasion and connection, it’s full of practical advice that can help strengthen professional relationships, lead with confidence and turn conversations into action.

Best read for: Creating a culture where people feel safe to contribute

Brave New Leader

Lesley Cooper and Vicky Smith

£12.99, Right Book Press

When pressure builds, people often stop speaking up. Concerns don’t always get raised, good ideas can get missed, and important feedback can fall away. Brave New Leader explores how fear can quietly shape workplace culture and stop teams from doing their best work.

The book looks at why people still hold back, even in workplaces that encourage openness, and what that does to trust, engagement, and team performance.

Cooper and Smith share practical ways leaders can create an environment where people feel comfortable speaking up, sharing ideas, and having honest conversations. For leaders looking to reconnect and re-energise their teams, it’s a valuable and highly relevant read.

Best read for: Turning ideas into action

INNOVATOR

Tom Pullen

£15.99, Practical Inspiration Publishing

Most organisations want to be more innovative, but turning ideas into meaningful results is often easier said than done. In INNOVATOR, Tom Pullen offers a practical framework for making innovation more structured, accessible, and achievable.

At the centre of the book is the INNOVATOR Way®, a simple step-by-step approach designed to help teams generate ideas, gain support, and turn concepts into action.

Drawing on his global experience, Pullen shares practical guidance on fostering creativity while staying aligned with business goals. For teams looking to inject fresh energy into their work and solve problems more effectively, this is a useful place to start.

Best read for: Encouraging continuous learning and growth

The Power of the Learning Mindset

Lilian Ajayi Ore and Marshall Goldsmith

£21.99, Wiley

As technology continues to evolve, the ability to learn and adapt has become one of the most valuable skills. In The Power of the Learning Mindset, the authors explore how staying curious and being willing to learn can help both people and organisations keep growing.

Drawing on their experience working with leaders around the world, they share simple, practical ways to make learning part of everyday work. The book also reveals why it’s important to understand your strengths, learn from mistakes, and keep on developing as you go.

For those who want to build new skills and keep up with change, it’s full of useful ideas and practical takeaways.

Finishing the year with momentum

The middle of the year is a good time to pause and review how things are really going. Teams don’t stay motivated on their own; they need the right support and environment to keep moving forward.

From improving communication and confidence to encouraging new thinking and adapting to change, the books in this list share practical ideas to help with that.