Essential Reading

Metaphors We Live By
by George Lakoff
This book is about the linguistics and philosophy behind metaphors that underlie our worldview and, therefore, how we engage in the world. Reading and re-reading this book can help you develop an ability to listen more deeply. Understanding the metaphors people use, often without realizing it, can help you serve their true needs and goals, making both you and them more effective.

The Checklist Manifesto
by Atul Gawande
“Gawande is a gorgeous writer and storyteller, and the aims of this book are ambitious. Gawande thinks that the modern world requires us to revisit what we mean by expertise: that experts need help, and that progress depends on experts having the humility to concede that they need help.”

Time Management from the Inside Out
by Julie Morgenstern
This book illuminates your underlying preferences for how you spend your time and how to accept them and get your work done. Lots of tricks for maneuvering yourself into your best schedule and being honest with yourself and others about how you work. Applicable to managing up, scheduling, managing the executive team, preparing to discuss time management with your executive, etc.

Organizing from the Inside Out
by Julie Morgenstern
Same thing with the subject of organizing things. Applicable to managing up, refining your expertise of processes and projects.

Planning for Everything
by Peter Morville
“If you hate planning, you’re doing it wrong.” A conversational account of what planning is, and isn’t. Excellent companion to Julie Morgenstern’s books.

Chore Wars:
how households can share the work
and keep the peace
by James Thornton
While this seems to be about housekeeping, you can learn a lot about assessing the root causes behind behaviors in relationships. Applicable to managing the work of a team, managing relationships, and managing up.

It’s About Time!
The 6 Styles of Procrastination
and How to Overcome Them
by Dr. Linda Sapadin
Applicable to time management, managing up, scheduling.

Managing Humans
by Michael Lopp
A collection of witty and insightful essays about how to manage people who don’t want to be managed, and how to manage people when you have no training or experience. The book began as a series of blog entries, which is still active with new content: Rands in Repose