5 Comprehensive Books to Help You Kick start or Propel Your PM Career in 2023
It’s New Year’s Eve 2022 and billions of people are writing their goals and resolutions for the coming year. Since you are reading this article instead of getting NYE party-ready, then it’s only fair to assume that you are looking to either make a transition in your career into Product Management or accelerate your existing PM career.
I’m a massive bookworm and I’ve read almost every noteworthy book on Product Management (Okay, I exaggerate but I’ve read lots!). So, I’ve done the daunting task of finding the books with all the necessary tools, techniques, methodology, tips and tricks that are most helpful to Product Managers, all you have to do is look at the pros and cons lists for each and figure out which ones you would prefer to read as your PM crash course.
- Product Management for Dummies
I found this book to be an extremely long read but highly insightful especially for new PMs who did not go to Business School or those who do not have a background in Business, Finance or Economics. This book is a must-read for new PMs and Technical PMs who need to round out their edges by acquiring knowledge of business strategies, frameworks, tools and methodologies.
This book has quite an uptight ‘vibe’ as it comes across quite educational without the need to make the topics interesting or easy to digest. However, if you can get past the writing style or if textbook-style reads are your jam, I’d suggest that you read on and soak up the wonderful PM nuggets in this.
2. Product Management in Practice by Matt Lemay
This book….
Oh, this book! This book is very underrated and under-acknowledged, so much so that I had the urge to shout it from the mountain top that every Product Manager needs to read this book from cover to cover. I adore this book to the point that I’ve even read a few chapters more than once — It is the holy grail of comprehensive PM books, in my opinion, as it has the makings of a great read.
From lots of practical examples, excerpts and stories by real-life Product Managers who’ve worked on some of the biggest software products, to the fact that it reads like a story narration which I find to be a more entertaining writing style, this book is a one-stop shop for all things Product Management that transcends theory and highlights the fact that Product Management is a practical, hands-on role.
3. The Lean Product Playbook by Dan Olsen
So, I feel like I need to add a disclaimer that I’m only about half way through this book, thus, my review might be a conjecture.
Okay, so the writing style and tone of this book is similar to most books on shipping software products, thus, you might be able to draw some parallels with a book like Inspired, for instance. It combines narration with descriptive and expository writing styles which allows it drive home the solid points on Lean product development methodology, strategy and processes. I’d suggest you read this after everything on this list or when you feel like you understand the different agile methodologies that there are and wish to expatiate your knowledge.
4. Inspired by Marty Cagan
You can’t talk about Product Management in the last decade or two without mentioning Marty Cagan. His books have been very essential reads for Product Managers especially this one which happened to be his first. If you are an OG Product Manager, I’d recommend reading this as well as ‘Empowered’ and if you are a new PM, let’s stick with Inspired for now, shall we?
Before I proceed, dear new PM, feel free to follow Marty Cagan on LinkedIn. I believe he has a great PM newsletter which he sends out routinely, if memory serves.
Okay, let’s get on with it.
So, this book reads like your PM Mentor is speaking to you and guiding you through practical hurdles that you are likely to face on your journey as a career Product Manager and who doesn’t like a relatable read eh?
5. Hooked by Nir Eyal
I don’t think I have ever met any Product Manager who hasn’t read this book but just on the off chance that you haven’t….you absolutely should. Hooked is one of my all-time favourite books on shipping products that your users love. Also, as the UX fiend that I am, I love the fact that the book essentially ties everything about products that users love to user experience (UX) which is a major pillar of this Product Manager role that we love so much right? Correct!
I also like that it shows you how to spot the thin line between users’ love for your products and addiction in addition to equipping you with the knowledge to understand the power that you wield without abusing that power in your pursuit of quantifiable metrics and the monaaaay (money. Sorry, I had to be more dramatic).
You will notice that my list tilts towards Product Management in practice and that’s because you can take all the courses you want and like but nothing trumps getting your hands dirty building products. Thus, I believe that in order to have the knowledge on how to tackle your day-to-day issues and tasks, you need books that answer your pressing questions and help you navigate the real, practical world of Product Management. Ironic right? I know. :)
See you in 2023, lovely PM friends!!!
