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Best Books: 46 Books Every New Manager Should Read

Taking on a new managerial role can be a daunting task, especially if it is your first manager position. We reached out to industry leaders to get their recommendations on which books every new manager should read.

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#1 Staying Power

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Every manager is responsible for retaining the talent on their team. This new book explains the evolution of employees over time, the unique mindset of today's new workforce, and provides actionable strategies for reducing employee turnover a problem impacting the business bottom line.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Cara Silletto from Crescendo Strategies

120 points
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  1. Great read!

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#2 The New ROI

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From the author: The New ROI: Return on Individuals is a must read. The book chronicles my journey as a finance professional, making the case that people truly are a company's most valuable asset. If managers treat their people as assets rather than expenses, they will actually increase employee engagement and also increase the value of the business.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Find Dave Bookbinder on LinkedIn

69 points
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#3 The Elemental Workplace

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Weaving insightful facts with lively prose and a sharp humor, change management expert Neil Usher demystifies workplace design, breaking it down to the essentials, disentangling it from arguments solely about aesthetics and style. Drawing on more than 25 years in the property profession (strategy, development, transactions, workplace creation, change programs, capital projects, operational management), Usher has penned the ultimate handbook for anyone involved in office design, whether managing people, running a business, or just interested in the workplace in which they are treated.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Marion Bernstein from LID Publishing

62 points
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#4 The Power of Curiosity

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In today’s fast-paced world of work, every manager needs to better understand others employees who report to them, colleagues and those senior to them. Without understanding mistakes are made, time wasted, the status quo remains. When we are able to understand others, we can collaborate, sharing ideas, innovating, and get things done correctly the first time. Production increases as does engagement and employees become accountable for what they are part of. All of which helps the new manager feel empowered so they can shine. This is a simple, easy to read book about the skills we need to have effective relationships, skills we are never taught and yet are expected to know.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Kathy Taberner from Institute of Curiosity

28 points
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#6 Target

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Godiva Regional President Jérôme Chouchan presents a unique approach to business and life, taking inspiration from the hard-won wisdom gained from his 25-year practice in global management and Japanese archery, also known as Kyudo. Kyudo has a particular teaching: Right shooting always results in a hit.

This means that you shouldn’t worry about simply hitting the target; instead, you should calmly focus your energy and willpower on proper mindset and form. In doing so, this right-minded shooting will naturally result in a hit. When applied to business, if you sincerely care about your customers and focus your efforts on customer satisfaction, as opposed to sales and profits, positive financial results will follow.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Marion Bernstein from LID Publishing

16 points
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#7 The First 90 Days

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The First 90 Days outlines a strategic approach to transitioning into a new leadership position, which Watkins contends is the most critical time for a leader. As performance in the first few months of a job is predictive of overall success in the role, it is important to begin contributing to the organization as quickly as possible. Watkins provides a blueprint to make this happen.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Dr. Michael Watkins from genesisadvisers.com

13 points
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#8 The Responsive Leader

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Drawing on nearly 20 years of experience working with IT, strategy, and organizational change management across several industries, leadership advisor Erik Østergaard offers a proven model for responding to the ever-changing VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) environment of the current Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Østergaard provides his readers with clear and useful methods, tools, and frameworks for adapting a flexible, responsive leadership style and guiding philosophy that matches the requirements of the 21st century.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Marion Bernstein from LID Publishing

13 points
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#9 The New Manager’s Workbook: A Crash Course in Effective Management

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Almost by accident, I came across Randy Clark's New Manager's Workbook. When I opened and viewed the contents, I realized that my outline (brainstorming) had 9 chapters devoted to deficiencies I recognized. Then, when I read the material, I realized how brilliantly put together his book was! Randy saved me many months of work, and he did a fantastic job on the material. I have made this tool available for the company's new managers with great reviews.

This is very much a crash course that is perfect for that person who gets thrown into a management role and wants to find early success. For what it is, the New Manager's Workbook is perfect. It reduces the high-level and complex theories associated with leadership, theories of motivation, and understanding human behavior, to a manageable, easy-to-follow, readily-available, progressive resource to effectively manage people.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Randy Clark from TKO Graphix

11 points
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#10 The Talent Brand

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You only get one reputation, and The Talent Brand will show you how to create the reputation that drives business results. Founder and chief branding officer of the New York-based branding agency Brandemix, Ordioni outlines the process for creating the key framework for creating your talent brand architecture. The Talent Brand guides the reader through Brandemix's carefully constructed process, providing complete access to branding tools, brainstorming templates, and learning resources.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Marion Bernstein from LID Publishing

4 points
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#11 Leaders Eat Last

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The principle of a long-term leader talked about here is something I think is so important for every manager; leadership is something that happens over time and is proved over time so it’s great for managing expectations if you’re a new manager who wants everything ‘now’.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Hannah Thorpe from White.net

3 points
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#12 The One Thing You Need to Know

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This book was a game changer for me because of its non-conventional approach. It made me see that great managers are those who also enhance and capitalize on employee strengths rather than just focusing on their weaknesses. Tips on setting clear goals, offering recognition, and showing team members that you care about them make this book a compelling read. Not only will it help you in terms of managing others, but also leverage your own strengths and weaknesses in right proportions.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Hitesh Sahni from EduSumo

3 points
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#13 Building on the Promise of Diversity

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Too often, people understand diversity to mean different skin tones. This book expands the politicized definition, re-frames the issue, and teaches people how to manage and value true diversity. Though I have always seen diversity as an asset, this book had an effect on the way I conceptualize diversity, how I am able to articulate it, and how I manage it. I highly recommend it for new managers.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Beth Cooper from KNB Communications

3 points
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#15 Give & Take

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Give and Take by Adam Grant, helps people to understand that, those who are really successful, give much more in the workplace than they take. There's a balance that managers and leaders should help to establish and nurture within their organizations so that there is a sense of team and cooperation, rather than isolation and competition.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Maggie Koosa from The Alchemists

3 points
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#18 Drive

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One of the key things a first-time manager should know is how to inspire others to perform at their best. Most managers think only in terms of monetary incentives, but Pink explains that extrinsic motivators like money don't always work. After reading this book, first-time managers will realize the importance of focusing on cultivating a sense of autonomy, purpose, and mastery in their team members.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Hitesh Sahni from EduSumo

2 points
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#22 Start With Why

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According to Simon Sinek, it doesn’t matter what your team does, or how they do it – what matters is why. Once you’ve identified your “why” and committed to it as a team, it makes future decisions much easier, and gives you an incentive to succeed – you are committed to positive change and long-term success because of your “why.”

Start with Why incentivizes you to take a step back and look at your project from a wider angle, however small it may be. This gives you a blueprint through which to work, because you know “why” you’re working, and what you’re working towards. Sinek’s approach is unusual, but it works – Strafe Creative is proof of that.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Ross Davies from Strafe Creative

0 points
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#26 The Hard Thing About Hard Things

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This book is brutally honest about the mistakes you can make running a business, and the difficult choices you face doing so. It helps normalize the panic you might sometimes feel when becoming a manager or dealing with a challenging HR or Finance issue, as you see that so many other businesses have gone through this and still ended up being extremely successful. The chapter on laying off employees and poaching them too is particularly helpful.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Hannah Thorpe from White.net

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#29 Extreme Ownership

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This book outlines the way individuals in leadership roles should make decisions best for their business and best for their team, through tactics such as leading up and down the chain of command (ensuring all those above and below you understand your mission and goals), proper planning, thorough decision making, and more.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Keri Lindenmuth from KDG

0 points
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#30 Eat that Frog

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Managing your team well can be relatively simple. Managing them efficiently is much harder. Different people work at different speeds, which can be incredibly infuriating if you’re used to your own efficiency. Bring in Eat that Frog, an indispensable guide to improving your own efficiency as well as that of your team.

It has 21 different ways to improve your productivity, and while some of them might seem “obvious” at first glance, you’d be surprised how much you and your team can work against yourselves, however unintentionally. Lead by example, and your team are sure to adopt some of your techniques, improving team efficiency overall.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Ross Davies from Strafe Creative

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#33 Confronting Without Offending

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Where there are people, there are disagreements and misunderstandings. The author of 30 Days to Taming Your Tongue (more than 500,000 copies sold), a popular speaker, and a relationship strategist, Deborah Smith Pegues draws on biblical principles, personal experience, and research to show how to approach difficult situations so relationships.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Chantay Bridges from Real Estate Professionals World Enterprise Marketing

0 points
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#34 Leadership 101

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This short book (roughly 120 pages cover to cover) is written by an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, coach, and author who has sold millions of books. Dr. Maxwell's companies have also trained more than 5 million leaders worldwide. This easily digested book is a practical guide to help leaders (especially new leaders) understand their roles, how leadership development occurs, the important traits that leaders share, and the impact that they can have within their organizations. Dr. Maxwell regularly uses real-life examples that demonstrate how leaders have achieved success while following these principles.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Timothy G. Wiedman from Doane University

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#35 Shift Your Thinking

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This is a great book to practice mindfulness in your daily living which most of that time is spent at work. I believe that it is a good way for a manager to take in some of these practices and model them for their team to inspire change in a more inspirational and transformative manner.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Querida Lugo from Styling For Your Life

0 points
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#36 The Manager’s Answer Book

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Written in question-and-answer format, The Manager’s Answer Book is an easy-to-use guide providing information on many aspects of managing, broken down into the following categories:

  • Getting started: moving from peer to manager, setting goals, managing projects, resources, and much more.
  • Developing your management skills: communicating, delegating, motivating, and facilitating.
  • Building and managing your team: hiring, firing, and everything in between.Creating your personal brand: building credibility for yourself, your team, and your department.
  • Managing up, down, and around: working with people and functions in your organization.
  • Avoiding potential land mines: conflict, change, and risk.
  • Recognizing legal pitfalls: navigating the haze of laws and regulations.

Some situations you may find yourself in include:

  • My predecessor was held in high esteem by everyone—but I’m not her and will likely have a different style. What do you suggest?
  • I’m adjusting to managerial responsibilities, but feeling cut off from people I used to brainstorm with. Is there a way to keep both?
  • What is ‘workforce planning’? Where do I start?
  • What should I be looking for in managing third-party contractors?
  • I think my company wastes a huge amount of time in meetings and I’d like to change this. What can I do?
  • My to-do list is out of control. How do I prioritize?
  • What can I do to bridge skills gaps I see on my team?
  • We have a very diverse workforce. Can you offer guidance for managing/interacting in this environment?

The information in The Manager’s Answer Book is at times general in nature. Policies, processes, and protocols will vary from organization to organization and industry to industry. But The Manager’s Answer Book will help any manager stay informed and avoid unknowingly tripping over a new situation while providing insights into many situations and issues that managers face outside their own area of expertise.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Tess Woods from Tess Woods PR LLC

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#39 The E-Myth Revisited

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This is a book that I find myself coming back to again and again – Gerber walks you through the different stages of a business, explaining how the lessons he has learned through his years as a small business consultant can impact your own management. Whether you’re managing an entire business or a small team, his advice can be applied in every aspect of management. Gerber’s writing style is easy to understand, and he takes the time to explain any complicated concepts – I would recommend this book to anyone leading a project, regardless of if you consider yourself an entrepreneur or not.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Ross Davies from Strafe Creative

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#41 Socially Confident In 60 Seconds

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Socially confident in 60 seconds takes you into many varied scenarios and helps you feel comfortable regardless of what you may face. Everything from common courtesies to business dining. The book takes you through effective networking, small talk, office, email & job interview etiquette, Meeting manners, protocols, tipping, cross-cultural personalities, dressing to impress, all the way to proper grammar and diction. This book is a must for new managers.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Chantay Bridges from Real Estate Professionals World Enterprise Marketing

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#43 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is the book I’d recommend because the concepts explored are not only life principles but principles that apply to professional and personal relationships. Upon reading this, I’d hope new managers get an understanding of how to prioritize based on limited time, along with the ability to read and understand situations before responding to them. My personal key takeaways from the book were the seeking to understand before being understood.

Want to read more reviews of this book or buy it? Check out the links below:

Contributors: Arjun Jolly from adQuadrant

0 points
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Written by Nathaniel Fried

Co-founder of Fupping. Busy churning out content and building an empire.