I recently finished Engineering Management for the Rest of Us by Sarah Drasner and it immediately earned a spot on my short list of books I recommend to engineering leaders. Not because it’s flashy or full of hot takes, but because it’s practical, honest, and written with a clear understanding of what the job actually looks like day to day.

One line that stuck with me early on was:

“Engineering management requires that you understand power imbalances, people structures, and consider strategies that are outside one particular project”

This is something I think about a lot. Everyone around you has opinions on how to do things, how to run a team, how to structure a project, or what the “right” answer is. As an EM, your job isn’t to pick a single opinion and defend it. It’s to take in multiple streams of input, often conflicting ones, and still move both the team and the individuals forward. That broader context is easy to lose when you’re deep in delivery mode, but it’s where the real leverage is.

Another section that resonated with me reinforces something simple but critical:

“The more your team shows that it can deliver, the more you build trust with other organizations as well!”

Reputation is built by shipping. People can like you just fine, but without consistent delivery and real impact, your team will be passed over for opportunities and growth.

Overall, this is a strong, approachable book with clean and succinct leadership nuggets. It works equally well for newer managers and seasoned ones. It’s now a must read for engineering leaders I work with.

Bookshop.org link