Ken Norton

Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making by Tony Fadell

Tony Fadell brought us the iPod and then went on to start Nest. But there were plenty of failures along the way. One of the best books by a product-minded entrepreneur I’ve ever read.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It by Ethan Kross

can lead to imposter phenomenon. In this book, a leading psychologist looks at the science behind our inner voice and new research into how to harness it and improve your physical and mental health.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Click by Jake Knapp

Another book by the authors of Sprint, this one focusing on the Foundation Sprint: how to identify your target customer and understand their problem

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Competing Against Luck by Clayton Christensen

Christensen explores one of his approaches to combating the Innovator’s Dilemma:

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Continuous Discovery Habits by Teresa Torres

Teresa Torres is the best in the business at helping teams build products and services that their customers want. Here she shares her techniques for transforming your process into one of continuous discovery and learning.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Creativity, Inc by Ed Catmull

, you’ll enjoy Catmull’s book about putting 10x into practice. He draws from the success – and failures – of Pixar to teach us how to lead creative teams.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore

The classic technology marketing book. Moore was the first to evaluate the role of early adopters.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen

from the Harvard Negotiation Project. A helpful book to have on-hand.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug

This lighthearted book about user interface design is fun to read, and chock full of lessons for PMs.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Empowered: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Products by Marty Cagan and Chris Jones

The sequel to Inspired, this book explores what the best product companies have in common. “Most people think it’s because these companies are somehow able to find and attract a level of talent that makes this innovation possible. But the real advantage these companies have is not so much who they hire, but rather how they enable their people to work together to solve hard problems and create extraordinary products.”

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Escaping the Build Trap by Melissa Perri

Melissa Perri explains how laying the foundation for great product management can help companies solve real customer problems while achieving business goals. By understanding how to communicate and collaborate within a company structure, you can create a product culture that benefits both the business and the customer.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Getting Things Done by David Allen

Soon after this book was published Allen attracted an almost cult-like following. The fundamental ideas remain sound. Product managers juggle hundreds of priorities, and this book will help you balance your time.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Getting To Yes by Roger Fisher and William Ury

Product managers need to be master negotiators and there’s no better guide to negotiation than this classic.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

High Output Management by Andrew S. Grove

This one only gets better with age. Although it’s only mentioned briefly, this is where Andy Grove first introduced OKRs to the world. His practical advice about meetings, especially the importance of 1-on-1s, inspired

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

How to Lie with Statistics by Darrell Huff

Product managers need a solid foundation in statistics to be metrics-driven. This classic book is a lively and fun book will leave you smarter and more skeptical.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

How to Work with (Almost) Anyone by Michael Bungay Stanier

My absolute favorite guide to getting a relationship off to a good start. MBS makes it simple to approach that initial ‘keystone conversation’ and keep any relationship healthy and vibrant.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Immunity to Change: How to Overcome It and Unlock the Potential in Yourself and Your Organization by Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey

. Understanding how we grow and develop will help you become a better leader and a more empathetic colleague. More accessible than his academic work, this book also provides a framework for understanding underlying beliefs and motivations that might be holding you back.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives by Steven Levy

Levy was given unprecedented access to Google, and the result is what I consider to be an accurate depiction of how the company operates. A good overview of how Google product managers work.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love by Marty Cagan

If you could only read one book on product management, this would be it. Marty has had a long and storied product management career, and is the founder of Silicon Valley Product Group.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Listen Like You Mean It: Reclaiming the Lost Art of True Connection by Ximena Vengoechea

Listening is one of the most important product management skills. Learn how to connect to customers, co-workers, and team members with this beautifully illustrated and accessible book.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

The instant classic about why some ideas thrive, why others die, and how to improve your idea’s chances.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Mastering Leadership by Robert Anderson and William Adams

A developmental pathway for growth that includes a stage development model of leadership. In particular,

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

On Writing by Stephen King

Product managers need to be good writers, and this is how you learn from one of the masters of the craft.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Positioning by Al Ries and Jack Trout

The classic marketing book, one of the first to specifically address positioning your product in a consumer’s mind.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Product Leadership by Richard Banfield, Martin Eriksson and Nate Walkingshaw

: “Your guide to navigating product leadership, the one I never had. Within these pages you’ll hear a diversity of opinions from the industry’s most successful and respected product leaders, insights that will help you lead your team and deliver exceptional products.”

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Product Management in Practice by Matt LeMay

Real-world, practical advice for PMs. Focused on communication, organization, research, and execution.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Scaling People: Tactics for Management and Company Building by Claire Hughes Johnson

Claire has been a senior executive at Google and Stripe. Here she offers up a guide to leadership that is both practical and inspiring. Suitable for leaders of all levels.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Sprint by Jake Knapp

From my former partners in GV Design—how to cut through the crap, identify a problem, and test it in only one week.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Strong Product People: A Complete Guide to Developing Great Product Managers by Petra Wille

Whether you’re a product leader coaching a team member or still early in your product maangement career, Petra Wille will help you break down the essentials of the job and develop a plan for growth.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Abraham Lincoln surrounded himself with his opponents, gradually turning them into admirers and influential advisors. Lincoln’s approach to leadership offers lessons for anyone looking to tap into the wisdom of others, with or without formal authority.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen

Product managers must learn to give and receive feedback with candor and kindness, and without withholding. This book, also from the Harvard Negotiation Project, will teach you how.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership by Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman, and Kaley Warner Klemp

This book dramatically changed me as a leader and as a person. It will help you develop self-awareness and connect deeply with your sense of purpose as a leader. If I could recommend one book to help you develop the human skills behind the

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

The Captain Class: The Hidden Force That Creates the World's Greatest Teams by Sam Walker

sports section looks at the leadership qualities of the most successful sports leaders in history. And they’re not what you think.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman

After you read Norman’s book you’ll notice design everywhere, both good and bad. A classic in the field of design.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton Christensen

The most important business and product management book of the past fifty years. If you’re a technology PM and you haven’t read Christensen, do so right now.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

The Lean Product Playbook by Dan Olsen

, with lots of tactical advice and techniques for putting lean methodologies into practice.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

The Mythical Man-Month by Frederick P. Brooks

If you could only read one computer science book, this would be it. Almost fifty years old, it’s as relevant as ever. I promise you’ll nod your head as Brooks skewers mistakes that engineering leaders continue to make to this day.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

The Power of a Positive No: Save The Deal Save The Relationship and Still Say No by William Ury

. Saying no gracefully and firmly is one of the most important skills for a product manager to develop. This is the classic guide for learning to do so.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

The Science of Storytelling: Why Stories Make Us Human and How to Tell Them Better by Will Storr

One of the most common requests I receive is for resources to become a better storyteller. In this book, award-winning novelist Will Storr looks at how the brain responds to stories, and how to captivate your audience and connect with their emotions.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts by Annie Duke

A product manager will be called upon to make scores of decisions every day. In none of these cases will you have all of the information you want, and you’ll rarely be 100% confident. Poker champion turned decision researcher Annie Duke will help you learn how to be comfortable with uncertainty.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

When does our animal brain make decisions for us before our more analytical brain has a chance to think through the consequences? From Nobel laureate Kahneman, this is one of the most important psychology books ever written.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Transformed: Moving to the Product Operating Model by Marty Cagan, Lea Hickman, Chris Jones, Christian Idiodi, John Moore

The third book in Cagan’s trilogy, this one focuses on how companies can transform their cultures from project- to product-oriented. This book is probably less useful for the individual contributor, but it offers hope for anyone trapped in a feature team that something better is possible. Buy it for your boss or CEO.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Work Rules! by Laszlo Bock

Laszlo and his team at Google reinvented the role of human resources. This book is a terrific overview of what makes Google Google, from culture, to hiring, to making decisions.

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo

Yes to the Mess: Surprising Leadership Lessons from Jazz by Frank Barrett

Jazz is messy, and musicians seem to court disaster night after night. What can product leaders learn from how these artists approach their art? Barrett’s entertaining book formed the backbone for

on bringthedonuts.com · 7 Jan 20268mo