On My Shelf with Padmini Janaki — Senior Product Manager at Change Healthcare/f. Paypal (Chennai, India)
About me
Product Manager with the heart of a designer, I love making products for unhappy customers and keeping them happy.
I worked on the payments domain most of my career and love working for product community. Check my Linkedin for product articles and a lot more.
On my shelf
Talk like TED
The 9 public speaking secrets of the world’s top minds
by Carmine Gallo
My opinion
You don’t have to be a TED speaker to become a Product Manager, neither do you have to be a speaker. However, this book is unique in how it talks about the art of asking and practising. ‘Stories are just data with soul,’ the author says. And storytelling, communication and confidence are very important for a Product Manager and to gain these skills, this should be the first book you should start with.
288 pages, St. Martin’s Griffin 2015
Mindset
The New Psychology of Success
by Carol S. Dweck
My opinion
If you know me in person, you probably know that I can’t live a day without talking about the concepts of fixed mindset and growth mindset. This is one other book you’re unlikely to see in the list of books product managers must-read, but it is a must-read for anyone who likes to make a change in their life — small or big. You can become a product manager at the age of 22 or 52 — all that matters is your mindset to absorb the changes. This book will clear all your mental blocks, and make you ready to take on the big world of Product Management.
320 pages, Ballantine Books 2007
Subscribed
Why the Subscription Model Will Be Your Company’s Future — and What to Do About It
by Tien Tzuo & Gabe Weisert
My opinion
One of my favourite books that talks nothing about Product Management (again!). It talks about the market and subscription economy. This book has a lot of stories worth telling your interviewer, starting from Fortune 500 companies till the end of ownership, this book is quite contextual to the times that we live in.
256 pages, Portfolio 2018
Hooked
How to Build Habit-Forming Products
by Nir Eyal & Ryan Hoover
My opinion
I am sure a lot of people have already suggested this book. As a Product Manager, you need to understand your customers, what they like and dislike, and so on.
Customers are different for different products. No matter if it is in the B2B, B2C or C2C space, this book talks about things you already know but probably have never thought about. I wasn’t familiar with this book but was recommended by one of my mentors. It is an absolute MUST read!
256 pages, Portfolio 2014
Sensemaking
The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm
by Christian Madsbjerg
My opinion
“I am a data-driven Product Manager,” all of us claim this, but what exactly does it mean to be data-driven? There is a grey line between data and decisions. The author talks about ‘The power of practical wisdom’ which is an essential skill for anyone who loves to build products.
256 pages, Portfolio 2014
The PM Library series “On my shelf” features Product Leaders from all over the world who are passionate about reading and sharing with the community. If you want to join the movement and share your reading list with others send us a message or fill out this form. Let’s get better together 📚.
