Top Book Recommendations for Engineers and Engineering Managers

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December is often a time for reflection on the past year. Professional development books can provide insights, lessons, and strategies to help you evaluate your achievements and areas for growth. They can help you set career goals for the upcoming year or prepare for career changes. Given that here is the books I recommend:

General

• Mythical Man-Month by Fred Brooks
• Crucial Conversations
• HBR 10 must reads on various topics — These can be very beneficial if you start a professional reading group. Each book contains 10 standalone articles, making them quicker to read and increasing engagement within the group.
• Find Your Why by David Mead, Peter Docker, and Simon Sinek

Project Management

• Slack by Tom DeMarco

Negotiation

• Getting More by Stuart Diamond
• Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher and William Ury

Management

• Peopleware by Timothy Lister and Tom DeMarco
• Managing Humans by Michael Loop
• Conscious Accountability: Deepen Connections, Elevate Results by David C. Tate, Marianne S. Pantalon, et al — Don’t skip the introduction; you may find a reference to someone familiar.