Hernan NuñezService Delivery Manager| DXC TechnologyCiudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
This question invites professionals to share their top five must-read books on project management—those that have shaped their thinking, improved their execution, or inspired their leadership style. It's a call for collective insight, aimed at curating a powerful reading list for anyone seeking to elevate their impact in project delivery. Saving Changes...
Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling by H. Kerzner
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1 reply by Hernan Nuñez
Sep 07, 2025 8:30 AM
Hernan Nuñez
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Great recommendation, Abolfazi! Kerzner’s Project Management: A Systems Approach is a classic—comprehensive and foundational for anyone serious about mastering planning, scheduling, and control. It’s one of those texts that builds discipline and structure into how we think about delivery. Thanks for bringing it into the mix!
Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Hernan Nuñez Excellent prompt — thank you for opening space for reflection beyond the usual lists.
Here’s my curated list of 5+2 — the core five that shaped how I deliver, and two that shaped how I lead:
Top 5 – Project Delivery and Adaptive Execution:
- The Toyota Way – Jeffrey Liker
The DNA of Lean thinking.
Beyond tools — it’s about growing people, building systems, and leading with purpose.
- Project to Product – Mik Kersten
Essential for value stream thinking in today’s digital + agile ecosystems. Connects delivery to flow and impact.
- Making Things Happen – Scott Berkun
Practical wisdom from someone who’s been in the trenches.
Not about frameworks — about making real work happen.
- Team of Teams – Gen. Stanley McChrystal
A powerful shift in how we see structure, autonomy, and trust in complex environments.
- The Fifth Discipline – Peter Senge
Teaches you to see systems, not silos.
Essential for long-term thinking and sustainable transformation.
+2 – Leadership, Trust, and Regenerative Culture
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen R. Covey
Still the most powerful compass I know for personal and team leadership.
Principle-centered, timeless, transformative.
- The Speed of Trust – Stephen M. R. Covey
Trust is not a soft value — it's a measurable, high-leverage asset.
This book made it operational for leaders.
Honorable mentions: Drive (Pink), Scrum (Sutherland), The Goal (Goldratt), Reinventing Organizations (Laloux), Thinking in Systems (Meadows).
In the end, the best books don’t just teach tools — they transform how we think, decide, and serve.
Curious to see which books others include!
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1 reply by Hernan Nuñez
Sep 07, 2025 8:28 AM
Hernan Nuñez
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Brilliant list, Luis—this goes far beyond the usual PM bookshelf. The Toyota Way and The Fifth Discipline are foundational, and I appreciate how you framed them as mindset shapers, not just toolkits. Project to Product and Team of Teams are new to me, and I’m intrigued by how they connect flow, autonomy, and trust—especially in complex, multicultural environments. Your +2 on leadership hit home: trust and principles are the true accelerators of impact. Thanks for opening space for reflection and transformation. Adding a few of these to my queue!
These aren't specifically project management books, but I think all project managers and leaders would benefit from the lessons in them and be able to apply many of them in their work and daily life.
- Are Your Lights On? ~ Gause and Weinberg
- The Road Less Stupid ~ Cunningham
- The Goal ~ Goldratt
- Atomic Habits ~ Clear
- For Your Improvement ~ Korn Ferry
I know it's not specifically what you asked for, but the books dedicated to project management that I've read have been about managing projects, not what I would call inspirational. To truly elevate your impact in project delivery, you have to think beyond project management.
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1 reply by Hernan Nuñez
Sep 07, 2025 8:26 AM
Hernan Nuñez
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Thanks for sharing these, Aaron! These titles are new to me, and I appreciate how they stretch beyond traditional project management. This list sparks reflection and reminds me how much value lies in cross-disciplinary insight. Thanks again for expanding the conversation!
Lots of good books already listed. I tend to gravitate to ones that aren't directly PM focused so that I can augment my approach with PM more peripheral information.
Managing Management Time - William Oncken
The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey - Kenneth Blanchard
Leadership is Half the Story - Marc Hurwitz (or anything on the followership front)
Systems Engineering Handbook - NASA
Thanks to all for sharing the book list! Incredibly useful! Saving Changes...
Hernan NuñezService Delivery Manager| DXC TechnologyCiudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sep 05, 2025 3:09 PM
Replying to Derek Kursikowski
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Lots of good books already listed. I tend to gravitate to ones that aren't directly PM focused so that I can augment my approach with PM more peripheral information.
Managing Management Time - William Oncken
The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey - Kenneth Blanchard
Leadership is Half the Story - Marc Hurwitz (or anything on the followership front)
Systems Engineering Handbook - NASA
Appreciate you sharing this, Derek! Saving Changes...
Hernan NuñezService Delivery Manager| DXC TechnologyCiudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sep 05, 2025 9:12 AM
Replying to Aaron Porter
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These aren't specifically project management books, but I think all project managers and leaders would benefit from the lessons in them and be able to apply many of them in their work and daily life.
- Are Your Lights On? ~ Gause and Weinberg
- The Road Less Stupid ~ Cunningham
- The Goal ~ Goldratt
- Atomic Habits ~ Clear
- For Your Improvement ~ Korn Ferry
I know it's not specifically what you asked for, but the books dedicated to project management that I've read have been about managing projects, not what I would call inspirational. To truly elevate your impact in project delivery, you have to think beyond project management.
Thanks for sharing these, Aaron! These titles are new to me, and I appreciate how they stretch beyond traditional project management. This list sparks reflection and reminds me how much value lies in cross-disciplinary insight. Thanks again for expanding the conversation! Saving Changes...
Hernan NuñezService Delivery Manager| DXC TechnologyCiudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sep 05, 2025 9:09 AM
Replying to Luis Branco
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Hernan Nuñez Excellent prompt — thank you for opening space for reflection beyond the usual lists.
Here’s my curated list of 5+2 — the core five that shaped how I deliver, and two that shaped how I lead:
Top 5 – Project Delivery and Adaptive Execution:
- The Toyota Way – Jeffrey Liker
The DNA of Lean thinking.
Beyond tools — it’s about growing people, building systems, and leading with purpose.
- Project to Product – Mik Kersten
Essential for value stream thinking in today’s digital + agile ecosystems. Connects delivery to flow and impact.
- Making Things Happen – Scott Berkun
Practical wisdom from someone who’s been in the trenches.
Not about frameworks — about making real work happen.
- Team of Teams – Gen. Stanley McChrystal
A powerful shift in how we see structure, autonomy, and trust in complex environments.
- The Fifth Discipline – Peter Senge
Teaches you to see systems, not silos.
Essential for long-term thinking and sustainable transformation.
+2 – Leadership, Trust, and Regenerative Culture
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen R. Covey
Still the most powerful compass I know for personal and team leadership.
Principle-centered, timeless, transformative.
- The Speed of Trust – Stephen M. R. Covey
Trust is not a soft value — it's a measurable, high-leverage asset.
This book made it operational for leaders.
Honorable mentions: Drive (Pink), Scrum (Sutherland), The Goal (Goldratt), Reinventing Organizations (Laloux), Thinking in Systems (Meadows).
In the end, the best books don’t just teach tools — they transform how we think, decide, and serve.
Curious to see which books others include!
Brilliant list, Luis—this goes far beyond the usual PM bookshelf. The Toyota Way and The Fifth Discipline are foundational, and I appreciate how you framed them as mindset shapers, not just toolkits. Project to Product and Team of Teams are new to me, and I’m intrigued by how they connect flow, autonomy, and trust—especially in complex, multicultural environments. Your +2 on leadership hit home: trust and principles are the true accelerators of impact. Thanks for opening space for reflection and transformation. Adding a few of these to my queue!
Saving Changes...
Hernan NuñezService Delivery Manager| DXC TechnologyCiudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sep 05, 2025 8:10 AM
Replying to Abolfazl Yousefi Darestani
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Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling by H. Kerzner
Great recommendation, Abolfazi! Kerzner’s Project Management: A Systems Approach is a classic—comprehensive and foundational for anyone serious about mastering planning, scheduling, and control. It’s one of those texts that builds discipline and structure into how we think about delivery. Thanks for bringing it into the mix! Saving Changes...
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) by PMI
Making Things Happen by Scott Berkun
The Lazy Project Manager by Peter Taylor
Strategic Project Management Made Simple by Terry Schmidt
Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time by Jeff Sutherland
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1 reply by Hernan Nuñez
Sep 10, 2025 7:25 AM
Hernan Nuñez
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Good morning! Thanks so much for the book list—each title looks like a powerful gateway into the world of project management. I haven’t read any of them yet, so I’m excited to explore these fresh perspectives. The mix of frameworks, mindset, and agile thinking is exactly what I’ve been looking for. I truly appreciate the recommendation and will keep you posted as I dive in!
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