[Meta] I really wish I could see upvote counts for this post. Answers here are reviews and each vote for a review matters. If only 10 people have voted for anarchitect's list of sources, that means there is very little consensus here which could mean that there are no truly good books on this somewhat ephemeral topic.
Ask HN: Dev promoted to more strategic role in startup. What literature?
31–40 of 84 posts
Re: Ask HN: Dev promoted to more strategic role in startup. What literature?
#32In a senior role, effective communication becomes more important. One of the best books I've read about how to communicate effectively is http://www.amazon.com/The-Pyramid-Principle-Writing-Thinking... It introduces a specific method to write concise, effective business documents. Then it shows how you can use the method to critique your own thinking.
On a related note, this book (http://www.treesmapsandtheorems.com/) is excellent.
The author approaches communication from the principle of Gestalt psychology and really helps one understand how our minds communicate.
Re: Ask HN: Dev promoted to more strategic role in startup. What literature?
#33How to Measure Anything -- By Douglas Hubbard
The successful role models in my life have a keen ability to at least relatively measure large, nebulous things. For thinking in probabilities and ways to gauge intangibles like "effectiveness" I think this book is excellent.
Re: Ask HN: Dev promoted to more strategic role in startup. What literature?
#34Honestly I would get a mentor. Find someone either in your org or out of your org that has the skills and career you would like to work towards and start talking to them. If you hit it off you may have found someone who can help you through the bumpy parts of your career and help you plan your next steps. Some people charge for this as career coaching and that can also have some value but it's challenging to sort out…
Agreed. This should be step #1.
Re: Ask HN: Dev promoted to more strategic role in startup. What literature?
#35There are lot's of good advice already but I'd like to add few more. You need to make a mind shift from dev/manager role to strategic senior manager. My recommendation is to read:
Good to Great ( http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/76865.Good_to_Great )
On War ( https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/117031.On_War_Indexed_Ed... ( I'm not sure which English translation is the best )
and try to see how practical tips both give for decision making. Art of War is also good, but I'd prefer Clausewitz since it's much more straightforward.
And read this masterpiece http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/pdf/reports-downloads/the-testa...
Re: Ask HN: Dev promoted to more strategic role in startup. What literature?
#36This is my own list, I've not read these yet but collated this list after a similar promotion
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6398792-growing-software
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6233608-software-product-...
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13705334-enterprise-softw...
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6278270-the-principles-of...
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9706236-management-3-0
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17278287-the-founder-s-di...
http://www.amazon.com/Inside-Minds-Technology-Officers-Peopl...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1118443667/ref=as_li_ss_t...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Essential-Drucker-Management-Ess...
Re: Ask HN: Dev promoted to more strategic role in startup. What literature?
#37The best book bar none that I've read about strategy is "Good Strategy, Bad Strategy" by Richard Rumelt: http://goodbadstrategy.com/ I highly recommend it. It's clear, intelligent, properly defines what strategy is (which most other books fail to do) and isn't, and how to go about designing and implementing it. It's very low on bullshit and very high on examples and insights from both history and business.
Aaaaaand.. Amazon thanks you. (As do I.) :-)
Re: Ask HN: Dev promoted to more strategic role in startup. What literature?
#38I warmly recommend you to read Peopleware:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321934113/
Re: Ask HN: Dev promoted to more strategic role in startup. What literature?
#39In the last five years moved from development, to leading the development team to more of a product management role. Fully agree with that DanielBMarkham it's "the people part of things is where you'll screw up", so I'd focus on communication and team-building as much as processes. I've found a few books really useful: * The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right ( https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6667514-th…
Can you elaborate on the purchasing of executive summaries? Sounds interesting; I also like to forage and often find that, for certain books, I really just want the technical footnotes.
Re: Ask HN: Dev promoted to more strategic role in startup. What literature?
#40I don't think there's anyone writing better, more actionable advice on this particular transition than Michael Lopp at http://randsinrepose.com I'd read everything on that site.
Seconded. If paper form is more your thing, I've found his compilation book "Managing Humans" (http://www.amazon.com/Managing-Humans-Humorous-Software-Engi...) to be a great place to start.