What CEOs, Creatives, and Coaches Are Reading in 2025

The world of nonfiction is more dynamic than ever. As we step into 2025, the shelves are stocked with thought-provoking titles shaping boardrooms, creative studios, and coaching sessions alike. Whether you’re leading a team, launching a project, or helping others reach their goals, staying current with what top performers are reading helps you keep your edge. Here’s a concise, informative guide to the nonfiction books resonating across business, creative, and coaching communities this year.

1. “Scaling with Soul: Leading With Empathy in the AI Age” by Kira Anders

Why it’s making waves: CEOs are turning to Anders’s groundbreaking framework to navigate a rapidly automated world. She argues that as AI handles more logistical tasks, empathetic leadership becomes the real differentiator. The book balances research on emotional intelligence with practical leadership case studies from global brands (think Unilever and Shopify).

Key takeaway: You’ll find actionable strategies for integrating empathy into everyday decision-making, critical when managing hybrid, multicultural teams. Discussion prompts and reflection points at the end of each chapter make it highly usable for executives and managers alike.

2. “Third Space Thinking: Creativity Beyond the Algorithm” by Miguel Ko

Why creatives love it: Ko, an award-winning designer, explores how true creativity arises in the “third space”—the intersection of human intuition and algorithmic patterns. Peppered with stories from artists and AI engineers, Ko’s approach helps resolve the tension between embracing new tools and preserving original vision.

Key takeaway: Chapters guide readers through exercises that harness productivity software and AI without sacrificing the spontaneity that fuels great art, design, writing, and marketing. Great for anyone seeking inspiration and practical tips to break creative blocks in a tech-saturated age.

3. “The Coaching Mindset 2.0: Facilitating Change in Uncertain Times” by Priya Mehta

Why coaches can’t put it down: Building on her 2019 bestseller, Mehta updates her coaching framework for a world marked by constant volatility, from economic shocks to climate crises. She introduces new techniques for “storied reframing,” helping clients to navigate rapid change with resilience and intention.

Key takeaway: Techniques are backed by neuroscience and come with templates coaches can use instantly—from first session intake forms to practical exercises on narrative and self-compassion. The mix of science and compassion makes it indispensable for coaches and managers who act as mentors.

“Immunity to Change: Why Smart People Stay Stuck, and How to Break Through” by Lisa Hadfield

Why it’s crossing disciplines: Hadfield, a behavioral psychologist, tackles why even the most talented leaders and creative professionals struggle with change. Drawing on cutting-edge research in habits and motivation, she offers the “change map”—a visual diagnostic tool to help readers (and their teams) identify mental blockers.

Key takeaway: Includes interactive assessments for individuals and teams, perfect for workshops or self-study. CEOs use it to lead transformation projects, creatives to overcome self-doubt, and coaches to guide lasting behavior shifts. 

5. “Time to Think Again: Rethinking Focus in the Age of Infinite Distractions” by Dr. Bernard Yee

Why it’s a bestseller for all audiences: Yee, a Harvard neuroscientist, dives deep into how modern work and constant connectivity mess with our ability to focus. His actionable advice—based on lab findings and real-world testing—helps readers construct tailored routines for deep work, creativity, and digital well-being.

Key takeaway: If you’re struggling to defend uninterrupted think time, you’ll appreciate Yee’s “focus sprints” and environmental tweaks. Endorsed by executives and creative teams at top tech companies, this book’s impact is visible in meeting rooms and virtual workspaces everywhere. 

6. “Culture By Design: Building Tomorrow’s Organizations—Today” by Gloria Montes & Ray Hargrove

Why leaders are referencing it: Montes (an organizational psychologist) and Hargrove (a former Fortune 100 executive) provide a blueprint for deliberately designing—and not just hoping for—positive company cultures. Through interviews and case studies covering startups and legacy corporations, they show that culture is a lever, not an accident.

Key takeaway: The book is packed with diagnostic worksheets, culture “rewiring” tips, and scalable rituals. Whether you’re correcting course or starting from scratch, it’s a guide to building teams that are inclusive, innovative, and adaptive. 

7. “The Storyteller’s Edge: Influence in the Digital Era” by Nadia Francis

Why everyone’s talking about it: Francis merges classic narrative techniques with tools for the digital age, showing leaders, creatives, and coaches how to cut through the noise and connect authentically. Real-world case studies demonstrate how effective storytelling fuels everything from high-performing organizations to viral campaigns.

Key takeaway: You’ll find frameworks for brainstorming, structuring, and sharing stories—useful whether you’re pitching an idea, boosting your brand, or coaching clients through change.

Reading what today’s leaders, creatives, and coaches are reading gives you practical insight into the mindsets shaping industries and professions. This year’s nonfiction favorites provide the tools for emotional intelligence, creative resilience, focused productivity, and authentic connection. Dive in to stay ahead—and inspired.