This is a list of engineering management books, articles, and videos that I’ve found useful in my time as an Engineering Manager. I don’t intend to make a “definitive guide”, rather I hope it’s a useful reference for me and others when encountering some of the common challenges in management.
The 1:1
Questions for our first 1:1 by Lara Hogan
101 Questions to Ask in One on Ones by Jason Evanish
The Update, The Vent, and The Disaster by Michael Lopp (rands)
Managing more experienced people by Julie Zhuo
The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier
Three Tools for Better 1 on 1 meetings by Greg Dick
Effective Communication
Power Up Your Team with Nonviolent Communication Principles by Ann Mehl
Performance
Necessary Endings by Dr. Henry Cloud
Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler
The Five Conditions for Improvement by Roy Rappaport
Career Paths
This 90-Day Plan Turns Engineers into Remarkable Managers by David Loftesness
Work at different management levels by Lara Hogan
The Manager’s Path by Camille Fournier
On Being a Senior Engineer by John Allspaw
Engineering Management: The Pendulum or the Ladder by Charity Majors
Engagement & Retention
Shields Down by Michael Lopp (rands)
How Google Sold Its Engineers on Management from Harvard Business Review
Three Powerful Conversations Managers Must Have To Develop Their People by Russ Laraway
Leadership
Good Strategy Bad Strategy and Richard Rumelt
How to be Strategic by Julie Zhuo
Management Craft/Other
An Elegant Puzzle by Will Larson
Resilient Management by Lara Hogan
44 engineering management lessons by Slava Akhmechet
Average Manager vs. Great Manager by Julie Zhuo
Awesome Leading and Managing by Various Authors
Top comments (4)
I would recommend
Managing Humans: Biting and Humorous Tales of a Software Engineering Managerbook - amazon.com/Managing-Humans-Humorou... as well, it has good advices and stories plus it's written in a catchy styleThanks for the comment. I've included some of my favorites from Michael Lopp's blog since there's quite a bit of overlap between the book and his blog posts.
Thanks for the list, Daniel! If I too, may throw a great book in the recommendation list here: Simon Sinek's "The Infinite Game" has changed my perspective in a huge way not in managing teams but managing myself as well.
amazon.com/Infinite-Game-Simon-Sin...
Thanks for the suggestion Dave.