Engineering manager resources

Hello

This is a collection of books and resources I’ve found useful in getting started as an engineering manager. I recommend starting with the first reads, and then diving into any of the other suggestions over time and as you find yourself hitting new challenging situations.

First reads

These books form an excellent foundation. They’re all short, quick reads that will help you hit the ground running.

• If you read nothing else, I highly recommend “Leader Lab” (both the book and courses) https://leaderlab.lifelabslearning.com/ I hand this book to everyone I possibly can. ICs can get a lot out of it too around communication in general.
• Lara Hogan’s stuff is top notch. Her courses are a little pricey for the amount of content you get, but her book, “Resilient Management”, and blog are EXCELLENT. https://larahogan.me/
• Sarah Drasner’s Engineering Management for the Rest of Us and is easy read, but packed with insights on managing a team and yourself.

A special note on Harvard Business Review

HBR puts out tons of material on leadership. They group many of their books into series, with each book targeting a particular aspect of leadership. This allows you to do a short dive into a single topic, which is helpful for triage situations or when you’re feeling a little weak in a particular area.

• 20 minute manager series
• Emotional Intelligence series
• Work Smart series
• HBR guide to…

Other recommendations

These books tread similar ground as the above, but from different perspectives and with slightly different foci.

• The Manager’s Path by Camille Fournier - often recommended for all managers
• The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier - there is a difference between coaching and mentoring
• Become an Effective Software Engineering Manager by James Stanier - a great follow up to Sarah Drasner’s book, goes a little deeper into challenges you might face
• Leading from Anywhere by David Burkus - a deep dive into working remotely effectively