Five of the Best Project Management Books You Should Add to Your Library
The world of project management is fast-paced. Not only do you have to manage day-to-day tasks
and responsibilities associated with your work, but you also have to stay up-to-date on trends
and continue to search for ways to optimize your approach to project management. Well, this
process is an arduous one, but we can take one step off your plate: finding the information you need.
We've all been there! The conferences, workshops, and course credits that were a part of our
professional development were a staple in our careers. Nevertheless, while these things are still
important, the pandemic has made it challenging to experience these things the way we once did.
Fortunately, you don't have to leave home to learn.
While you may not be able to attend a fancy hotel for a project management conference, you can
still learn helpful project management tips from cracking open a good book. You can affordably
hear about exceptional leadership and management best practices from some of the world's most
renowned business professionals.
Below are five project management-related books that you should add to your reading list this spring.
Some of these books will explicitly discuss project management, while others will touch on central
components to successfully carry out project management processes.
So, without further delay, let's take a look at some project management books to read that can
help you optimize your project management approach.
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
By David Allen
This one shows up on a lot of productivity and project management lists. While it doesn't go
into detail about specific project management ideologies, it addresses a topic that is an
important one that management professionals care about: productivity. Author and speaker David
Allen provides tips for helping project managers organize their day in "Getting Things Done:
The Art of Stress-Free Productivity."
The first iteration of this book was published fifteen years ago, but Allen has consistently
revised and sharpened the content to address the nuances of the new workplace. Allen lays out
tips for using lists and structures to help you organize your personal and professional tasks
throughout the day. From goal reassessment to addressing the anxiety of being overwhelmed with
your day, Getting Things Done touches on a variety of relevant project management-related issues.
Brilliant Project Management: What the Best Project Managers Know, Say, and Do
By Stephen Barker and Rob Cole
Have you ever wanted to find out how other project managers are moving through their day? Do you
ever wonder if you all have the same struggles and triumphs? "Brilliant Project Management: What
the Best Project Managers Know, Say, and Do" is an excellent resource for answering these questions.
This book includes practical and real examples from thirty years of hands-on project management
experience. Additionally, it includes clever steps for overcoming some of the most common problems
that project managers face. On top of advice and examples, it's an easy-to-read book—which is a big plus!
Bringing Out the Best in People: How to Apply the Astonishing Power of Positive Reinforcement
By Aubrey Daniels
If you've been a project manager for any length of time, you know how crucial the art of communication
is to working with and managing team members. Thought leader and workplace expert Aubrey Daniels
discusses how you can use effective communication strategies to bring out the best in your team members
and employees.
This book includes tips on creating effective rewards systems, encouraging employee engagement, and
motivating team members from different generations to be innovative and creative. It also touches on
how to use technology to shape the workplace. This book not only describes tips but also includes
real-life examples to follow.
Definitely consider adding this one to the list if you want to strengthen your employees' communication
and collaboration skills as well as your own.
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap, and Others Don't
By Jim Collins
Why do some companies and teams perform at a high-level, while others seem to falter? What sets
them apart? Author, Jim Collins, conducted a study that looked at elite companies and studied
why they were able to sustain success for fifteen years. He and researchers then outlined the
qualities of "Good" companies versus "Great" companies and why the former had not caught up to
the latter.
The book highlights the importance of exceptional leadership, discipline, change management skills,
and other components that help companies move on to become great. It's an eye-opening look at what
truly makes a company excel. Some of these concepts and ideals in this book can likely be used also
to improve and benefit teams.
Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time
By Jeff Sutherland
Have you ever considered using a Scrum framework? Are you using it now and need some tips for
optimizing it? Then this is the book to check out. In it, the author, Jeff Sutherland, puts
together a guidebook for project managers who want to embrace Scrum principles.
To provide some background, let's discuss the meaning behind the term. Scrum involves the practice
of taking large and complex projects and breaking them down into agile processes that can increase
productivity.
The book outlines the history of the concept, how it has evolved, and best practices for implementing
it at your organization. Additionally, the book is written by the co-creator of the term, so you get
to hear the input from the person responsible for establishing its implementation.
It's easy-to-read and includes some excellent examples of how this framework has been introduced
into other businesses. If you are considering implementing Scrum into your company, then this is
the book to consider.
The Right Book Can Supercharge New Ideas
Whether you prefer audiobooks or printed pages, the right book can propel new ideas forward. Again,
it's challenging to find the time to make learning and personal development a priority today—particularly
in the age of COVID-19.
Nevertheless, to learn and grow, it's critical to make an effort to find ways to be exposed to new
ideas. Fortunately, selecting the right book and committing to reading even a few pages a day can
give you the knowledge you need to keep moving and learning.