On Innovation: Books for the new year

The start of a new year is a good time to create a reading list or add some books if you already have one. For 2025, here are a few noteworthy books, some new, and some classics with some selections about innovation, but more are about the mindset – being open to new ideas, using resources, and being creative in ways that create positive change. The book list is a good place to start, and additional content is available from author websites, podcasts, other books and training materials.

Malcolm Gladwell is back with Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering, a mix of storytelling and social science “he offers a guide to making sense of the contagions of the modern world.” He explores the relationship between the fate of cheetahs and childrearing, takes us to meet successful bank robbers in LA, and unpacks why Ive League schools care so much about sports.

James Clear has written a practical book in Atomic Habits about how to build good habits and break bad ones. The book will teach you several things, including designing your environment for success, getting 1% better every day, overcoming a lack of willpower, and making tiny changes that deliver big results.

Simon Sinek wrote Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. If you have children, you’ll remember the phase where every answer you gave was met with “why?” Simon Sinek would say “why” is most important question to answer, whether in parenting, relationships, or organizations. Becoming a leader starts with answering “why”. Sinek is the presenter of one of the most-watched TED talks ever.

Let Them by Mel Robins was new in 2024. Robins has made a career out of providing readers with tools for more confident and empowered lives. Her new book is about how to stop wasting time on things you can’t control. Robins has the #1 Education podcast with more than 230 episodes and counting – where she explores mindset, motivation, confidence, and other topics. 

Clayton Christensen is a leading authority on innovation and growth. With Competing Against Luck: The Story of Innovation and Customer Choice, he tackles the question of how companies, (and universities, and libraries) can innovate and meet their customer needs. The traditional way to do this is a focus group to find out what the customer wants and then go and do it. In this book, Christensen argues that customers don’t buy a product or service, the “hire” them to do a job. Understanding what causes customers to “hire” a product or service can help companies (or universities or libraries) and innovate to create products that help their customers get the job done.