The typical breeziness and office slowdown of summer gives workers a little extra time to think about their next move and really weigh what matters most in their worklife. We asked our Chief Worklife Expert, Adam Grant, a best-selling author and organizational psychologist, for his recommendations on the best reads to help professionals who are feeling stuck in their careers or just seeking a little guidance for workplace situations. From embracing shifts to dealing with workplace bullies, here are seven books Grant says workers at every stage of their careers can learn from.
- “Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change” by Olga Khazan
Key themes: Personality transformation, evidence-based self-improvement, behavioral change strategies
Best for: All career levels (especially those feeling stuck or seeking personal development)
What you'll get: Discover research-backed techniques that offer some surprising ways to reshape your personality traits through small behavioral shifts. Suppose you're someone whose perfectionism or negative thought patterns might be holding you back professionally. This book shows you how to move the needle on both your mindset and career satisfaction without losing what makes you authentically you.
- “Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard” by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
Key themes: Driving change, overcoming resistance, organizational transformation
Best for: Mid-career to senior professionals (managers, team leads, anyone driving change initiatives)
What you'll get: Learn a practical framework for making change stick by understanding the psychology behind resistance. Whether you're trying to shift team dynamics, implement new processes, or transform company culture, this book gives you concrete strategies to unite both the rational and emotional sides of change, making those "impossible" transformations suddenly feel achievable.
- “The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups” by Daniel Coyle
Key themes: Company culture, team building, organizational psychology
Best for: Mid-career to senior professionals (team leaders, managers, executives)
What you'll get: Uncover the specific behaviors and practices that turn groups of individuals into high-performing teams. This isn't just theory — you'll get actionable strategies from world-class organizations that you can immediately apply to build trust, spark collaboration, and create an environment where innovation really happens, whether you're leading a small team or an entire company.
- “Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself” by Nedra Glover Tawwab
Key themes: Setting boundaries, healthy relationships, workplace wellness
Best for: All career levels (especially those struggling with work-life balance or difficult colleagues)
What you'll get: Learn how to say no without guilt and set healthy boundaries that protect your time and energy at work. This book offers practical scripts and strategies for dealing with boundary-pushers, over-demanding bosses, and toxic workplace dynamics — helping you reclaim your professional life while maintaining important relationships.
- “Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life” by Susan David
Key themes: Emotional intelligence, managing emotions, adaptability
Best for: All career levels (particularly valuable for high-stress roles or career transitions)
What you'll get: Discover how to navigate your inner thoughts and emotions in ways that actually move you forward professionally. Instead of getting stuck in self-doubt or overwhelmed by workplace stress, you'll learn techniques to stay aligned with your values while adapting to whatever challenges come your way, turning emotional obstacles into stepping stones for growth.
- “Four Days a Week: The Life-Changing Solution for Reducing Employee Stress, Improving Well-Being, and Working Smarter” by Juliet B. Schor
Key themes: Four-day workweek, work-life balance, productivity innovation
Best for: Mid-career to senior professionals (managers, HR leaders, executives interested in workplace innovation)
What you'll get: Explore compelling evidence for why shorter work weeks truly boost productivity and employee satisfaction. Whether you're advocating for change at your current company or considering organizations that offer flexible schedules, this book provides the data and case studies you need to understand how working smarter (not harder) can transform both business results and quality of life.
- “The A**hole Survival Guide: How to Deal with People Who Treat You Like Dirt” by Robert Sutton
Key themes: Dealing with difficult people, workplace conflict, professional resilience
Best for: All career levels (especially valuable for those facing toxic colleagues or challenging work environments)
What you'll get: Get a surprisingly practical toolkit for dealing with workplace jerks without losing your sanity or compromising your values. This book offers field-tested strategies for everything from diagnosing different types of difficult people to developing psychological armor that protects you as you navigate challenging relationships — all delivered with enough wit to make you laugh while you're learning to survive.
Find these titles at your favorite bookstore or library, and join the conversation on Glassdoor Community to get more tailored book recommendations from professionals who've been where you are.