This book fills a gap in literature about technology leadership. Many books on leadership exist; likewise, many books on approaching technology from the perspective of business leadership exist; however, not a lot of books talk about how to lead from a technologist’s angle. People working in software are usually really smart people. They know and respect “game” when they see competence and mastery in their field. But mentorship from books or from seasoned leaders is hard to come by for those who themselves aspire to lead. This book fills that gap with practical lessons learned from Google’s rise.
This book covers everything and is as comprehensive as an academic textbook. The research literature informs its perspective including Google Projects Oxygen and Aristotle. These internal projects sought to identify the most useful practices of successful managers at their company. Yet the practical side of management also shines through these pages. Like the best management books, it never strays far from results like productive teammates, fulfilling work, and maximizing effectiveness. It’s simply the most complete book on IT leadership that I’ve read so far. It’ll fill a lasting place in the marketplace of technology books.
Following modern leadership theory, Addy Osmani asserts that anyone can lead, regardless of title. He identifies common pitfalls technologists make when moving from a coding-heavy job to a people-heavy role. Importantly, he describes in depth how personality interacts with the art of coding. The personalities of programmers are notoriously difficult to master, and not many books are careful when categorizing them. This book, grounded in practice, is as insightful and innovative at that task as I’ve read anywhere else.
If you’re in the technology industry and want to contribute to your team, this work is for you. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a coder, tester, or manager: If you want to make your team better by leading helpful change, this book can identify a path forward – even if you don’t want to change your current job responsibilities. It’s filled with the idealism, erudition, and inventiveness that has propelled Google forward to change the world… and might just propel your workplace forward, too.
Leading Effective Engineering Teams: Lessons for Individual Contributors and Managers from 10 Years at Google
By Addy Osmani
Narrated by Ray Greenley
Copyright (c) 2024
Ascent Audio
ASIN B0DCHG1JDJ
Length: 9:34
Genre: Software, Leadership
www.amazon.com