Managing Humans by Michael Lopp

Michael Lopp, also known as rands, wrote a incredibly hands-on book on what being a Software Engineering Manager entails. He explains how to run a meeting, how to handle crisis and, you guessed it, everything related to managing humans. Here’s a taste of chapter titles: Fred hates the Off-Site, Titles are Toxic, Hacking is Important, Bored People Quit. All of it is split in three parts, from what you need to have in your “Management Quiver”, to the value and pitfalls of process to different archetypes of people and hiring/getting hired advice. I love the stories he’s telling from being at Apple and other companies to give more color to the point he’s making.

This is in the top three leadership books I tell newcomers to read, cannot recommend this enough.