Recommended reading for new team lead

Question

Our organization is undertaking a re-org to solve our current resource and communications issues. I know, a re-org never solves anything, etc. With that being said, I was tapped to go from an individual contributor (aka tech lead/architect) to leading a team of maintenance developers and analysts.

I'm very aware of all of the stigmas associated with this kind of move: PHB, those that can, do - those that can't, get promoted, just because you are a good coder won't make you a good leader/manager, etc. So I am a little paranoid about making mis-steps.

As a tech lead, I'd like to think that I was conscious of the trends in the industry and took steps to educate myself. I've read all of the main books that are typically mentioned: Peopleware, Mythical Man-month, Code Complete, Pragmatic Programmer, etc.

As I am entering this new phase, I'm feeling a little underprepared and am looking for the equivalent must-read teamlead books. Of course, keep in mind that this is for a maintenance team in a big bureaucratic organization, so my ability to make sweeping changes (ala Peopleware) are a little limited.

What do you recommend?

p.s. I know that this is a little off-topic for the site (not directly programming related and doesn't have a concise answer) but I've seen other threads that are just as OT and, more importantly, I've been impressed with the responsiveness of the community so far.

Thanks, Matt

Answer 1

Asking the question here is definitely gonna lead to someone posting it, so let me go ahead.

Take a look at Joel's page on the Fog Creek Management reading list http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/FogCreekMBACurriculum.html

Jeff and Joel did a podcast almost exclusively on this list. See Stack Overflow podcast #12. There is also the transcipt wiki for this podcast.

Answer 2

As you think your post is a little off-topic, I thought I'd give a slightly off-topic response.

Having made a similar career move a number of years ago, the book that most positively changed my management style was Dave Allen's Getting Things Done. While it's not a team management or leadership book it does provide a very powerful approach to self-management which I think is the essential foundation to managing teams.

Another book I found pretty useful was the ever popular One Minute Manager which covers the basics pretty well, although I also found Richard Templar's The Rules of Management was pretty thought provoking.

Answer 3

Software Project Survival Guide by Steve McConnell

Rapid Development by Steve McConnell

Answer 4

@Ubiguchi - I think your response was spot-on (not off-topic). I've started GTD several times but have never made it through. If I were to evaluate my weaknesses, my organizational skills and prioritizing the next actions are probably my weakest areas. Thanks for bringing GTD back to my attention.

@Simucal - Three of the five books you listed were ones I mentioned as having read already. I agree that they are good, but wasn't quite what I was looking for. And, my concern isn't so much the topics they cover but dealing with teams and people.

@Cheekysoft - I wasn't aware of the list, but I've been aware of Joel's recommended reading lists for a while. I actually started on his programmer's list. I thought about going to his FogCreek MBA list before posting but I knew it was a long list and was looking for the best couple to start with (like everyone always mentions Peopleware and TMM).

It is at least good to know that I am kind of in the ballpark already by at least being aware of what it is like to be a developer and that people aren't just listing management fad of the week books.

I'll see what else trickles in before closing.

Matt

Answer 5

It sounds like you're looking for some advice that covers the political and psychological part of the job. One of the books on Joel Spolsky's list is Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends & Influence People," and I have to agree with him in that it's not a book about gaming or using people. It's about acting with empathy, caring and consideration at all times, and how this isn't just the ethical choice, but the most effective one as well.

But it doesn't address corporate politics, and since you'll be working for a large organization, I recommend "100 Most Difficult Business Letters You'll Ever Have to Write, Fax, or E-Mail" by Bernard Heller. It's not just a set of well-written business communications, but also an insightful presentation of the kinds of political issues that come up in business contexts.

Finally, I got a lot out of the Manager Tools introductory podcasts. It's not a bad idea to use their one-on-one method when you start out. You can always adapt it to your style and situation later. Their points are well-made, and when I started following their recommendations I found it worked pretty well.

Answer 6

Well it kind of depends exactly what is expected of you and where you feel you need to improve ... but I'll throw out some books not listed above yet...

Becoming a Technical Leader: An Organic Problem-Solving Approach (Gerald M. Weinberg).

Dynamics of Software Development (Jim McCarthy)

Facts and Fallacies of Software Engineering (Robert Glass)

Answer 7

Herding Cats: A Primer for Programmers Who Lead Programmers

Great book not just for team leads, but anyone in management, even if they weren't programmers to start with.

Answer 8

As far as accepting an answer, there were a number of good suggestions to choose from. I think Ubiguchi and Marcel were closest to the spirit of what I was looking for and they both brought up some classics that definitely need to be read. I definitely need to make sure I'm under control and applying GTD (or something to stay organized) is probably the first step to success. I'm also going to take a look at the Manager Tools podcasts. At the title level, they look great. Hopefully the content will be as good.

Thanks everyone!

Answer 9

Here's a new one for me which I am enjoying very much:

• Making Thing Happen by Scott Berkun

Answer 10

Without wishing to curry favour with some of the founders, but I've just read Joel Spolsky's Smart and Gets Things Done, which isn't specifically for team leads, but is a great introduction to interviewing and thinking about how the people who you lead might react better.

Answer 11

The best book I've read on the subject of being a technical manager is Behind Closed Doors by Johanna Rothman. It's a short book, but covers all of the basics including 1:1s, management by walking around, dealing with conflict, etc. The stuff in the book aligns well with my experience.