Exploring Essential Reads: Best Books for Agile and Product Development Enthusiasts, Catering to IT Professionals and Stakeholders Alike

If you think you know everything, you actually know very little.

This quote is widely known and is not attributed to a specific author. It represents common wisdom that emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and expanding one's knowledge over the belief in one's omniscience.

Now that we know we're not all-knowing, it's worth regularly reaching for interesting and valuable literature. Below is a list of books, categorized and ordered by the most valuable that I find worth reading for IT Professionals and Stakeholders.

I will be updating it regularly, so make sure to check in here systematically.

Enjoy your reading!

Inspirations for Scrum Masters & Agile Coaches

Understanding and Applying the Scrum Framework:

1. Gunther Verheyen - Scrum: A Smart Travel Companion. A Pocket Guide It is an invaluable pocket guide to mastering Scrum, packed with essential insights. This book provides practical advice and wisdom, making it a must-read for anyone navigating the world of Agile and Scrum. It's the perfect reference for both beginners and experienced Scrum practitioners.
2. Jeff Sutherland - SCRUM. The art of doing twice the work in half the time This book simplifies the principles of Scrum, making it easier for readers to grasp the concept and apply it effectively.
3. Stephanie Ockerman and Simon Reindl - Mastering Professional Scrum: A Practitioner s Guide to Overcoming Challenges and Maximizing the Benefits of Agility It is comprehensive guide delves deep into the challenges faced by practitioners in the Scrum framework, offering valuable insights into how to navigate them and achieve the full advantages of agility.
4. Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka - The New New Product Development Game This article introduces a fresh perspective on product development, emphasizing collaboration and adaptability as key components of innovation in the business world.
5. David J. Snowden and Mary E. Boone - A Leader’s Framework for Decision Making It provide leaders with a comprehensive framework for making effective decisions in complex, ever-changing environments, promoting a more informed and adaptive approach to leadership.
6. Mariusz Chrapko - Scrum. O zwinnym zarz?dzaniu projektami [Polish language version only] The readers delve into the world of Scrum framework, gaining insights and practical knowledge on how to navigate complex products with flexibility and efficiency.
7. Mike Cohn - Agile Estimating and Planning It provides a comprehensive guide to agile project management, offering techniques and strategies for effective estimation and planning in dynamic development environments.
8. Ken Schwaber - Software in 30 Days: How Agile Managers Beat the Odds, Delight Their Customers, and Leave Competitors in the Dust It illustrates how agile approach can empower managers to exceed customer expectations, outperform competitors, and deliver high-quality software within tight schedules.
9. Ken Schwaber and Mike Beedle - Agile Software Development with Scrum It explores the practical implementation of Scrum principles, equipping readers with the knowledge to successfully adopt this agile framework in their products.

Developing People and Teams:

1. Johnson Spencer – Who Moved My Cheese? It is a captivating parable that explores the concept of change and adaptation through the lives of four characters. This insightful book delivers a powerful message about embracing change and responding to it with resilience and agility, inspiring readers to rethink their approach to challenges and uncertainty in both personal and professional life.
2. Micha? Cakrt – Kto jest kim. Typy osobowo?ci dla mened?erów (Who is Who. Personality Types for Managers) [I didn't find English language version to buy] This book explores various personality types relevant to managers, offering valuable insights into how different personalities can impact leadership and team dynamics.
3. Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton – Now, Discover Your Strengths It emphasizes the importance of focusing on individual strengths and leveraging them for personal and professional growth.
4. Erin Meyer - The Culture Map: Decoding How People Think, Lead, and Get Things Done Across Cultures (Polish version book) . Cultural patterns of behavior and beliefs often influence our perception (what we see), cognition (what we think), and actions (what we do). The material in this publication helps improve the ability to decode these three aspects of culture and enhance effectiveness in dealing with them. She emphasizes that cultural differences influence every international interaction. ===> READY-MADE RETROSPECTIVE or WORKSHOP.
5. Lyssa Adkins - Coaching Agile Teams: A Companion for Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches and Project Managers in Transition It is a valuable resource for those involved in Agile methodologies, offering guidance on how to effectively coach and support Agile teams.
6. Patrick Lencioni - The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable It presents a leadership fable that highlights common pitfalls in team dynamics and offers solutions to build more cohesive and high-performing teams.

Evolving the Agile Organization:

1. Simon Sinek - Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action It explores how great leaders inspire others to take action by focusing on the fundamental question of why they do what they do. Sinek's book emphasizes that understanding and communicating the "why" behind your actions and decisions can have a profound impact on leadership and motivation.
2. dr Aga Szóstek - The Umami Strategy. Stand out by mixing business with experience design Probably the most well-known questions about organizational vision are: "What do we really do?" posed by Theodore Levitt in his classic HBR article, "Marketing Myopia," and "Why do you do what you do?" asked by Simon Sinek in his book "Start with Why." Aga adds a third question complementing the first two: "Why is it important?" Each of these questions should be asked more than once.The right questions help see a problem in a new light.
3. Eric Barends and Denise M. Rousseau - Evidence - Based Management. How to use evidence to make better organizational decisions . There are probably only a few texts that I'm aware of that explain in a non-academic and easily understandable way the importance of evidence and how to use it. Unfortunately, this one isn't one of them. The content can be intimidating for readers. However, if you take the time to delve into it and give this book your full attention, the knowledge you'll gain will be immense. From learning about the scientific methods expressed simpler in Scrum Guide, to understanding the importance of multi-contextuality in gathering requirements, problem-solving and overall management. Only to the persistent. ??
4. Michael Watkins - The first 90 days It is a comprehensive guide that provides strategies and insights for executives and leaders during the critical early phase of their new roles. This book offers practical advice on how to navigate transitions effectively, accelerate learning curves, and make a positive impact in the first three months of a new leadership position.

Inspirations for Product Owners

Managing Products with Agility:

1. Eric Ries - The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses It is a groundbreaking book that introduces a systematic approach to entrepreneurship, emphasizing continuous innovation and experimentation as keys to building successful businesses. Ries offers practical insights that helps entrepreneurs minimize risk and efficiently validate their ideas in today's fast-paced startup landscape. It is not must have for startupers. It is MUST, MUST, MUST have.
2. Anthony Ulwick - What Customers Want: Using Outcome-Driven Innovation to Create Breakthrough Products and Services The readers learn about Outcome-Driven Innovation, a powerful approach for creating innovative products and services by deeply understanding and fulfilling customer needs.
3. Don McGreal and Ralph Jocham - The Professional Scrum Product Owner It provides essential guidance for individuals in the role of Product Owner in Scrum, offering valuable insights into effectively managing product backlogs and maximizing value delivery.
4. Chris Lukassen - The Product Samurai: A Product Manager’s Guide to Continuous Innovation It is a comprehensive guide for Product Managers and Product Owners, emphasizing continuous innovation strategies to enhance product development and meet customer needs in ever-changing markets.
5. Mike Cohn - User Stories Applied: For Agile Software Development It is a practical resource for Agile software development, focusing on the effective use of user stories to capture and prioritize requirements, ensuring customer-centric development practices.
6. David Allen - Getting Things Done, the art of stress-free productivity The readers discover a comprehensive methodology for managing tasks, projects, and responsibilities, leading to improved personal productivity and reduced stress levels.

Inspirations for Personal Development in general:

Leadership:

1. Dan Sullivan, Benjamin Hardy - Who, Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork It provides a fresh perspective on achieving ambitious goals by emphasizing the importance of teamwork and collaboration over individual effort. This book offers a powerful formula for success in both personal and professional endeavors.
2. David Mattson - The Sandler Rules: Forty - Nine Timeless Selling Prnciples... and How to Apply Them (Polish version book) .A wise person told me some time ago, '???????? ???? ?????? ??????'?? ???????? ????, ?????? ?????? ???????????? ??????????????.' When you think about it, he was 100% right. Have you ever found yourself persuading the team to take specific actions and not getting the expected results? People don't "buy into" the agile approach just because you persuade them. The awareness that you can't "sell" the agile approach or mindset to anyone and that the "buyer" must discover that they want to "buy" it is already half the battle. In this book, you will find many interesting sales tips exceptionally useful in the role of a Scrum Master or Manager.
3. L. David Marquet - Turn the Ship Around!: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders It narrates a true story of transforming a traditional hierarchical leadership model into one where everyone can be a leader, fostering a more empowered and effective organization.
4. Jocko Willink and Leif Babin - Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win It draws from their experiences as U.S. Navy SEALs to provide leadership lessons that emphasize accountability, responsibility, and teamwork, offering valuable principles for success in various domains.

Success & Brain Psychology

1. Richard N. Bolles, What Color Is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers It is a renowned career guidebook. With its focus on self-discovery, job-hunting strategies, and career planning, this book remains an invaluable resource for anyone looking to find meaningful work or transition into a new career path.
2. James Clear - Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results It is a transformative book that delves into the science of habit formation, offering practical guidance on how to build and maintain positive habits for lasting personal and professional growth. Clear's insights into the power of small, consistent changes make this book a must-read for anyone looking to break bad habits, establish productive routines, and achieve remarkable results in their life.
3. Gary Keller and Jay Papasan - The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results In this book, readers are guided to discover the profound impact of focusing on one essential thing at a time. This book unlocks the secret to achieving extraordinary results by prioritizing and concentrating efforts on what truly matters.
4. Daniel H. Pink - Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us It delves into the science of motivation, revealing that autonomy, mastery, and purpose are key drivers of human performance and satisfaction.
5. Stephen R. Covey – 7 Habits of Highly Effective People It presents a timeless framework for personal and professional effectiveness, focusing on foundational principles that empower individuals to achieve their goals and lead more fulfilling lives.
6. David Disalvo - What Makes Your Brain Happy and Why You Should Do the Opposite This book explores the quirks and biases of the human brain, providing insights into how understanding these patterns can lead to wiser decision-making.
7. Radek Kotarski - W?am si? do mózgu [Polish language version only] The readers delve into the mysteries of the human mind, exploring thought-provoking concepts and psychological phenomena that can help unlock language potential and improve communication.

Negotiations & Communication

1. Adele Faber, Elaine Mazlish - How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk It is a timeless parenting guide that offers effective communication strategies for connecting with children. BUT NOT ONLY! This book provides practical advice and proven techniques to help build stronger relationships while fostering empathy and understanding.
2. Mark Goulston - Talking to Crazy It provides practical guidance on effectively communicating with difficult or irrational people, offering strategies for more productive interactions.
3. Igor Ryzov - Negotiations with monsters [I didn't find English language version to buy] It is a captivating exploration of the art of negotiation, offering valuable insights into dealing with challenging situations and difficult people. In this book, Ryzov shares real-life stories and practical strategies for handling high-stakes negotiations, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve their negotiation skills.
4. Gary Chapman - 5 Love Languages It offers valuable insights into understanding and effectively communicating love in different ways, helping individuals build stronger and more fulfilling relationships.
5. Alex Barszczewski - Sukces w relacjach mi?dzyludzkich [Polish language version only] This book provides insights into building successful interpersonal relationships, emphasizing the importance of effective communication. It is written in simple and accessible language.

Marketing

1. Jonah Berger - Contagious: Why Things Catch On The principles of word-of-mouth marketing, which can be presented in the form of the acronym STEPPS, encompass six steps to create contagious content. All these elements contribute to gaining popularity and success.These six principles of contagiousness for products or ideas serve as social currency, are triggered by associations, evoke emotions on their own, are observable, have practical value, and can be woven into a narrative. Each chapter discusses one of these principles. Individual chapters include research findings and illustrative examples to present the scientific foundation of each principle and how individuals, companies, and organizations have applied them to garner attention for their products, ideas, or behaviors.
2. Angelika Chimkowska - Autentyczny Personal Branding, czyli silna marka osobista w praktyce [Polish language version only] It is a practical guide to building a strong personal brand. This book offers real-world strategies and insights for creating an authentic personal brand that stands out and resonates with your target audience.
3. Barnard Fruga and Artur Sójka - Eventworking. Czyli jak efektywnie korzysta? z potencja?u konferencji, targów i innych wydarzeń biznesowych [Polish language version only] It is a comprehensive guide that explores the art of making the most of conferences, trade shows, and various business events. It provides practical strategies and insights on how professionals can efficiently leverage these opportunities to network, learn, and drive business growth. In "Eventworking," readers will find valuable tips and techniques for maximizing their presence at industry events, and turning event participation into a powerful tool for personal and professional development.

Business

1. Chris Guillebeau - The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future It is a groundbreaking book that delves into entrepreneurship and small businesses. Through case studies and practical advice, Guillebeau illustrates how ordinary individuals with limited resources can start their own ventures with minimal investment. Emphasizing resourcefulness and creativity, the book offers valuable insights and strategies for aspiring entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into profitable businesses while pursuing their passions. It's an excellent resource for those looking to break free from traditional career paths and follow their entrepreneurial aspirations.
2. Remigiusz Mróz - O pisaniu na ch?odno It is the confirmation that the agile way of working is not just a lifestyle. Remigiusz Mróz, the most popular and creative Polish author of the young generation, is undeniable proof of talent and evidence that small batches of the finished product, inspection, and adaptation are not just slogans, but the foundation of his immense success. Furthermore, it's an interesting toolkit for writing skills. (only Polish version)

Inspirations for Children and Youth

1. Agnieszka Topczewska-Pińczuk, Marta ?apińska - Kyre i kosmiczne wrota [only Polish language version] Ta ksi??ka nie tylko rozwija umiej?tno?ci dziecka. B?dzie te? cenn? inspiracj? dla czytaj?cego rodzica. Wyobra?cie sobie, ?wiat, gdzie eksperymentowanie, inicjatywa i pomys?y s? mile widziane. Co to by?by za wspania?y przyk?ad samodzielno?ci i wspó?pracy do na?ladowania! Dodajmy do tego elementy technologiczne i pozyskiwanie energii, wszak nowoczesne wynalazki pod??czone do pr?du powinny dzia?a? lepiej. Tylko z czego pozyska? energi?, ?eby zainteresowa? dzieci – mo?e kupy smoków i biogaz? Jeszcze szczypta zarz?dzania zwinnego. Zw?aszcza te elementy zwi?zane z ci?g?ym doskonaleniem i nie poddawaniem si?. I macie gotowy przepis, na opisane powy?ej techniki pracy zespo?owej we wci?gaj?cej opowie?ci dla ma?ych i du?ych.
2. Artur Chmielewski - Odwa? si? robi? wielkie rzeczy i Ty mo?esz pracowa? w Nasa [only Polish language version] "Dare to Do Great Things" is an inspiring book, which demonstrates that everyone has the potential to achieve great success in life and work. This book motivates readers to take action and proves that even working at a prestigious institution like NASA is attainable if we dare to dream and take action.

TOP 8 for Startupers | Founders, Entrepreneurs, Business Owners, Investors

1. Eric Ries - The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses
2. Simon Senek - Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action
3. Dan Sullivan, Benjamin Hardy - Who, Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork
4. James Clear - Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results
5. Keller Gary, Papasan Jay - The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results
6. Anthony Ulwick - What Customers Want: Using Outcome-Driven Innovation to Create Breakthrough Products and Services The readers learn about Outcome-Driven Innovation, a powerful approach for creating innovative products and services by deeply understanding and fulfilling customer needs.
7. Gunther Verheyen - Scrum: A Smart Travel Companion. A Pocket Guide
8. Buckingham Marcus, Clifton Donald – Now, Discover Your Strengths