Management-Business – Scott J. Pearson’s Book Review

Rapid Development: Taming Wild Software Schedules

By Scott J. Pearson | April 18, 2026April 18, 2026 by Scott J. Pearson

For decades, the classic project-management challenge has been to produce software quicker with more features and less bugs. Software, however, has its revenge because scheduling it accurately and precisely is a highly inexact science. Even the best, seasoned estimators struggle at first attempt. This book by Steve McConnell, though written 30 years ago, gives communal sympathy towards development teams who can seemingly never meet a deadline. Further, he actually provides some answers on how to…

Genentech: The Beginnings of Biotech

By Scott J. Pearson | April 8, 2026April 8, 2026 by Scott J. Pearson

Today, biotech companies are synonymous with high-risk, high-reward research that advances the healthcare and wallets of countries with advanced economies. However, fifty years ago, this type of company did not exist. There were university research labs, and there were big corporations. No startup companies sought to translate the small experiments into lucrative business ventures. Out of Silicon Valley, California, Genentech was one of the first to do so. They translated work in recombinant DNA technology…

Healthcare Management-Business Software-Technology

From Breakthrough to Blockbuster: The Business of Biotechnology

By Scott J. Pearson | April 4, 2026April 4, 2026 by Scott J. Pearson

Biotechnology is a hot topic in today’s global economy. It promises to help humanity, so it often receives startup funding from governments. Success stories show the strong financial potential of the right investments. Big pharmaceutical companies (“big pharma”) can purchase entire companies for large amounts of profits. Yet the risks are great, with an estimated 90% of ventures ending in non-successful outcomes. There seems little that can be done to predict success from the outset.…

Artificial Intelligence Leadership

Leaderwired: The AI-Era Leadership Playbook for Transforming How You Think, Decide & Lead

By Scott J. Pearson | March 22, 2026March 22, 2026 by Scott J. Pearson

Change is the key challenge to any leader because there’s no great way to predict its course. New things arise, and no clear direction exists. All we can do is to prepare ourselves and our mindsets to embrace new challenges with a realistic yet positive attitude. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a key case in point. As a paradigm-shifting technology, it is changing the way workplaces operate, and those who don’t adapt well – or don’t…

Indie Program Management Software-Technology

Beyond Delivery: How Technical Program Managers Lead Change & Grow with Impact

By Scott J. Pearson | March 21, 2026March 21, 2026 by Scott J. Pearson

Technical Program Managers (TPMs) are a recent phenomenon, particularly in larger organizations that use a lot of IT to achieve value. They combine the technical role and a leadership role in one function to enhance technical value. However, today’s literature on how to excel as a TPM is relatively sparse. Johnathan Stephen Sexton adds his experiences as a Walmart TPM to the mix in this book of homespun wisdom. As a very experience-driven account, he…

Leadership Management-Business

Ownership Unlocked: 4 Principles to Build Self-Driven Teams That Take Initiative, Innovate & Win

By Scott J. Pearson | March 10, 2026March 10, 2026 by Scott J. Pearson

Employees’ psychological ownership of their projects is a secret weapon to increase their productivity and effectiveness. Increasing ownership of their projects is a trait I seek to encourage among the software developers I work with. Their ownership not only keeps me from making too many tiny decisions for them, but it also tends to increase the quality of their work. It lets me know that they’re gaining self-confidence and investment in their work towards mastery…

Management-Business

The Art of Gathering: How We Meet & Why It Matters

By Scott J. Pearson | March 9, 2026March 9, 2026 by Scott J. Pearson

Humans are “social animals,” so Aristotle said long ago. We gather together to get things done, whether those gatherings are familial, a work conference, religious, or a party. What makes a good gathering work? Are there universal rules that govern gatherings’ format so that you can construct it to achieve a given goal? Yes, says Priya Parker, and this book seeks to show us how. I help organize biannual academic conferences as a part of…

Program Management Software-Technology

Technical Program Manager’s Handbook: Second Edition

By Scott J. Pearson | March 6, 2026March 6, 2026 by Scott J. Pearson

Technical Program Management represents a hot field to work in. In today’s world, many have skills to be software developers, and many know how to manage a program of projects, but few combine those skills to manage an entire program of software development projects. In an increasingly digital world, these combined skills are both marketable and valuable and define what a technical program manager (TPM) does. They are force multipliers to projects and organizations who…

Leadership Management-Business

Superteams: The Science & Secrets of High-Performing Teams

By Scott J. Pearson | February 28, 2026February 28, 2026 by Scott J. Pearson

In today’s workplace, teams represent the instrument of enacting change. Yet anyone who’s served on a team realizes that team dynamics are key to maintaining a healthy atmosphere to make those contributions. Many books suggest ways to improve teams, but relatively few of them are based on critical studies to discern if their ideas actually work. Ron Friedman’s book, in contrast, begins as a study. He identifies top-performing teams in terms of output and nicknames…

Management-Business Psychology

Rebuilding Trust in the Workplace: Seven Steps to Renew Confidence, Commitment & Energy

By Scott J. Pearson | February 15, 2026February 15, 2026 by Scott J. Pearson

Trust and betrayal are inevitable parts of life, and likewise, they are parts of careers in the workplace. What happens when you encounter betrayal and trust issues at work? Some might leave, but that option doesn’t always seem feasible. Instead, you have to work on rebuilding trust in your workplace, and that’s easier said than done. This book, written by two leading experts on the psychology of workplace trust, can lead you in the process…