New business books tackle persuasion and workplace success

Recent titles explore marketing, neuroscience, conflict resolution and the future of workplace well-being.

c.2025, Several publishers | $28.95–$32.99

Business is complicated these days, isn’t it?

You wear a lot of hats, no matter where you sit in the company hierarchy or where you want to be, and you have a lot of people you need to keep happy. That includes yourself, so take a look at these great books to make your work life a little easier…

Of course, when you need more clients, you need more marketing, and two new books may help guide you — while also giving you cautions to heed. First, “Hoodwinked: How Marketers Use the Same Tactics as Cults” by Mara Einstein, Ph.D. (Prometheus Books, $28.95) offers a deep dive into the methods some marketers use to hook consumers. You don’t need a luxury car, for instance — but you want one, don’t you? Learn how marketing works today, from the POV of psychology.

Then check out “The Instability of Truth: Brainwashing, Mind Control, and Hyper-Persuasion” by Rebecca Lemov (Norton, $32.99). It’s a sobering history that leans quite a bit into politics and current events to show why, no matter how smart or how wide your eyes are open, you’re still vulnerable to a skilled salesperson.

Today’s business world requires more thought and consideration than ever before. In “Every Purchase Matters” by Paul Rice (PublicAffairs, $30), you’ll travel around the world to see how fair trade and green purchasing can change the world for the better. How and where you spend your money matters more than ever; in a time when “tariff” is a buzzword, so is this book. It’s relevant for you, now.

Of course, you want to persuade your customers, but what about your staff? In “What We Value: The Neuroscience of Choice & Change” by Emily Falk (Norton, $29.99), you’ll see how we tend to make decisions based on what we cherish, and how using that knowledge in the right ways can enhance relationships. You’ll learn how to deflect problems in your personal life and on the job, and you’ll learn a lot about human behavior in general. It is a great group-read and it could be life-changing, if you dare.

Also look for “How to Get Along with Anyone: The Playbook for Predicting and Preventing Conflict at Work and at Home” by John Eliot and Jim Guinn (Simon & Schuster, $29.99). There are five ways to avoid conflict, and understanding how you deal with it can help you deflect arguments and differences of opinion anywhere. Can a book possibly be more timely?

And finally, check out “Why Workplace Wellbeing Matters” by Jan-Emmanuel De Neve and George Ward (Harvard Business Review Press, $32). Of course, you want your coworkers and employees to be happy at work. Let science help show you how to do it.

If these books aren’t enough for you, or if you’re thinking in a different direction, be sure to ask your favorite bookseller or librarian. They can put the exact book you need right in your hands, no complications.

Editor’s Note: News is my Business earns a small commission if you click the link in this post and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.