7 Best Books for Project Managers

In the course of traveling through the project manager’s path, with a head buried in numerous obligations, we often forget to look at things from another angle and to embellish the new creative waves of ideas. So, sometimes it’s important to take one step back and see the perspective of what we are doing, and more importantly, how to do it all better. Many things can be learned through books – how to perfect a brand, how to best present it to customers, how to meet customer needs, how to successfully manage a team, and how to become a good project manager. Our list provides you with some books that could give you an answer to your troubles, so make sure to read it, as there are some of the best books for project managers. Of course, we don’t claim that books have all the answers, but should definitely be one of your main resources. Additionally, gaining relevant experience, meeting new people, and asking for pieces of advice from those who already mastered this position may help you a lot on your way of improving yourself. Remember, life-long learning is essential to anything you do, and especially when it comes to managing projects, people, and ideas. However, if you are on the other side, that is, in the position to hire a project manager, and you want to hire the best one, make sure to check out the Predictive Index, as it can change your life as an employer.

1. Strategic Project Management Made Simple: Practical Tools for Leaders and Teams – Terry Schmidt

This book explains why projects are falling, but also gives directions, as organization strategies create a powerful project plan that leads to success.

2. Neal Whitten’s No-Nonsense Advice for Successful Projects – Neal Whitten

The book provides useful tips and recommendations from the experience of a person who is being in the field for more than 30 years.

3. The Deadline: A Novel About Project Management – Tom DeMarco

A fun project management book written partly as the novel, through the story of Tompkins, a project manager. Don’t get confused; you can actually learn a lot from it!

4. The Lazy Project Manager: How to Be Twice as Productive and Still Leave the Office Early – Peter Taylor

This book tells us how we can transform our essence into virtue, applying Pareto principle to find the answer to the question of which 20% of the working day is really important and how to work smarter to achieve optimum productivity.

5. Rescue the Problem Project: A Complete Guide to Identifying, Preventing, and Recovering from Project Failure – Todd C. Williams, PMP

The book is the right guide to learning from unsuccessful projects, as these examples are always valuable. Don’t forget, learning how NOT to manage your projects is also important.

6. Project Retrospectives: The Handbook for Team Reviews – Norman L. Kerth

You should read this book if you want to learn more on how teams best learn from completed projects, and how to work successfully work when there are so many different people and ideas.

7. Project Management: The Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling and Controlling (11th Edition) – Harold R. Kerzner

This 1,200-page booklet gives absolutely all answers to project planning issues, especially investment, all through 25 case study; if you are in the middle of the project and face the challenge, consult this book to find the exit.