I love reading books. Books are containers of knowledge and wisdom - we can all learn something from every book we read.
“Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.” - Jim Rohn
“If you are going to get anywhere in life you have to read a lot of books.” - Roald Dahl
“Think before you speak. Read before you think.” - Fran Lebowitz
“Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” - Margaret Fuller
There are a lot of great books out there, and there are a lot of books on Product Management. But what are the must-reads for Product Managers?
I recently found this great book recommendation visual guide on Delibr.
Although I agree with most of these book recommendations, I would like to expand and add more books to the list. I might even update the visual at some point.
So here are additional must-read books for Product Managers.
Communication And Collaboration
Communication and collaboration are the most crucial skills for PMs at any level.
"Never Split the Difference" by Chris Voss and Tahl Raz
As PMs, we have to constantly negotiate with stakeholders. In his book, Chris Voss, a former FBI hostage negotiator, provides insights and clear guidance everyone can apply to everyday negotiations.
"Give and Take" by Adam Grant
Give and Take highlights what effective networking, collaboration, influence, negotiation, and leadership skills have in common.
"On Writing" by Stephen King
Product managers have to be great writers and storytellers. “On Writing” is half a personal memoir and half a writing manual - a great read from one of the masters of the craft.
UX/UI Design
PMs are a connecting tissue between business, design and technology. They work with Product designers regularly and need a solid understanding of UX best practices.
"The Mom Test" by Rob Fitzpatrick
Talking to your customers about their experience with your product is important. But when everybody lies, how can you get the honest answer? This book is going to show you how customer conversations can go wrong and how you can do better.
"The Design of Everyday Things" by Donald Norman
It is a classic in the field of design. After you read Norman’s book, you’ll notice good and bad designs everywhere. “The Design of Everyday Things” will raise your expectations about how things should be designed.
"Change by Design" by Tim Brown
Tim Brown, the CEO of IDEO, introduces Design Thinking - a human-centred approach to problem-solving that helps people and organizations become more innovative and creative.
Analytics and Customer insights
Great PMs can leverage qualitative and quantitative data to get deep inside into customer behaviours and their needs and leverage it to create the best possible value for their product.
"Everybody Lies" by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
It’s an easy read, full of insights into human behaviour. It shows the importance of quantitative and qualitative analysis and how they complement each other.
"How to Lie with Statistics" by Darrell Huff
Product managers need a solid foundation in statistics to be metrics-driven. This classic book is a short and fun read and will leave you smarter and more skeptical.
Strategic Thinking
To create great products, PMs need to define a great product vision and create a good strategy to achieve this vision.
"Good Strategy, Bad Strategy" by Richard P. Rumelt
A good product/business strategy is a must. But what is a good strategy, and what are the signs of a bad strategy? Check out Rumel’s book to find answers to these questions.
Leadership
PMs not only motivate product team members, but also provide thought leadership and mentorship to younger PMs and actively assist them in expanding and developing skills and knowledge.
"High Output Management" by Andy Grove
Andy Grove was one of the greatest CEOs of our time, and his management approach is a foundation of famous OKRs (Objective Key Results). A must-read book for any manager.
"Trillion Dollar Coach" by Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg and Alan Eagle
Coaching is a must-have skill for any manager, and Bill Campbell was probably one of the best business coaches. He coached leaders from Google, Apple, Intuit, and many other companies. He was a great coach, community builder, and human being, and we can all learn from his legacy.
Technical Knowledge
PMs need to have at least basic knowledge of the technical stack their product was build on and have a basic understanding on how internet works.
"Swipe to Unlock" by Neel Mehta, Aditya Agashe, Parth Detroja
It’s a great primer on technology and business strategy. It has many references and an excellent glossary and is a must for more junior PMs.
Best Practices and Culture
There are many approaches to product management, leadership and company culture. These are some great books to expand on these topics.
"Working Backwards" by Colin Bryar, Bill Carr
“Working Backwards” is a breakdown of Amazon’s approach to culture, leadership, and best practices from two long-time Amazon executives. It contains lessons and techniques you can easily apply to your company and career.
"Good to Great" by Jim Collins
“Good to Great” is one of the first business books I read, and I really enjoyed it. It’s full of examples and tips and would be an excellent read for anyone, especially for PMs.
"Rework" by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson
“Rework” is not your typical business book. It’s a quick read - a collection of small ideas/tips on Entrepreneurship, Productivity, Management, Marketing, Hiring, Business Culture, and more. The beauty of “Rework” is that it forces you to rethink what you know about productivity, management, and marketing.
For more book recommendations check my other post Book Recommendations.
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