Best Engineering Management Books 2024
Thinking back to when I started engineering management it felt like an adventure, filled with new challenges and chances to grow at every step. Whether you’re just starting or looking to get even better at leading your team, you know it’s super important to keep learning and adapting. That’s why I’ve picked out the best books on engineering management for 2024 that helped me along the way. Each book is packed with useful tips and advice you can really use.
These books aren’t just about ideas; they’re about practical steps you can take, based on real experiences. They cover lots of different areas, like how to lead your team well, how to handle tricky conversations, how to encourage new ideas, how to deal with stress, and more. Plus, I’ve pointed out one practical lesson from each book — a special piece of advice to give you a taste of the helpful things you’ll learn.
Whether you’re just starting your journey as an engineering manager or you’re working to become an even better engineering manager, these books I’ve chosen are here to help you on your way.
Starting Engineering Management
The Manager’s Path
If you’re new to managing an engineering team, this book is like your personal guide. It’ll show you how to handle your team, manage projects, and create a great place to work. It teaches you about communicating well, setting goals, and evaluating your team’s work, helping you build a strong base for your role as a manager.
Practical Lesson from The Manager’s Path:
Implement a ‘Mentorship Program’ within your team. You can pair less experienced engineers with senior team members, not only to improve technical skills but also to instill the company’s values and culture. This program can help in identifying potential leaders early and preparing them for future management or tech lead roles.
The Making of a Manager
This book is perfect if you’re moving from being part of the team to leading it. It talks about how important it is to build trust, make decisions, and share responsibilities. You’ll get useful tips on how to bring your team together and lead confidently, helping you create a team that’s innovative and works well together.
Practical Lesson from The Making of a Manager:
Create a ‘Manager README’ or a personal user manual, where you outline your work style, expectations, and personal quirks. This document helps new team members understand how to best interact and work with their manager, setting the stage for transparent and effective communication.
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living
Managing stress is really important for managers. This book gives you lasting ways to handle stress and find balance in your life. It teaches you how to organize your tasks, communicate clearly, and stay strong under pressure, making you a better leader for your team.
Practical Lesson from How to Stop Worrying and Start Living:
Implement a ‘Daily Decompression Ritual.’ Encourage your team to establish a personal routine to wind down at the end of the workday. This could be a brief team check-out meeting to celebrate daily wins, a short mindfulness exercise, or personal time to organize the workspace and plan for the next day. This ritual helps in transitioning from work mode to personal time, reducing stress, and improving work-life balance,
Crucial Conversations
This book helps you when you need to talk about tough stuff at work like providing critical feedback. It gives you the tools to handle these important talks well, encouraging everyone to speak openly and solve problems together. By getting better at these conversations, you’ll keep your team on track, focused, and motivated, even when things get tough.
Practical Lesson from Crucial Conversations:
The book introduces the concept of ‘Start with Heart,’ meaning to focus on what you really want before entering a crucial conversation. You can use this by clarifying your intentions before discussions, ensuring that you approach each conversation with a clear, positive outcome in mind, fostering a constructive dialogue.
Mastering Engineering Management
An Elegant Puzzle: Systems of Engineering Management
This book is like a toolbox for dealing with the tricky puzzle of leading large teams and handling big projects. It doesn’t just give you tips; it teaches you smart, well-thought-out ways to make your team work like a well-oiled machine. You’ll dive into the art of making sure everyone knows what they need to do and how best to do it. It’s not just about keeping things running smoothly today; it’s also about setting up your team for success in the future.
Practical Lesson from An Elegant Puzzle: Systems of Engineering Management:
Develop a ‘Metrics Dashboard.’ Create a comprehensive dashboard that tracks key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to your engineering teams and projects. Regularly review and analyze these metrics with your team to identify trends, anticipate challenges, and celebrate successes. This practice encourages data-driven decision-making and transparent communication.
Peopleware
The book guides engineering managers to recognize that their team’s productivity and innovation are deeply influenced by sociological factors like team dynamics and workspace design, making it a crucial read for those aiming to lead effectively in the tech space. It emphasizes that in engineering management, success hinges on more than just technical skills — it’s about understanding and nurturing the team behind the technology.
Practical Lesson from Peopleware:
Allocate dedicated quiet spaces or times where interruptions are minimized. These could be quiet rooms or ‘no-meeting’ time blocks. Such an environment respects your engineers need for focus and acknowledges that the quality of the workspace directly impacts productivity and job satisfaction,
The Art of Leadership
This book is like your personal coach in becoming the kind of leader everyone looks up to. It’s not just about being in charge; it’s about lighting a spark in your team and guiding them to be their best. You’ll learn the secrets of giving your team the encouragement they need to tackle big challenges with confidence. It’s also about guiding them, not by telling them every step to take, but by helping them find their own path to success. And it’s about really connecting with your team, understanding their needs, and making sure everyone feels heard and valued
Practical Lesson from The Art of Leadership:
Regularly share stories that embody the core values and vision of the company. These could be stories of past successes, failures, or exemplary behaviors of team members. This practice not only reinforces the company’s culture but also makes the values tangible and relatable, enhancing team cohesion and motivation.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
This book is like a masterclass in becoming the best version of yourself, both at work and in your personal life. It’s packed with advice on how to really take charge and get things moving. You’ll learn how to start taking action instead of waiting for things to happen. It also shows you how to get your tasks and goals in order, so you’re not just busy, but actually doing the important stuff. And it’s not just about you working alone; it’s about being a team player too. You’ll discover how to collaborate and communicate with others in a way that makes the whole team stronger and more productive
Practical Lesson from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People:
Start a ‘Weekly Personal Management Session.’ Set aside some time every week just for thinking and planning. In this time, look back at your goals (the ones for your job and your own life), see how well you’ve been doing lately, and make plans for the next week, especially for the most important tasks. This routine is like sharpening a saw — it’s about making yourself better all the time, so you’re always doing your best work.
INSPIRED: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love
If you work closely with product teams, this book is a must-read. It doesn’t just illuminate the product management process, it equips you with the understanding and tools needed to bridge the gap between engineering and product teams. By applying the principles from “INSPIRED,” you’ll be better positioned to collaborate effectively, drive your team towards a shared vision, and ultimately contribute to creating tech products that truly resonate with customers.
Practical Lesson from INSPIRED:
Conduct ‘Customer Discovery Sessions.’ Engineering managers should regularly bring together engineers and product managers to discuss direct feedback from customers or user analytics. This practice ensures that the engineering team is not just focused on the technical aspects but is also deeply connected with the customer experience and product goals.
The Coaching Habit
This book is like a guide to becoming the coach your team needs. It teaches you not just to manage, but to truly help your team shine. You’ll discover the power of asking questions that spark thought and encourage your team members to find answers themselves. By mastering the techniques in this book, you’ll learn how to support your team’s development, boost their confidence, and enhance their skills.
Practical Lesson from The Coaching Habit:
Adopt the ‘Five Whys Technique’ during problem-solving sessions. When an issue arises, ask “why” five times to dig deeper into the root cause. This technique encourages a culture of curiosity and continuous learning, moving the team away from superficial solutions and towards more systemic, impactful changes.
Talk like TED — Improve Public Speaking
This book is your ticket to becoming a top-notch communicator, just like the speakers you see in TED talks. It’s all about learning to share your thoughts and ideas in a way that grabs people’s attention and keeps them listening. You’ll get tips on how to tell your stories in an interesting way, how to make your points clear and strong, and how to add that special spark that makes people remember what you said.
Practical Lesson from Talk like TED — Improve Public Speaking:
Utilize the ‘Rule of Three.’ When presenting complex engineering projects or ideas, break the information down into three clear, concise points. Our brains are pattern-seeking, and organizing information in threes makes content more memorable and engaging. This technique can help you communicate more effectively, resonating with the principles of impactful storytelling and audience engagement found in TED talks.
Turning Insights into Action
As you explore the top Engineering Management books of 2024, keep in mind that it’s not just about reading them, but also about using what you learn. Make clear plans, find time to read, really get into the books, and, most importantly, use what you learn in your everyday work as an Engineering Manager. Doing this will turn your reading time into real improvements in your leadership skills, helping you become the wise, flexible, and effective leader you want to be.
Enjoy your reading journey, and let these books be your trusted helpers as you grow into a better Engineering Manager.
Any other books you can recommend as an Engineering Manager? Add them in the comments!
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