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Recommended Reading List for Engineers

   Grow your impact, communication, and influence with the best advice for engineers moving into leadership and beyond.
Updated: 10/12/2025

Leadership

Engineers are often leaders—even before they know it. These books help you guide teams and build trust.

Overcoming Cowardice

Avoiding tough conversations stifles organizations. Learn how to face conflict for healthy teams.

Management

Strong management builds strong outcomes. These books guide you in managing processes, people, and yourself.

  • Top PickHigh Output Management
    by Andrew S. Grove (paid link)
    • When work is high in Complexity, Uncertainty, and Ambiguity Focus on Team Effort, Lead like a sports Coach.
  • Top PickBuild
    by: Tony Fadell (paid link)
    • In a world full of mediocre companies making mediocre products there is nothing more motivating than to be a part of something truly great, strive to be the best in the world at something no matter how small.
    • Then become world class at the next thing, and then the next.
    • From John Maxwell, These consistent wins will create momentum that is intoxicating.
  • Good to Great, Jim Collins (paid link)
  • The Coaching Habit, Michael Bungay Stanier (paid link)
  • The Essential Deming, W. Edwards Deming (paid link)
  • The New Economics, W. Edwards Deming (paid link)
  • Out of the Crisis, W. Edwards Deming (paid link)
  • The Hard Thing About Hard Things, Ben Horowitz (paid link)

Stoicism & Composure

Stay steady under stress. Stoic philosophy gives tools for resilience and thoughtful action.

  • Top PickEgo Is the Enemy
    by: Ryan Holiday (paid link)
    • There are those who do and there are those who are more focused on having a specific title.
    • Those who are so focused on titles are likely blinded by their own Ego.
    • The problem with being blinded by your own Ego is you won't be the best problem solver you can be.
    • You'll be too worried about yourself, instead of the problem and its solution.
    • When attempting to go far, your Ego is absolutely the enemy.
  • The Obstacle Is the Way, Ryan Holiday (paid link)
  • Stillness Is the Key, Ryan Holiday (paid link)
  • The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday (paid link)
  • Meditations, Marcus Aurelius (paid link)
  • The Art of Living, Epictetus (paid link)

Communication

All management starts with clear conversation. Master the art of tough discussions and honest feedback.

Relationships

Leadership is built on trust and connection. Build relationships for a healthier, happier team.

  • Top PickThe Four Horsemen & Antidotes, Gottman Institute
  • Top PickHow to Build Deeper Relationships (YouTube)
    With: Carole Robin
    • When communicating a touchy subject, never speak to what you think someone else is thinking.
    • It's incredibly subtle and hard to do perfectly, but the more you speak to your own brain, thoughts, and experiences the better.
    • Try as hard as you can to avoid commenting on what you think the other person was thinking or feeling.
    • If done correctly you'll be able to bring up the world's most awkward conversations with almost no issues at all.
  • Stanford's “Touchy-Feely” Interpersonal Dynamics
  • Connect, Carole Robin (paid link)

TED Talks for Engineers

These two Ted Talks cover how important it is the get the whole picture and why having a great career is not so obvious.

HBR Management Insights

Management wisdom from Harvard Business Review.

  • Top PickSet-up-to-Fail Syndrome
    by: Jean-François Manzoni & Jean-Louis Barsoux
    • Every new manager will likely make this mistake.
    • Many established managers make this mistake all the time.
    • When the manager communicates a lack of trust to a worker, it erodes the foundation that the worker pushes against.
    • As a manager, always try to communicate trust through your demeanor, words, tone, and actions.
  • How Do You Motivate Employees?, Frederick Herzberg
  • The Enemies of Trust, Galford & Drapeau

Sales for Engineers

Engineers can be great at sales too.

  • Top PickMercedes Benz Sales Training (Video)
    • Excellent Sales is about focusing on what the customer needs.
    • Ask them directly, listen to everything they say.
    • Work to understand their needs, and focus on fulfilling them.
    • It's so rare for a sales person to actually listen to a customer and their needs.
    • Instead, most sales people focus on their needs, worrying about how to get the sale.
    • When you dedicate your focus to their needs, they will be shocked, and they will deeply enjoy working with you.
    • If a sales person ever makes you feel like you're not being heard, like your needs are the focus of the conversation, tell them.
    • Tell them that your needs aren't being addressed and that it is giving you a bad feeling. Repeat as often as needed.
    • They will snap out of the forced sales pitch real quick.

Personal Resilience

Feeling Overwhelmed? Move forward one step at a time and acknowledge each job well done.

  • The 5 Second Rule, Mel Robbins (paid link)
  • Tip: "Do one small task a day"—and give yourself credit for each one.

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