Be a Great Manager with these Best Team Management Books

Management books are resources that outline how to handle common managerial situations. For example: interviewing and hiring, assigning projects and teams, monitoring progress, delivering feedback or discipline, and containing crises. Not only do these books equip managers with the technical skills and practical approaches they need, but they also serve as a platform for stranger chat, enabling managers to connect and learn from the experiences of others in similar roles. These books are similar to new manager books, leadership books, leadership books for women, coaching books and employee engagement books.

Best Books for Mastering Team Management Skills

1. “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” by Patrick Lencioni

Lencioni’s seminal book, “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team,” is a must-read for anyone on, or managing, a business team. Shortly after reading, I realized all the hot air behind the pervasive use of “results-driven” in business plans and LinkedIn profiles. (You might as well hang a “world’s-best” sign in a coffee shop window.) It’s a quick read, in fable format, that allows you to understand how establishing trust is necessary in order to have tough conversations and commit to goals so managers and team members can hold each other accountable.

2. “Organizational Culture and Leadership” by Ed Schein

Regarded as one of the most influential management books of all time, this fourth edition of Leadership and Organizational Culture transforms the abstract concept of culture into a tool that can be used to better shape the dynamics of organization and change. This updated edition focuses on today′s business realities. Edgar Schein draws on a wide range of contemporary research to redefine culture and demonstrate the crucial role leaders play in successfully applying the principles of culture to achieve their organizational goals.

3. “Fierce Conversations” by Susan Scott

The master teacher of positive change through powerful communication, Susan Scott wants you to succeed. To do that, she explains, you must transform everyday conversations at work and at home with effective ways to get your message across and get what you want. In this guide, which includes a workbook and The Seven Principles of Fierce Conversations, Scott teaches you how to:

a. Overcome barriers to meaningful communication.

b. Expand and enrich relationships with colleagues, friends, and family.

c. Increase clarity and improve understanding.

d. Handle strong emotions on both sides of the table.

e. Connect with colleagues, customers and family at a deep level.

4. “Conflict Without Casualties” by Nate Regier, Ph.D.

When people misuse conflict energy, it becomes drama: they struggle against themselves or each other to feel justified about their negative behavior. The cost to companies, teams, and relationships is staggering. The alternative, says Regier, is compassionate accountability: struggling with others through conflict. Discover the Compassion Cycle, an elegant model for balancing empathy, care, and transparency with boundaries, goals, and standards. Provocative, illuminating, and highly practical, this book helps us avoid the casualties of conflict through openness, resourcefulness, and persistence.

5. “HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Managing Yourself”

The path to your professional success starts with a critical look in the mirror. HBR's 10 Must Reads on Managing Yourself will inspire you to, stay engaged throughout your 50+ year work life tap into your deepest values, solicit candid feedback, replenish physical and mental energy Balance work, home, community, and self spread positive energy throughout your organization, rebound from tough times, decrease distractibility and frenzy, delegate and develop employees' initiative.

6. Solve Employee Problems Before They Start: Resolving Conflict in the Real World by Scott Warrick

With compassion, clarity, and conviction (and a dash of comedy for good measure) popular speaker and employment law attorney Scott Warrick distills conflict resolution to just three simple moves: Empathic Listening, Parroting, and Rewards (EPR). Because no one can use their EPR skills unless they can control themselves, he also shows you how to become an Emotionally Intelligent communicator, as mental toughness is a critical component in resolving conflict.

Conclusion

In conclusion, management books provide valuable resources for developing team management skills and addressing common managerial situations. The best team management books offer practical approaches for guiding employees, achieving desired results, and handling conflicts in the workplace. These books are recommended by successful business leaders and offer principles that can be applied to other aspects of life. By reading and implementing the lessons in these books, managers can excel in their roles and trust that their teams will continue to operate productively even in their absence.