Books Read 2026 - 2028

Prof. Development

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Welcome to the PMI-OC Book Club! On this page, you will find a wealth of information. First, you will find takeaways (provided by Book Club participants) from books that the Book Club has already read and discussed. Second, you will find rankings of those books. Books are ranked from "1" to "5" where "1" is the worst and "5" is the best. For each book, the initial ranking is a survey of initial thoughts about the book. The final ranking is a post-discussion ranking to discern opinions after discussion in case the opinions have changed. Finally, you will find information for the book to read for the next Book Club meeting.

Books Read

Book Information and Takeaways Initial Rank Final Rank
"Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It" by Chris Voss with Tahl Raz
  • This read was just a reminder that, as a Sr. PM, our job is essentially constant negotiation.
  • One thing I learned the most is paying attention to responses when negotiating - "you're right" versus "that's right". Sometimes, you get into discussion and people seem to be aligned since your counterpart says "you're right" but in reality, they're trying to kill the conversation and do not have buy-in regarding your point of view. To ensure you have buy-in, look for "that's right".
  • I found the book a little hard to swallow. For some of his suggestions, I did not feel they were professional or diplomatic. For some suggestions like saying "it seems like you want this project to fail", I would never say to a stakeholder.
  • Definitely will make me look at my negotiations differently going forward. It's interesting that the author thinks that "fair" is the most powerful word in negotiations.
  • The reading has shown me a unique way of thinking about negotiations and applicable examples to use in real life.
 3.88 3.89
"Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action" by Simon Sinek
  • I was surprised by how simply the concept of "why" was presented. While it resonated, it raised the question of whether creating meaningful buy-in can really be that straightforward in practice.
  • The discussion around alignment stood out, especially how organizations can drift from their original vision over time. It reinforced the role of leadership in continuously realigning teams to a shared purpose, particularly in complex areas like AI where goals may not naturally align.
  • A key takeaway was applying "why" on a personal level, especially during career transitions. Reflecting on purpose can help guide more intentional decisions around where to work and what to contribute.
  • The reading highlighted that a company's stated "why" does not always align with its actions. This reinforced the importance of evaluating both what organizations say and how they operate in practice.
  • Going forward, I plan to be more intentional about keeping the "why" visible in my day-to-day work. It's something I want to actively apply when managing projects and making decisions.
 3.68 3.61

Current Book to Read:

"How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie

PDU Type: Power Skills

Synopsis from Amazon

Updated in 2022 for today's readers, Dale Carnegie's timeless bestseller "How to Win Friends and Influence People" is a classic that has improved and transformed the professional and personal and lives of millions.

One of the best-known motivational guides in history, Dale Carnegie's groundbreaking book has sold tens of millions of copies, been translated into almost every known language, and has helped countless people succeed.

Originally published during the depths of the Great Depression‐and equally valuable during booming economies or hard times‐Carnegie's rock-solid, time-tested advice has carried countless people up the ladder of success in their professional and personal lives.

How to Win Friends and Influence People teaches you:

  • How to communicate effectively
  • How to make people like you
  • How to increase your ability to get things done
  • How to get others to see your side
  • How to become a more effective leader
  • How to successfully navigate almost any social situation
  • And so much more!

 

Achieve your maximum potential with this updated version of a classic‐a must-read for the 21st century.

Reviews

"The biggest strength is how practical the advice is. It focuses on simple but powerful principles like listening more, showing genuine interest in others, avoiding criticism, and making people feel valued. These ideas are straightforward, but they are explained in a way that makes you reflect on how you interact with people in everyday life."
"This book has taught me the importance of staying in control and how beneficial it is to be in control of our behaviors and act in a way of service to others. The examples described in the book made it simpler to understand the concepts that Dale is teaching."
"Instead of using manipulation, Carnegie focuses on simple habits like listening more than you talk, genuinely praising others, and avoiding useless arguments that just make people defensive. It's written in very plain, conversational language with plenty of old-school stories that show why being kind and curious is actually the most powerful way to succeed."