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2025 Reads

The Fifth Discipline

Peter Senge’s The Fifth Discipline presents the concept of the “learning organization,” where businesses thrive by continually adapting and improving. He outlines five core disciplines—systems thinking, personal mastery, mental models, shared vision, and team learning—that help organizations navigate complexity. Senge’s insights are invaluable for leaders seeking sustainable growth and innovation in a rapidly changing world.

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Good Strategy, Bad Strategy

Richard Rumelt cuts through corporate jargon to explain what makes a strategy truly effective. He argues that good strategy is rooted in clear problem diagnosis, guiding policies, and coherent action plans, while bad strategy often disguises itself as vague mission statements or wishful thinking. This book is a must-read for executives and business leaders who want to craft strategies that drive real competitive advantage.

Recommended by:

Martin Eriksson

Strategy Safari

Henry Mintzberg, Bruce Ahlstrand

Strategy Safari takes readers on a journey through ten different schools of thought on strategy, from classical planning to emergent strategy. Mintzberg and Ahlstrand provide a comprehensive overview of strategic thinking, showing how different approaches can be applied in real-world business contexts. This book is a valuable resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of strategic management.

Recommended by:

Martin Eriksson

Inspired

Marty Cagan’s Inspired is a go-to guide for product managers and teams striving to build products that customers love. Drawing on his experience at Silicon Valley giants, Cagan outlines how to structure high-performing product teams, validate ideas efficiently, and maintain a strong product vision. His insights help organizations move beyond feature factories and toward meaningful innovation.

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Martin Eriksson

Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction

Philip Tetlock and Dan M. Gardner.

Why do some people consistently make better predictions than others? Superforecasting explores the traits and techniques that make certain individuals exceptionally good at anticipating future events. Philip Tetlock and Dan Gardner draw from decades of research to show how probabilistic thinking, adaptability, and careful reasoning can improve decision-making in business, politics, and everyday life.

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The Lean Startup

- ERIC RIES ‍

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries advocates for a flexible, efficient approach to building startups under uncertainty, emphasizing rapid experimentation, customer feedback, and agile adaptation over traditional, rigid business plans. It draws from lean manufacturing to enhance creativity and capital efficiency, guiding entrepreneurs to discover viable business paths through continuous testing and learning.

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Barry O'Reilly, Rob Monroe

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Daniel Kahneman

Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman explores how our minds operate in two modes: fast, intuitive thinking and slow, deliberate reasoning. Thinking, Fast and Slow reveals the cognitive biases that influence our decisions and offers strategies to counteract them. This book is an essential read for anyone looking to make better choices in work and life.

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Playing to Win

A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin

Based on their experience at Procter & Gamble, A.G. Lafley and Roger Martin provide a strategic framework for businesses to achieve long-term success. Playing to Win emphasizes making clear choices, defining a competitive advantage, and aligning operations to strategy. Their practical approach makes it a valuable tool for business leaders and strategists.

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Impact Mapping

Impact Mapping introduces a collaborative planning technique that helps teams align software development with business goals. Gojko Adzic demonstrates how visualizing assumptions, user needs, and desired outcomes can improve decision-making and focus efforts on delivering real value. This book is a must-read for product managers, software teams, and business leaders aiming for high-impact results.

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Crossing the Chasm

How do technology products go from early adopters to the mainstream market? Crossing the Chasm answers this question with a proven framework for scaling innovations. Geoffrey Moore explains the critical gap between early users and mass adoption and offers strategies for navigating this transition successfully. This book is essential for startups and tech companies looking to grow beyond niche markets.

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Continuous Delivery

Jez Humble and David Farley

Continuous Delivery is a foundational text for modern software development, advocating for frequent, reliable software releases. Jez Humble and David Farley present best practices for automating deployment pipelines, reducing risk, and improving collaboration between development and operations teams. Their principles have shaped DevOps and Agile methodologies, making this a must-read for software professionals.

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The Obstacle Is the Way

Inspired by Stoic philosophy, The Obstacle Is the Way teaches how to turn challenges into opportunities. Ryan Holiday draws on historical examples—from ancient emperors to modern entrepreneurs—to illustrate how perseverance, resilience, and perspective can lead to success. This book is a powerful guide for anyone facing adversity in business or life.

Recommended by:

Siobhán Mc Feeney

Learning to See

Mike Rother and John Shook

Learning to See introduces Value Stream Mapping (VSM), a powerful tool for identifying inefficiencies in business processes. Rother and Shook provide step-by-step guidance on mapping current workflows, spotting waste, and designing improved processes that streamline operations. This book is essential for Lean practitioners, managers, and anyone looking to optimize their organization's efficiency.

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Domain-Driven Design: Tackling Complexity in the Heart of Software

Eric Evans’ Domain-Driven Design (DDD) offers a strategic approach to software development that bridges the gap between technical and business teams. By focusing on the core domain and using a shared language, teams can design software that aligns closely with business goals. This book is a must-read for developers, architects, and leaders tackling complex software systems.

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Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change

Kent Beck’s Extreme Programming Explained revolutionized software development with a focus on rapid iteration, close collaboration, and continuous feedback. By emphasizing customer involvement, simplicity, and adaptability, Extreme Programming (XP) helps teams deliver high-quality software faster. This book is a foundational text for Agile development and modern software engineering.

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The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity

This witty yet profound essay explores the universal and often underestimated impact of human stupidity. Cipolla presents five “laws” that explain how irrational behavior affects society, economics, and history. With humor and insight, he highlights how stupidity is more dangerous than malice, making this a thought-provoking read for anyone interested in human behavior.

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The Social Contract

Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

One of the most influential political philosophy works, The Social Contract argues that legitimate government is based on the collective will of the people. Rousseau advocates for direct democracy, the idea that sovereignty lies with citizens rather than rulers. His concepts of freedom, equality, and governance continue to shape political thought today.

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Nicomachean Ethics

Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics explores the nature of virtue, happiness, and the good life. He introduces the concept of the "Golden Mean," where moral virtue lies between extremes of excess and deficiency. This timeless work remains a cornerstone of ethical philosophy and personal development.

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The TechFAR Handbook

Office of Management and Budget

The TechFAR Handbook provides guidance on how U.S. federal agencies can apply Agile development principles within government contracting. It clarifies how Agile and Lean methodologies align with federal acquisition regulations, making it an essential resource for government agencies and contractors looking to implement modern software practices.

Recommended by:

Jonathan Mostowski

The Outward Mindset: Seeing Beyond Ourselves

The Arbinger Institute

This book explores how shifting from an inward, self-focused perspective to an outward, impact-driven mindset can transform organizations and relationships. The Arbinger Institute provides practical strategies for improving leadership, teamwork, and collaboration by considering the needs and objectives of others.

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Accelerate: The Science of Lean Software and DevOps

Nicole Forsgren, Jez Humble, and Gene Kim

Based on years of research, Accelerate provides empirical insights into what makes high-performing software teams successful. Forsgren, Humble, and Kim present key DevOps metrics that predict IT performance and business success, offering a data-driven roadmap for improving software delivery.

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The Phoenix Project

Gene Kim, Kevin Behr, and George Spafford

The Phoenix Project is a gripping business novel that illustrates DevOps principles through the story of a struggling IT department. As protagonist Bill Turner navigates a chaotic project, readers learn how to apply Lean and Agile practices to streamline software delivery and business operations. This book is a must-read for IT professionals and executives.

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The Goal

Eliyahu M. Goldratt

The Goal is a business novel that introduces the Theory of Constraints (TOC), a framework for identifying bottlenecks and optimizing processes. Through the story of a struggling manufacturing plant, Goldratt demonstrates how improving the slowest part of a system can drive overall efficiency and profitability. This book is widely used in business, operations, and supply chain management.

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The DevOps Handbook

Gene Kim, Jez Humble, Patrick Debois, and John Willis

Building on the lessons of The Phoenix Project, The DevOps Handbook provides a practical guide for implementing DevOps in organizations. It covers key principles like continuous integration, automated deployments, and organizational culture shifts that enable faster, safer, and more reliable software delivery. This book is an essential resource for anyone adopting DevOps practices.

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The Stronghold

The Stronghold is a haunting allegory about time, duty, and the search for meaning. It follows Giovanni Drogo, a young officer posted to a remote fortress where soldiers wait for an enemy that may never come. As the years pass, the hope of glory fades into quiet resignation. Through spare prose and a sense of mounting stillness, Buzzati explores how people lose their lives to waiting. This novel is essential reading for anyone reflecting on purpose, routine, and the cost of inaction.

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Books from Prodacity Speakers

Unlearn: Let Go of Past Success to Achieve Extraordinary Results

Barry O’Reilly challenges leaders to rethink their approach to innovation by unlearning outdated habits and assumptions. Unlearn provides a practical framework to help individuals and organizations break free from past successes that hinder progress. Through real-world examples, O'Reilly teaches how to experiment, adapt, and continuously improve in an ever-changing business environment.

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Lean Enterprise: How High Performance Organizations Innovate at Scale

Co-authored by Jez Humble and Joanne Molesky, Lean Enterprise is a must-read for organizations aiming to scale innovation while maintaining operational excellence. It introduces Lean and DevOps principles, demonstrating how high-performance teams achieve faster delivery cycles and superior business outcomes.

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Product Leadership: How Top Product Managers Launch Awesome Products and Build Successful Teams

Martin Eriksson

This guide explores what makes great product leaders, offering insights from top professionals in the industry. Eriksson, along with Richard Banfield and Nate Walkingshaw, shares strategies for fostering collaboration, managing teams, and driving product success.

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How to Measure Anything: Finding the Value of Intangibles in Business

Doug Hubbard demystifies measurement, proving that anything—even uncertainty—can be quantified. Using practical techniques, he helps organizations assess risk, improve decision-making, and measure what was once thought immeasurable.

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Testing Business Ideas: A Field Guide for Rapid Experimentation

Based on the Strategyzer framework, this book provides 44 experiments to validate business ideas quickly. David Bland and Alex Osterwalder help entrepreneurs and teams reduce risk and build customer-centric products.

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Lean Analytics: Use Data to Build a Better Startup Faster

A practical guide for startups, Lean Analytics teaches how to use data-driven decision-making to validate business models, track growth, and scale efficiently. Croll and Benjamin Yoskovitz provide actionable advice tailored to different startup stages.

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Just Evil Enough: The Submersive Marketing Handbook

This book challenges conventional marketing by advocating for unconventional, “just evil enough” tactics. Croll explores how brands can cut through noise, engage audiences, and create viral campaigns that defy expectations.

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Farther Faster and Far Less Drama

Jason & Janice Fraser present a leadership framework that emphasizes clarity, alignment, and execution. This book helps leaders and teams achieve ambitious goals while reducing workplace stress and miscommunication.

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Value Stream Mapping: How to Visualize Work and Align Leadership for Organizational Transformation

Karen Martin provides a detailed approach to value stream mapping, helping organizations visualize inefficiencies and create smoother workflows. It’s a must-read for leaders focused on operational excellence.

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The Smart Misson: Nasa's Lessons for Managing Knowledge, People, and Projects

Drawing from NASA’s experience, this book explores knowledge management and leadership lessons applicable across industries. Hoffman, along with Matthew Kohut and Laurence Prusak, shares strategies for fostering innovation and teamwork.

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Radical Enterprise: Pioneering the Future of High-Performing Organizations

Radical Enterprise explores how forward-thinking companies achieve high performance through self-managing teams, distributed decision-making, and radical trust. Parker offers a compelling vision for the future of work.

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The High-Velocity Edge: How Market Leaders Leverage Operational Excellence to Beat the Competition

Steve Spear examines how companies like Toyota and the U.S. Navy achieve continuous improvement through structured problem-solving. His insights help organizations build systems that drive excellence and innovation.

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Agile Acquisitions: A Guide to Creating Culture Change in Government Contracting

Jonathan Mostowski

This book provides a roadmap for adopting Agile methodologies in government procurement. Mostowski explains how agencies can move away from rigid, outdated processes to deliver better solutions faster.

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Negotiation Made Simple: A Practical Guide for Solving Problems, Building Relationships, and Delivering the Deal

John Lowry simplifies negotiation into actionable strategies, helping readers navigate complex deals, resolve conflicts, and build lasting relationships. A great resource for business leaders, salespeople, and professionals at any level.

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