đź“š 10 Essential Books for Influential Product Managers đź“š
đź“š 10 Essential Books for Influential Product Managers đź“š
There are many book lists out there for product managers, but this list is different. This list focuses on helping you build influence as a Product Manager. Because as many product managers know,  influence is an essential part of your role, but oftentimes the most difficult part about product management.
1. To make a great first impression, read The First 90 Days
Your influence journey begins at the first impression. That’s why The first 90 days by Michael D. Watkins is a must-read if you’re starting a new role.
The book teaches you how to set expectations with management, how to set yourself up for early successes, and how to build your coalition of supporters. I find it an excellent resource to return to every time I start another new role.
2. To create a new market space, read Blue Ocean Strategy
Once you understand the lay of your new product land, you’re mapping out your product’s vision. But how do you go about setting a successful strategy for your product, AND communicating that strategy well?
Speaking of “unfair advantage”, The Lean Startup is an oldie but a goodie. A spirit of continuous experimentation will help you understand your market and build your confidence in your product vision and direction.
Building that confidence is essential when you later speak to a room of executives or investors about investing in your product vision.
4. For flawless facilitation, read Facilitator’s Guide
As you establish product vision, you’re probably leading a series of workshops and conversations to rally stakeholders. This is very important work. This work directly impacts your ability to influence. So, being able to work with stakeholders well, and involving them in key decision-making about your product is the surest way to build your influence.
For this, I turn to Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision Making by Sam Kaner. The book is a must-have reference-guide for facilitating well. It contains a reference list of questions you can directly use. Get the physical copy rather than the digital one.
5. To influence your executive team, read Pyramid Principle
One of your most important stakeholders is your executive team. To effectively build your influence with your executive team, use the Minto Pyramid Principle by Barbara Minto to guide your communication
6. To lead through change, read Managing Transitions.
Most Product Managers lead their teams through change at least once in their career if not more. Thus understanding the psychology of change is very important to successfully leading your team through change. Managing Transitions by William Bridges is a great guide with practical advice.
7. To be courageous, read Daring Greatly
As you advance in your product career, leading and influencing your team becomes a larger part of your work. One often overlooked aspect of leadership and influence is vulnerability.
If you’re not disagreeing with your team at least once in a while, you’re probably not pushing your limits as a Product Manager. But how do you approach the disagreement and create great outcomes? Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson is a great guide for working through hairy communications.
9. To inspire your team, read Radical Candor
If you want to lead a high-performing agile team, then Radical Candor by Kim Scott is a great book to read. If you are on an agile team, you’re already familiar with how to establish a quick feedback loop on your product to fail fast and improve your product.
This book talks about how to give critical feedback. To me, this is like establishing a quick feedback loop for individuals you work with. This way, the team can improve their performance and work better together.
Although Scott wrote this book for communication between a manager and his/her reports, I believe the framework can be used for peers as well.
10. To tell better stories, read Influence Through Storytelling
Your influence journey is never-ending. On an everyday basis, your work is to influence many different stakeholders. You rally your team, customers, executives, and investors toward a shared vision.
Influence through Storytelling shows you how to take that vision and use storytelling to get your point across with crystal clarity. The link is broken you say? This book doesn't exist yet. Someday I will write it with the material from my Storytelling class. #LifeGoals
Conclusion
Becoming an influential product leader doesn’t happen overnight. An aspiring product leader could be buried in the mountain of educational books. This selection will put you on the path to becoming an influential product manager.
I’m always on the lookout for great reads. If you have a recommendation, please share it with me!
Explore the effectiveness of data-driven vs. story-led leadership in enhancing team performance. Learn how to strike the perfect balance between data insights and storytelling for team motivation and success.
As a mother and an entrepreneur, my mind fills with worry. This is a story about a structured story technique I use to manage worry.
It didn’t used to worry like this.
I remember that in my 20s I was much more carefree.
Made with Bullet