Very readable and thoughtful guide for new team leads and managers with references for further reading. Both have their merits, and the best choice would depend on the reader’s current needs and experience level. By Sarah Drasner’s reckoning, the world of engineering management is riddled with intricacies that often fly under the radar. However reading it with some experience, there is nothing that goes beyond obvious things or high-level summaries of concepts from other books. Initially, the book seemed more like a leadership therapy session than a traditional read, as it openly discusses failures.

I’m sharing what I’ve learned- not so that you follow my concepts exactly, but rather so that you can be thoughtful about your own leadership and needs. It can be very tough for those of us who didn’t go into Engineering with the distinct concept that we would become managers, but still want to do our best to support our teams. The strength of the book lies in its practicality; Drasner does not shy away from addressing common issues encountered in the field of engineering management. Develop Effective Communication Skills: Drasner emphasizes that good communication is crucial for an engineering manager.It's easy but other than a few instances not particularly engaging to read, it stays a bit too much on the surface of too many things.

I wrote this book because there’s so much no one told me about management that I wished I would have known. Where the book could be better is in the presentation of diverse management styles and the examination of their effectiveness in varying organizational cultures. Even as someone who’s been in leadership roles for a while, I found valuable insights and reminders.While it might benefit from a deeper exploration of diverse management styles, the practical insights it offers are invaluable for those new to the field. Engineering Management for the Rest of Us” is an excellent primer for engineers looking to transition into management roles.