We’re always in the search to develop and maintain high performing teams, reduce risk, improve quality and increase speed to market. The below books have helped in the journey to become a better information technology / software professional and technical leader. The books discuss productivity, leading / managing knowledge workers in creative work, growing technical leadership skills, agile leadership, lean thinking, change & financial management.
Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams – Tom DeMarco & Tim Lister
Peopleware is a great book for leaders of knowledge workers and creative environments. Through their experience and research, DeMarco and Lister provide examples on how to enable productive teams and describes common productivity killers. Peopleware discusses:
- How to keep staff happy, retention high, burnout low.
- How to setup your team environment for maximum productivity.
- How to create a learning culture.
- Setting up the office and work environment to maximize flow time and team work.
- Leadership, management, goal alignment and networking.
- Factors that will lead to teamicide – i.e. breaking teams.
- Creating a culture of transparency and trust.
- Empowering people to define methods most appropriate for their work, rather than strict adherence to prescribed methodologies.
- Tips for effectively and pragmatically managing risk and change management.
- How to run effective meetings, avoid ceremonies and ensure working meetings have outcomes and are efficient and effective.
- How to grow community and culture, make work fun, enable innovation, keep motivation high and teams happy.
You can find a detailed Peopleware: Productive Project and Teams summary here.
You can review and purchase Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams on Amazon.com.au.
The Manager’s Path: A Guide for Tech Leaders Navigating Growth & Change – Camille Fournier
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You can review and purchase The Managers Path: A Guide for Tech Leaders Navigating Growth and Change on Amazon.com.au.
Leading Geeks – How to Manage and Lead the People Who Deliver Technology – Paul Glen
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You can review and purchase Leading Geeks – How to Manage and Lead the People Who Deliver Technology on Amazon.com.au.
Management 3.0 Leading Agile Developers, Developing Agile Leaders – Jurgen Appelo
Management 3.0 is a book designed for the agile manager / leader and is presented via a synthesis of theory, science, nature and practical real world experience of Jurgen Appelo. Through understanding the differences between ordered systems (i.e. predicable) and complex systems (i.e. unpredictable), better structures, processes, methods and approaches can be used to manage, lead & motivate teams, reduce risk and increase the chance of success. Management 3.0 discusses:
- The differences between ordered-systems and complex-systems and selecting the right method for your environment and challenge
- Improving chances of success by embracing a constant flow of failure, learning & evolving cycles
- Reviews existing agile methods such as RAD, Scrum, XP, Lean, CMMI, PMBOK, Prince2, RUP and some of their limitations including the CHAOS report on project failure.
- Discusses the role of complexity – the state between order & chaos where innovation & creativity thrives.
- Highlights the importance of social networks within an organisation and osmotic communication (overhearing conversations & information). Connectivity of an individual & team is one of the best predictors of performance.
- How to manage a creative environment including core tenants of safety, play, work variation, creative visibility, and an environment which challenges the comfort zone.
- How to create an environment of motivation for knowledge workers
- Enabling self organising teams which are best suited for complex/dynamic environments, delegating and enabling decisions to be made at the right level (where the knowledge resides). Through aligning constraints, setting boundaries & protecting the environment, managers can define direction and shared goals of autonomous teams.
- How to develop competence within individuals & teams and capture key project performance metrics for feedback loops
- Communication and feedback ideas
- Organisational structure, team size & makeup and generalising specialist / t-shaped individuals
- Embracing continuous change in search for system optimisation through adaption, exploration & anticipation.
- Continuous improvement through plan – do – check – act cycle and similar models. Often as the team tries different methods to improve productivity it will take one step back and two steps forward.
You can find a detailed Management 3.0 summary here.
You can review and purchase Management 3.0 Leading Agile Developers, Developing Agile Leaders on Amazon.com.au.
The Lean Startup: How Constant Innovation Creates Radically Successful Businesses – Eric Ries
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You can review and purchase The Lean Startup: How Constant Innovation Creates Radically Successful Businesses on Amazon.com.au.
Leading Change – John P. Kotter
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You can review and purchase Leading Change on Amazon.com.au.
The Mythical Man-Month – Fred Brooks
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You can review and purchase The Mythical Man-Month on Amazon.com.au.
Beyond Budgeting – Jeremy Hope
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You can review and purchase Beyond Budgeting on Amazon.com.au.
I hope you’ve found the above books useful. Have I missed any books you think software / information technology professional and leaders should read?
Would love to hear your thoughts and feedback below…