Reading List
Reading is one of the most important things an IT professional can do to continue to develop and grow in their careers. And I do not mean reading technical books, articles, and blogs (though that is important as well), I am talking about reading the types of books that will help us grow and develop as leaders. I wrote fairly extensively on the importance of reading here.
Over the last couple of years, I have made it a priority to commit myself to reading a personal/professional book each month. It has been very much worth the effort. I encourage all IT professionals to make a greater commitment to reading to increase their knowledge and influence. As Stephen Covey says, “Read deep and read wide.” Read books that challenge you and take you outside your technical “comfort zone.”
Below is a list of the books that I have gotten the most value out of. This list is a great starting place if you are looking for a reading list of professional development books.
Happy Reading!
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen Covey – I consider this the grandaddy of all professional development books. If you are only going to read one book in this list make it this one. If you apply the 7 Habits to your personal and professional life you will not be able to help but to make strides in your development
Emotional Intelligence – Daniel Goleman – The further we advance in our careers the more important our “soft” skills or “people” skills become. Or, more simply put, we need to become more emotionally intelligent. This is the best source on the subject.
The Effective Executive – Peter Drucker – Would you like to learn how to better manage your time, priorities, and decision making to make stronger contributions to your organization? Then read this “oldie but goodie” to learn how to increase your effectiveness.
The Obstacle is the Way – Ryan Holliday – The 2,000+ year old philosophy is making a comeback. The life of an IT professional is full of challenges and stress. Stoicism can help us to learn how to better handle these challenges and turn them into opportunities. Holliday’s book is a great place to get started on learning more about Stoicism.
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