Top People Management books recommended by experts

At MentorCruise, we are all about making the most out of the experience of others. As part of that, we've connected and asked dozens of experts and professionals about their favourite People Management books – and here are the answers.

Table of Contents

Fundamentals of People Management

Understanding the concepts of People Management starts with understanding the fundamentals. On your way to mastery, it's crucial for you to understand how certain concepts were derived, and why things work like they do. Starting with these resources is the best way to do so.

Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams

Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams is a 1987 book on the social side of software development, specifically managing project teams. It was written by software consultants Tom DeMarco and Tim Lister, from their experience in the world of software development.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box

Leadership and Self-Deception Book Summary at a Glance. Leadership and Self-Deception explains how self-deception clouds our vision, leading us to blame others rather than admitting our own faults and part in the problem.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

People Management: Everything you need to know about managing and leading people at work

As a manager, it's not always inherently easy to understand how to best lead and communicate with your team. You don’t become a great manager overnight—you have to work at it just like anything else you want to excel at.This book will teach you everything you need to know about becoming a better manager and leader of people.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, 20th Anniversary Edition

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" is an exploration of the pitfalls that can ensnare a team, obstructing it from reaching the crescendo of its potential. The five dysfunctions he outlines are absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How.

The Talent Code is a book written by Daniel Coyle that explores the concept of talent development and the factors that contribute to exceptional performance. Scientists have discovered that myelin might just be the holy grail: the foundation of all forms of greatness!

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

The First-Time Manager

The First Time Manager by L. Belker, J McCormick and G Topchik is a great guide for anyone looking to step up in their career and take on the role of a manager. They cover different types of managers, different types of employees and discuss how to handle the transition from employee to manager.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Additional People Management Reading

These books are not required for you to learn People Management, but they are highly recommended for you to deepen your knowledge.

The One Minute Manager

The One Minute Manager emphasizes the importance of setting clear and specific goals that are achievable within a short span of time. These goals should be written concisely on a single page and should address what is to be accomplished, how it will be measured, and when it is expected to be completed.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion

This book explains why people are divided by politics and religion. The answer is not that some people are good and some are evil. Instead, that out minds were designed for groupish righteousness. We are deeply intuitive creatures who's gut feelings drive our strategic reasoning.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

This list is curated by MentorCruise and can include Amazon affiliate links. Have any other suggestions? Add here.

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