Cracking the PM Interview
Gayle Laakmann McDowell
This comprehensive guide demystifies the often-elusive Product Manager role in the technology industry. Written by experienced PMs from top tech companies, the book provides an in-depth look at what product management entails, how the role varies across different companies, and offers practical strategies for landing a PM job. It covers everything from crafting resumes and cover letters to mastering various interview question types, including behavioral, estimation, product, and even coding questions. Essential reading for anyone aspiring to break into or advance within product management.
The Designful Company
Marty Neumeier
In 'The Designful Company,' Marty Neumeier argues that design thinking is the key to navigating the complexities of modern business and achieving 'nonstop innovation.' This book challenges traditional management models, advocating for a culture where design is not just an aesthetic add-on but a core competence for solving 'wicked problems,' fostering radical differentiation, and building lasting customer loyalty. Neumeier provides a concise yet powerful guide for leaders and organizations looking to transform their approach to creativity, agility, and sustainable success in a rapidly changing world.
Family Business
Ernesto J. Poza; Mary S. Daugherty
A comprehensive guide to the unique dynamics of family businesses, this book explores the challenges and competitive advantages inherent in enterprises where family, ownership, and management intertwine. Rooted in theory, research, and real-world cases, it provides actionable strategies for governance, succession planning, wealth management, and fostering transgenerational entrepreneurship, aiming to ensure the long-term continuity and success of family firms in a global economy.
Amazon
Natalie Berg
An in-depth look at Amazon's rise to dominance in the retail world and how it continues to revolutionize commerce. This book explores Amazon's strategies, its impact on other retailers, and what the future holds for the company and the industry as a whole.
Do Better Work
Max Yoder
In 'Do Better Work,' Lessonly CEO Max Yoder offers a refreshing perspective on improving professional life by fostering clarity, camaraderie, and progress. Through practical advice and compelling stories, Yoder challenges conventional notions of leadership and productivity, advocating for vulnerability, open communication, and a focus on mutual understanding. This book provides actionable strategies for individuals and teams to enhance their work environment, achieve greater accountability, and ultimately lead more fulfilling lives.
Where Good Ideas Come From
Steven Johnson
Challenging the myth of the solitary 'eureka' moment, Steven Johnson's 'Where Good Ideas Come From' explores the origins of groundbreaking ideas as an evolutionary process. Drawing on diverse historical anecdotes, scientific metaphors, and examples from technology and urban development, Johnson identifies seven key patterns—such as the 'adjacent possible,' 'liquid networks,' and 'slow hunches'—that foster environments ripe for innovation. This book offers a robust framework for understanding not just *what* good ideas are, but *how* and *why* they emerge, providing insights for individuals and organizations seeking to cultivate a culture of creativity.
The Lean Product Playbook
Dan Olsen
This book provides a practical, step-by-step guide to applying Lean Startup principles for building successful products that customers love. Author Dan Olsen introduces the Product-Market Fit Pyramid and the Lean Product Process, a six-step framework for determining target customers, identifying underserved needs, defining value propositions, specifying MVP features, creating prototypes, and testing with customers. It delves into essential topics like UX design, Agile development, and using analytics to optimize products, offering a comprehensive playbook for innovators and entrepreneurs aiming to achieve product-market fit and minimize product failure.
Learning How to Learn
Barbara Oakley
Unlock your learning potential with this engaging guide for kids and teens! Based on neuroscience, this book reveals simple yet powerful techniques to improve memory, focus, and creativity, making learning more fun and less frustrating. Discover how to excel in school and beyond by understanding how your brain works best.