Reading Time! Managers Reads for an Engineering Manager

08 May 2018

When I first started working as an engineer I relied a lot on pattern-matching (find solved problems similar to mine and adapt the solution to fit my requirements) and leaning on peers for direction, advice, and feedback. Effectively, I winged it and grew along the way with a good support system to keep me in line and developing.

That’s not a bad way to go as an engineer but as I transition into engineering management, I find the wing it and learn along the way strategy is insufficient. Why? My decisions and interactions with my team can have big impacts starting now. Those challenges requiring deliberation and, more importantly, my team deserve the best I can bring to the table.

So I’ll study! There is a ton of literature on engineering management that focus on all facets of the job. Lucky for me between my colleagues, my manager, and the Twitch Leadership Book Club I’ve got a fount of recommendations to dive into. I’m hoping reading will help me have more aha moments that don’t require getting burned!

For everything I read I plan to:

• Shout out who recommended the book!
• Judge the book by its cover, font selection, paper quality… details matter!
• My thoughts on the book and the big take-aways!
• Favorite quote from the book!
• Elevator pitch for suggesting (or not suggesting) the book!
• My notes (in Evernote of course) on the book!

First up will be the current Twitch Leadership Book Club book: Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work. See you in a few days!

Most of the world’s wisdom is written down in its best books. Manager Reads is a series covering books on management and leadership, focusing on books that can improve your own leadership with the wisdom of others. Enjoyed this post and want to see more? Check out more at Manager Reads.