Typically, technical education prepares students for individual positions that require a lot of self-motivated thinking. They don’t usually prepare them for leading teams. Yet some new employees might find that they want to move beyond being an individual contributor (IC) into a leadership role. Getting an MBA would be an obvious educational direction, but that expensive route might not prepare a student for the exact kind of leadership role she/he desires. In this book, Andrew Swerdlow offers a practical alternative. He teaches readers how to change their mindset and career trajectory to that of a leader.
Swerdlow certainly possesses the resume and ethos to write this book. With two masters degrees, he has worked at some of the IT industry’s best companies. However, I found much of the underlying logic of the material lacking. This book contains no new research findings that challenge standard practice. It is marketed as being geared for “tech,” and Swerdlow’s professional experience certainly veers in that direction. However, most of his advice could be directed at a general audience interested in leadership skills. Aspects devoted to understanding the human side of technological problems is minimally discussed, unfortunately, yet these humanistic aspects convey what tech leaders most need.
Swerdlow, without a doubt, serves as a great business mentor to those aspiring to lead others. This book offers a good route of growth for those who might lack such mentorship in their personal relationships. It also might benefit those engineers new to the domain of leadership. However, as someone already well-read in leadership principles, this book came off as a bit vanilla for my tastes. I needed and expected more provocation and more scientific substance than just inspiring stories. Lamentably, this book left me lacking.
Tech Leadership: The Blueprint for Evolving from Individual Contributor to Tech Leader
By Andrew Swerdlow
Copyright (c) 2024
Base Two Publishing
ASIN: B0CZLZNH27
Length: 7:28
Genre: Business, Technology
www.amazon.com