Maybe you’ve just stepped into your first people management role. Or maybe you’ve managed people for a long time. Wherever you are in your management experience, there will be something for you in the list of books below. There are books covering:
- Effective performance feedback conversations
- Creating an inclusive work environment
- How to motivate people
- How to create a high-performance team culture
- How to support wellbeing and resilience at work
- How to manage change well
- How to be the best leader you can be
If you want to have effective performance feedback conversations:
Performance feedback strategies: Driving successful behavior change – by Sandra Mashihi and Kenneth Nowack
What it’s about: This book provides a framework for having performance feedback conversations with different people, based on four archetypes. There are strategies for discussing performance with the person who is performing well but not so great interpersonally (the competent jerk); the person who is performing well and who is great interpersonally (the high performer); the person who is not performing well but who is great interpersonally (the likeable fool); and the person who is neither performing well nor great interpersonally (the incompetent jerk). Throughout, the book is underpinned by case studies, activities, and practical tools.
Why you should read it: If you manage a team, it’s likely that different people will be in different places regarding the why and how of their performance. This book will provide you with practical strategies for having a range of performance conversations.
Now we’re talking: How to discuss what really matters – Sarah Rozenthuler
What it’s about: Ever wonder why some conversations go off the rails? This book explores the psychology of good communication and how this can help in a range of situations – from resolving conflict, to giving difficult feedback, to getting people on board with an idea. This book is filled with case studies, activities, and practical strategies.
Why you should read it: Read this if you want to improve how you communicate and engage in different situations.
Coaching for performance: GROWing human potential and purpose – the principles and practice of coaching and leadership – Sir John Whitmore
What it’s about: This is the OG of books about performance coaching. Sir John Whitmore is often credited with devising the GROW model for coaching, with GROW standing for Goal, Reality, Options, Will. The book explores the foundations of performance coaching and provides activities and scripts for the different elements of the GROW model.
Why you should read it: Read this if you want to incorporate a coaching style into your management.
If you want to create an inclusive work environment:
Learning from neurodivergent leaders: How to start, survive and thrive in leadership – Dr Nancy Doyle
What it’s about: This book explores the experience of being a neurodivergent leader from the perspective of different leaders. Filled with stories from a range of neurodivergent perspectives, Nancy also looks at neurodivergence from an intersectional perspective. For example, the experience of a white, physically abled, female autistic leader may be different from the lived experience of a Black, physically disabled, female autistic leader. The book is filled with practical ideas and tools, along with questionnaires and checklists.
Why you should read it: Read this if you want to understand more about neurodivergence perspectives. Perhaps because you have people in your team who are neurodivergent, or you might be a neurodivergent leader yourself.
Beyond discomfort: Why inclusive leadership is so hard (and what you can do about it) – Nadia Nagamootoo
What it’s about: This book provides a framework for thinking about inclusion in the workplace, with the aim being to push ourselves ‘beyond discomfort’. The book is filled with stories and case studies exploring the lived experiences of people from perspectives of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability, neurodivergence, and religion. There are coaching activities throughout the book to help you think about how inclusive you are.
Why you should read it: Read this if you want to be a more inclusive manager. This will help you think and act more intentionally.
If you want to learn how to motivate people:
Mindset: Changing the way you think to achieve your potential – Dr Carol S Dweck
What it’s about: This book is based on Carol Dweck’s research and work in the area of growth mindset. Carol’s work originally focused on the education system in schools but has since extended beyond that. The updated version of the book has a whole section on growth mindset in business, and dives into research exploring the impact of managers with a growth mindset versus those with a fixed mindset.
Why you should read it: Read this if you want to better understand the impact of what you do and say has on the motivation and performance of your team members.
How to have a good day: Think bigger, feel better, and transform your working life – Caroline Webb
What it’s about: This book is a compendium of so many important things – resilience, influence, managing stress, having difficult conversations, and more. Each section draws on research and ideas from psychology, economics, behavioural change, and neuroscience. Filled with practical ideas to help you make the most out of each day.
Why you should read it: Read this if you want ideas for how to motivate yourself. It can also help with motivating others.
Fish! A proven way to boost morale and improve results – Stephen C Lundin, Harry Paul, and John Christensen
What it’s about: This book is about the lessons one beleaguered manager learns from watching the workers at Seattle’s famous Pike Place Fish Market. Through storytelling, the authors show how its possible to have fun and perform brilliantly at work via four lessons – choosing our attitude, playing at work, making our colleagues’ day, and being present in each moment.
Why you should read it: Read this if you’re seeking inspiration but short on time. This book can be read in around an hour (less if you’re a fast reader).
If you want to create a high-performance team culture:
The culture code: The secrets of highly successful groups – Daniel Coyle
What it’s about: This book explores the psychology of the most successful teams from a variety of industries, sectors, and countries. Filled with case studies, tools and tips, this book unlocks the secrets of high performing teams – from how team members communicate with each other, to how the leader works with team members, to creating the conditions for innovation and performance to shine.
Why you should read it: Read this if you want ideas to help you take your team from good to great.
The five most important questions you will ever ask about your organization – Peter Drucker
What it’s about: While the book title focuses on the company, the five questions in this book are useful for anyone leading a team. If you want your team to be the best, you need to be clear on the most important things – mission, customer, what the customer values, results, and plan – which, in turn, will help you get clear on what, when, where, why, how, and who. Each question has a series of sub-questions to help you drill down into the necessary detail.
Why you should read it: Read this if you want to ensure you and your team are focusing on and measuring the impact of the right things. As Peter Drucker also famously once said, “What gets measured gets done.”
If you want to learn how to support wellbeing and resilience at work:
The leader’s guide to wellbeing: How to use soft skills to get hard results – Dr Audrey Tang
What it’s about: This book is a well-researched, evidence-based look at the essentials of wellbeing in the workplace. It is filled with activities, tools, and checklists to help leaders create the conditions necessary for employee wellbeing. The book also offers up advice and ideas to support leaders with their own wellbeing. After all, you’re a role model to those you manage.
Why you should read it: Read this if you need ideas and help with improving your wellbeing and the wellbeing of your team.
Mindset matters: Developing mental agility and resilience to thrive in uncertainty – Gemma Leigh Roberts
What it’s about: This book is based on the six pillars of resilience – confidence, adaptability, positivity, perspective, mastery, and stamina. Gemma explores the psychology behind each of the six pillars, and offers ideas, tools and activities to help develop each pillar. The book emphasises that resilience isn’t something we can be complacent about. We need to be regularly doing things to keep our resilience topped up, and focusing on the six pillars can support this.
Why you should read it: Read this if you want to build (or re-build) your resilience, or you want ideas to help your team members with their resilience.
Resilience: Bounce back from whatever life throws at you – Jane Clarke and Dr John Nicholson
What it’s about: This book explores the science of resilience and does so through, primarily, stories from public sector leaders. Filled with ideas, insights and tools to help build resilience in even the toughest of situations, this book looks at self-esteem, optimism, anxiety, the importance of learning, and relationships.
Why you should read it: Read this if you enjoy learning from real life stories of people who have bounced back from tough experiences.
If you want to understand how to manage change well:
Managing transitions: Making the most of change – William Bridges
What it’s about: This book explores the psychology of change, rather than the mechanics and operational side of change. William Bridges dives into how people typically respond to change via the lens of his three stages of change – the old world, the neutral zone, and new beginnings (or the new world). For each stage, Bridges provides ideas, activities, and questions that will help change leaders navigate themselves and others in a helpful, timely way. The appendix at the back of the book provides useful resources for those leading change.
Why you should read it: Read this if you’re responsible for managing a major change that affects your team – for example, a restructure, or changing a major system or process.
Leading change – John Kotter
What it’s about: Another OG, this time in relation to organisational change. John Kotter’s book is almost 30 years old and is still heavily used even now. He offers up an eight stage approach to leading change – from having a clear and compelling reason for the change (without this, people won’t get on board), through to having the right people on board to help, through to celebrating wins big and small along the way.
Why you should read it: Read this if you are leading a change that affects your team or perhaps affects the rest of the organisation. Read this if you find frameworks helpful.
If you want to be the best leader possible:
Good boss, bad boss: How to be the best and learn from the worst – Robert I Sutton
What it’s about: This book is an essential read for anyone who manages people. Whether you are at the start of your management journey, or you’re towards the end, there is something to learn for anyone who reads this book. Filled with real life stories, case studies, and scientific research into management behaviour, this book provides a comprehensive evidence-base for what makes a good manager. Throughout the book, there are checklists and activities to help you reflect and develop.
Why you should read it: Read this if you want to learn what to do, as well as what not to do, to be a great manager.
What got you here won’t get you there: How successful people become even more successful – Marshall Goldsmith
What it’s about: This book explores why so many successful people plateau when they reach a certain level. Often, the strengths that helped them get to where they are can become a weakness. There are 20 habits that Marshall has seen time and time again (through his research background – Marshall has a PhD in organizational behaviour – and through his work – Marshall has been a top executive coach for 40 years). This book is filled with practical, no-nonsense ideas to help you work on the various habits that might be holding you back. In the appendix there is an inventory for readers to take based on the 20 habits.
Why you should read it: Read this if you want to continue to be successful and be seen as someone who could take on more senior roles. Requires humility and self-awareness to be open to the ideas in the book.
Why should anyone be led by you? What it takes to be an authentic leader – Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones
What it’s about: This book explores what it means to be an authentic leader in a very practical way. At its heart is balance – there’s a danger in being too you (particularly if you’re not politically savvy), likewise there’s a danger in not being you and pretending to be something else (people can see it a mile of and not trust). The authors provide a framework helping us to reflect on the importance of getting the right balance of authenticity and skill. Filled with real life stories of authentic leaders from all walks of life, this book will definitely leave you thinking deeply about why anyone should be led by you.
Why you should read it: Read this if you want to understand leadership and followership, improve your ability to read and shape context, and be a more effective leader of a team.
Post author: Dr Hayley Lewis. First published on the HALO Psychology website 8 August 2025.
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