Reading list

Books for mid-level Product Managers

Mid-level PMs would usually have 3-6 years of experience, and at this point would be considering one of the following paths:

growing into people management and leadership positions (vertical growth);
taking on more complex, ambiguous problems or products (horizontal growth);
transitioning into a new role, e.g., marketing, support, operations, or entrepreneurship.

The resources below might help you better understand which path you’re more passionate about, and make the call.

Books

Good Strategy, Bad Strategy
by R.Rumelt
A must read for anyone who wants to create a great strategy. Reading the book is like attending an MBA class at your own time. Follow up with “HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Strategy”.
Product leadership
by R.Banfield, M.Eriksson, N.Walkingshaw
A collection of interviews with successful product managers to dive deep into their styles, approaches and techniques, and help you form your own.
The Innovator’s Dilemma
by C.Christensen
One of the most influential business books, it explains the concept of “disruptive innovation” and “jobs-to-be-done” as well as why they are important for winning the market leadership. Follow up with “The Innovator’s Solution”.
Make time
by J.Knapp, J.Zeratsky
Getting busier doesn’t mean that you’re getting more productive. The book offers a solid framework for managing time and shares around a hundred practical suggestions on how to actually make it work.
Zero to One
by P.Thiel
A classic collection of essays on business and innovation intertwined with outside-the-box views on society and economics.
High Output Management
by A.Grove
This book is for you if you’re interested in people management. A great introduction to challenges of building teams and companies.