Learning

I think being a lifelong learner is one of the best traits any of us can wish for. I decided my newsletter wouldn’t be complete without a page dedicated to learning.

Classes

Ethan Evans (a long-time VP at Amazon, and the last manager I had while working there) has created an awesome leadership training course. If you purchase it with this link, you get a 15% discount.

Beyond Senior Manager - Break Through to Strategic Executive by Ethan Evans on Maven

Learn actionable specific standards by which executives are selected and how to manage your promotion process to show you meet them.

Maven Learning, Inc

I moved to Ethan's group at Amazon to hear him talk. I honestly think it's well worth the small investment to grow your career if this class is applicable to you.

I like the idea of making my own classes someday, but Ethan has done such a great job, I’m not entirely sure if I’ll get around to it.

Books

I love books. I'm collecting links to some I love here. Those links don’t make me any money. I simply want to share some books I like.

Management Toolkit

Learning how to manage is hard. Few of us can have a formal education on the topic. I'm building a list of recommended books on each major topic. This is always a work in progress.

Delegation and Task Management

• The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey - Excellent book on delegation, and it's wonderfully short. How to delegate, how to avoid de-delegation. Very practical.
• Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World - Explains the value of being able to concentrate on completing work, and the dangers of multitasking. Extremely valuable for someone who needs to help employees achieve their results. Plus, managers tend to multitask at excessive levels.

Feedback to Employees

• Radical Candor (Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity) - Great description of the negatives of being too nice, too harsh, etc.

Motivation and Team Building

• Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us - Wonderful explanation of some core reasons that people become motivated, or what could cause a lack of motivation. Managers need to internalize the importance of Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose.

Moving to Management from IC

The below are not quite people management, but highly useful to those moving into management from individual contributor roles.

Project Management

• The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement - Old but great summary of process improvement and achieving goals. Really makes you think about what improvements you need to see to achieve better results.

Personal Growth

The below are related to personal growth, and content I've found useful.

• The Simple Path to Wealth - Fantastic book which summarizes a topic I spent years learning about. AKA how I could afford to write a newsletter instead of working full time.
• Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams - Very useful book which summarizes the importance of getting proper sleep. I'm convinced that many people would be more successful (in work and in school) if they simply got enough sleep each night.