Recommended Reading List for Engineers

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

• Top Pick The 5 Levels of Leadership John C. Maxwell (paid link)
  • Relationships are the foundation of leadership.
  • Everyone is a leader even if they don't know it.
• The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership John C. Maxwell (paid link)
• Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 John C. Maxwell (paid link)
• Everyone Communicates, Few Connect John C. Maxwell (paid link)
• Art of the Leader William Cohen (paid link)

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

• Institutional Cowardice Laura S. Brown
• Recognizing Cowardice ProWritingAid guide

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

• Top Pick High Output Management Andrew S. Grove (paid link)
  • When work is high in Complexity, Uncertainty, and Ambiguity Focus on Team Effort, Lead like a sports Coach.
• Top Pick Build 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)

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

• Top Pick Ego Is the Enemy 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)

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

• Difficult Conversations Douglas Stone & Bruce Patton (paid link)
• Crucial Conversations Joseph Grenny & Kerry Patterson (paid link)
• Crucial Accountability Joseph Grenny & Kerry Patterson (paid link)
• Radical Candor Kim Scott (paid link)
• Dare to Lead Brené Brown (paid link)

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

• Top Pick The Four Horsemen & Antidotes Gottman Institute
• Top Pick How 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)

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

• Top Pick Why You Will Fail to Have a Great Career Larry Smith
• The Danger of a Single Story Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Management wisdom from Harvard Business Review.

• Top Pick Set-up-to-Fail Syndrome 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

Engineers can be great at sales too.

• Top Pick Mercedes 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.

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.