Leadership – Page 2 – Scott J. Pearson’s Book Review

The Software Engineer’s Guidebook: Navigating Senior, Tech Lead & Staff Engineer Positions at Tech Companies & Startups

By Scott J. Pearson | June 1, 2024September 24, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Writing software promises a career full of intellectual challenges, never-ending learning, and collaborative projects. Yet sometimes, the career path can seem arduous and hidden, especially for those not on the management track. How can engineers lead when they’re not managing a team? In this book, Gergely Orosz shows how engineers can establish a career, progress to senior level and tech lead, and then move onto principal or staff engineering roles. None of these roles involves…

Mastering Collaboration: Make Working Together Less Painful & More Productive

By Scott J. Pearson | May 19, 2024September 24, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Many modern problems must be solved in teams, so healthy organizations must prioritize social issues to the fore. Yet sometimes, it seems that modern culture has done worse, not better, at limiting stress and anxiety. These problems are heightened in technical fields where workers often address scientific issues, rather than people issues. To answer these troubling questions, Gretchen Anderson, a Harvard-educated Silicon Valley executive, lends her voice from decades of experience leading teams to develop…

Leadership Management-Business Software-Technology

Engineering Management for the Rest of Us

By Scott J. Pearson | April 18, 2024September 24, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Engineering management books can sometimes be a bit technical, like the field of engineering itself. Of course, it’s no surprise that engineers often view the task as one of exacting competence – like their work. Yet management can, in truth, be its own thing because it deals with people. Humans pose their own set of challenges, and few can speak authoritatively about both realms. Thus, few good books exist in this domain. Unfortunately, many engineers…

History Leadership Society

For Her Own Good: Two Centuries of the Experts’ Advice to Women

By Scott J. Pearson | March 30, 2024September 24, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

I grew up in a conservative home in a conservative state with a religion that enshrined conservatism more than Christianity. Fortunately, I was allowed to read, and reading has become a salvation of sorts. As I’ve aged and expanded my horizons, I’ve nonetheless grown concerned that I might have picked up some bad habits along the way. I’m recognized as an expert in my field, but I strive not to be one that oppresses others.…

Fiction-Stories Leadership Religion-Philosophy

Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

By Scott J. Pearson | January 25, 2024September 24, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

In the early twentieth century, Harlem was the place to be for black culture. Many had recently moved northward from the South to try out city life. As much as they wanted to reinvent themselves, past culture, built on the Christian Scriptures, remained ever near. In a small Harlem church, a teenage son came to terms with his identity in a relatively short amount of time. This book starts with the beginning of his epiphany,…

Leadership Management-Business Mentoring Psychology

The Power of the Other: The Startling Effect Other People Have on You, from the Boardroom to the Bedroom & Beyond – and What to Do About It

By Scott J. Pearson | January 16, 2024September 24, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Modern leadership is often contrasted with healthy relationships. Leaders, we are told, have to be a lonely and isolated genius, like Steve Jobs. However, in truth, no one can lead without relying on other people. Getting things done requires healthy relationships, and most key advances just cannot be made without others’ influence. In this book, leadership psychologist Henry Cloud examines how to best take advantage of others’ help by identifying mutually beneficial relationships. Cloud’s main…

Leadership Management-Business

Let It Go!: How to (Finally) Master Delegation & Scale Freedom Across Your Organization

By Scott J. Pearson | January 12, 2024September 24, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Entrepreneurship draws people who aren’t afraid of taking risks and who are willing to put in the work. However, this field also has its share of pitfalls… like not being able to transform work requests into work for others. Leaders often get to their positions by getting things done. The practice of leadership, however, often means letting others get things done. The handoff process is called delegation. In this book, Emily Morgan dissects this topic…

Leadership Management-Business

The Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well

By Scott J. Pearson | December 30, 2023September 24, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

American business success tends to feed off a narrative of continual rise and winning. However, lives and careers are full of setbacks, and most do not know how to handle these towards a positive effect. Failing well is not an idea with wide acceptance. Many leaders fear permissiveness of failure will lead to a downward cycle in performance. Amy Edomondson, a business professor who studies organizational failures, believes that this pervasive culture needs to change.…

Leadership Management-Business

Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works

By Scott J. Pearson | November 30, 2023September 24, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

This book is known as a classics on strategic planning and the role of strategy in business. It speaks from the point of view of leadership over Procter & Gamble’s (P&G) numerous businesses. The company identified its organization to be weak in understanding strategy, and it sought to inculcate strategic thinking into its leadership. Although this book references a few other corporations, it consists largely of case studies around how P&G succeeded using strategy. The…

Leadership Management-Business Mentoring

The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever

By Scott J. Pearson | October 24, 2023September 24, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

When approached with an issue, most of us instinctively respond with doling out advice. We assume that people want to use our expertise. However, many of the best leaders have a different response: curiosity about the other person. They ask questions to empower the people around them to make better decisions. After all, the question-askers are the ones closest to the issues, not the one being questioned. In this book, Michael Bungay Stanier seeks to…