Project Manager's Survival Guide

I have been managing projects and teaching project management for more than thirteen years; in that time I have run across two resources I reference often in my training, this is one of them. I suggest this resource for two reasons: first, because it is concise and to the point, secondarily it is a fresh presentation of useful PM knowledge. Too many PM books are full of "fluff" and impractical information. If this book offered new or original dynamics it would easily be a five; as such any new project manager will find it a jewel. When I wrote my own book, I used Penner's presentation style as a model, keeping it concise and practical for everyday use. The founder of charlesspeaks.com and author of five books I highly recommend Penner's work.

This little book, just over 100 pages, will help you understand how to manage projects, from building Web sites to building the space shuttle. The chapters quickly walk you from the planning stages through to the final reports and closeout. In addition, this book helps you evaluate your management skills. It includes a quick list at the beginning to see if you have what it takes, to intensive tools at the back to determine your strengths and weaknesses. The author writes in a simple, friendly style, telling it like it is (e.g., "tell the truth ALWAYS"). No matter if you are a college student or an experienced project manager, you could probably benefit from this handy text.