30 Books like Scaling Up Compensation

The Great Game of Business

by Jack Stack • 1992

Run your company like a game: open scoreboards, mini sprints, every worker thinking like an owner.

3.95

3k+

📖 Open-Book Management 📈 Employee Ownership 💡 Frontline Empowerment 📋 Business Scorekeeping 🏁 Short-Term Sprints

The Great Game of Business 93%

Run your company like a game: open scoreboards, mini sprints, every worker thinking like an owner.

by Jack Stack 1992

3.95

3k+ ratings

📖 Open-Book Management 📈 Employee Ownership 💡 Frontline Empowerment 📋 Business Scorekeeping 🏁 Short-Term Sprints

The Case for Good Jobs

by Zeynep Ton • 2023

Low wages hide costs that cripple a business. Paying workers well is the most profitable choice.

4.12

165

📊 Labor Economics 🧑‍💼 Frontline Management 💰 Living Wages 🔄 Employee Retention ⚙️ Operational Excellence

The Case for Good Jobs 93%

Low wages hide costs that cripple a business. Paying workers well is the most profitable choice.

by Zeynep Ton 2023

4.12

165 ratings

📊 Labor Economics 🧑‍💼 Frontline Management 💰 Living Wages 🔄 Employee Retention ⚙️ Operational Excellence

Why We Work

by Barry Schwartz • 2015

Treat work as just a paycheck, and you create the pay-driven workers you assumed.

3.64

2k+

🏢 Workplace Culture 🏗️ Organizational Design 🧠 Intrinsic Motivation 💸 Incentive Failures ✨ Meaning At Work

Why We Work 93%

Treat work as just a paycheck, and you create the pay-driven workers you assumed.

by Barry Schwartz 2015

3.64

2k+ ratings

🏢 Workplace Culture 🏗️ Organizational Design 🧠 Intrinsic Motivation 💸 Incentive Failures ✨ Meaning At Work

The Voltage Effect

by John A. List • 2022

Why ideas win small but fail big: the psychological and economic traps that derail scaling.

3.93

1k+

🧠 Behavioral Economics 📈 Organizational Scaling 🔍 Cognitive Biases 📐 Marginal Thinking 🎯 Incentive Design

The Voltage Effect 93%

Why ideas win small but fail big: the psychological and economic traps that derail scaling.

by John A. List 2022

3.93

1k+ ratings

🧠 Behavioral Economics 📈 Organizational Scaling 🔍 Cognitive Biases 📐 Marginal Thinking 🎯 Incentive Design

The Gamification Revolution

by Gabe Zichermann • 2013

What makes games sticky, and how to steal their playbook for business.

3.71

194

🎮 Gamification 💼 Employee Engagement 🧠 Behavioral Economics 🎯 Intrinsic Motivation 👥 Crowdsourcing

The Gamification Revolution 92%

What makes games sticky, and how to steal their playbook for business.

by Gabe Zichermann 2013

3.71

194 ratings

🎮 Gamification 💼 Employee Engagement 🧠 Behavioral Economics 🎯 Intrinsic Motivation 👥 Crowdsourcing

The Healing Organization

by Rajendra Sisodia • 2019

Companies built on care outperform those built on fear. The blueprint for making the switch.

4.29

129

🧠 Conscious Capitalism 🤝 Stakeholder Capitalism 🎯 Purpose-Driven Business 💚 Employee Well-Being ❤️ Compassionate Leadership

The Healing Organization 92%

Companies built on care outperform those built on fear. The blueprint for making the switch.

by Rajendra Sisodia 2019

4.29

129 ratings

🧠 Conscious Capitalism 🤝 Stakeholder Capitalism 🎯 Purpose-Driven Business 💚 Employee Well-Being ❤️ Compassionate Leadership

The Org

by Ray Fisman • 2013

Offices exist because markets are expensive. The economic logic behind every meeting and memo.

3.35

385

🏢 Organizational Economics 💰 Transaction Costs 🎯 Incentive Design 🌐 Organizational Culture 📊 Organizational Behavior

The Org 92%

Offices exist because markets are expensive. The economic logic behind every meeting and memo.

by Ray Fisman 2013

3.35

385 ratings

🏢 Organizational Economics 💰 Transaction Costs 🎯 Incentive Design 🌐 Organizational Culture 📊 Organizational Behavior

Confessions of the Pricing Man

by Hermann Simon • 2015

Price is the strongest profit driver you neglect. A 2% increase lifts profits over 10%.

4.23

931

💰 Pricing Strategy 📈 Profit Levers 🧠 Price Psychology 🤔 Behavioral Economics 💎 Value Perception

Confessions of the Pricing Man 92%

Price is the strongest profit driver you neglect. A 2% increase lifts profits over 10%.

by Hermann Simon 2015

4.23

931 ratings

💰 Pricing Strategy 📈 Profit Levers 🧠 Price Psychology 🤔 Behavioral Economics 💎 Value Perception

Aligning Strategy and Sales

by Frank V. Cespedes • 2014

A $900 billion investment, five times your ad budget, and it is probably disconnected from strategy.

4.06

143

🧭 Sales Strategy 🚀 Go-To-Market Strategy 👥 Sales Management 📊 Performance Management 🎯 Customer Segmentation

Aligning Strategy and Sales 92%

A $900 billion investment, five times your ad budget, and it is probably disconnected from strategy.

by Frank V. Cespedes 2014

4.06

143 ratings

🧭 Sales Strategy 🚀 Go-To-Market Strategy 👥 Sales Management 📊 Performance Management 🎯 Customer Segmentation

Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths, and Total Nonsense

by Jeffrey Pfeffer • 2006

Management runs on half-truths. The fix isn't another framework: it's thinking like a scientist.

3.87

644

🏢 Organizational Behavior 🔍 Business Mythbusting 💰 Performance Incentives ⚙️ Strategy Execution 📉 Learning From Failure

Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths, and Total Nonsense Summary

Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths, and Total Nonsense 92%

Management runs on half-truths. The fix isn't another framework: it's thinking like a scientist.

by Jeffrey Pfeffer 2006

3.87

644 ratings

🏢 Organizational Behavior 🔍 Business Mythbusting 💰 Performance Incentives ⚙️ Strategy Execution 📉 Learning From Failure

Payoff

by Dan Ariely • 2016

Why cash bonuses at Intel backfired, compliments beat cash, and meaning outlasts every reward.

3.70

6k+

🏢 Workplace Motivation 📊 Behavioral Economics 🧭 Intrinsic Motivation 👏 Employee Recognition 🎯 Meaning At Work

Payoff 92%

Why cash bonuses at Intel backfired, compliments beat cash, and meaning outlasts every reward.

by Dan Ariely 2016

3.70

6k+ ratings

🏢 Workplace Motivation 📊 Behavioral Economics 🧭 Intrinsic Motivation 👏 Employee Recognition 🎯 Meaning At Work

The Founder's Mentality

by Chris Zook • 2016

Scaling companies hit three predictable choke points. Three internal traits let you clear them all.

3.80

2k+

🏢 Corporate Strategy 📈 Scaling Companies 🤝 Customer Intimacy 🚫 Anti-Bureaucracy 🎯 Frontline Focus

The Founder's Mentality 92%

Scaling companies hit three predictable choke points. Three internal traits let you clear them all.

by Chris Zook 2016

3.80

2k+ ratings

🏢 Corporate Strategy 📈 Scaling Companies 🤝 Customer Intimacy 🚫 Anti-Bureaucracy 🎯 Frontline Focus

Good Profit

by Charles G. Koch • 2015

Most profit relies on exploitation. Charles Koch built a $100 billion company by doing the opposite.

3.86

2k+

🏛️ Management Philosophy 🧭 Organizational Culture 🏪 Internal Markets 🎯 Incentive Design 💥 Creative Destruction

Good Profit 92%

Most profit relies on exploitation. Charles Koch built a $100 billion company by doing the opposite.

by Charles G. Koch 2015

3.86

2k+ ratings

🏛️ Management Philosophy 🧭 Organizational Culture 🏪 Internal Markets 🎯 Incentive Design 💥 Creative Destruction

Work Rules!

by Laszlo Bock • 2015

A data-driven blueprint for hiring, pay, and culture from Google's former head of people operations.

4.13

16k+

👥 People Operations 🏢 Corporate Culture 🌟 Talent Management 🎯 Hiring Practices 🧠 Behavioral Nudges

Work Rules! 92%

A data-driven blueprint for hiring, pay, and culture from Google's former head of people operations.

by Laszlo Bock 2015

4.13

16k+ ratings

👥 People Operations 🏢 Corporate Culture 🌟 Talent Management 🎯 Hiring Practices 🧠 Behavioral Nudges

The Founder's Dilemmas

by Noam Wasserman • 2011

Not the market. Not the product. The data points to founder decisions as the real startup killer.

4.02

5k+

🚀 Early Stage Startups 👥 Founding Teams 💰 Equity Structure 🧑‍💼 Startup Hiring 💼 Investor Dynamics

The Founder's Dilemmas 92%

Not the market. Not the product. The data points to founder decisions as the real startup killer.

by Noam Wasserman 2011

4.02

5k+ ratings

🚀 Early Stage Startups 👥 Founding Teams 💰 Equity Structure 🧑‍💼 Startup Hiring 💼 Investor Dynamics

Six Simple Rules

by Yves Morieux • 2014

Half of management time is meetings. Most team effort is wasted. Complexity isn't the culprit.

3.93

583

🏗️ Organizational Design 🔄 Systems Thinking 🎯 Incentive Design 🤝 Cooperation Dynamics ⚡ Power Dynamics

Six Simple Rules 92%

Half of management time is meetings. Most team effort is wasted. Complexity isn't the culprit.

by Yves Morieux 2014

3.93

583 ratings

🏗️ Organizational Design 🔄 Systems Thinking 🎯 Incentive Design 🤝 Cooperation Dynamics ⚡ Power Dynamics

Double Double

by Cameron Herold • 2011

Double your revenue in three years using a single vivid vision, not a business plan.

3.92

383

📈 Business Growth 🎯 Vision Planning 🧱 Corporate Culture 👥 Hiring Practices 📣 Guerrilla Marketing

Double Double 92%

Double your revenue in three years using a single vivid vision, not a business plan.

by Cameron Herold 2011

3.92

383 ratings

📈 Business Growth 🎯 Vision Planning 🧱 Corporate Culture 👥 Hiring Practices 📣 Guerrilla Marketing

A Bigger Prize

by Margaret Heffernan • 2014

Competition sharpens, we're told. In business, science, and schools, the evidence says it dulls.

3.81

184

📎 Collaborative Models 🔥 Intrinsic Motivation ☣️ Toxic Competition ⚖️ Meritocracy Critique 💻 Open Source Innovation

A Bigger Prize 92%

Competition sharpens, we're told. In business, science, and schools, the evidence says it dulls.

by Margaret Heffernan 2014

3.81

184 ratings

📎 Collaborative Models 🔥 Intrinsic Motivation ☣️ Toxic Competition ⚖️ Meritocracy Critique 💻 Open Source Innovation

The Amazon Way

by John Rossman • 2014

Amazon's flywheel: why customer obsession, not margin optimization, builds lasting companies.

3.94

2k+

📘 Company Playbooks 🎯 Customer Centricity 👥 Hiring And Talent 💰 Frugal Innovation ⚙️ Operational Excellence

The Amazon Way 92%

Amazon's flywheel: why customer obsession, not margin optimization, builds lasting companies.

by John Rossman 2014

3.94

2k+ ratings

📘 Company Playbooks 🎯 Customer Centricity 👥 Hiring And Talent 💰 Frugal Innovation ⚙️ Operational Excellence

Humanocracy

by Gary Hamel • 2020

Bureaucracy costs trillions and kills autonomy. The fix: companies run on ownership, not authority.

4.01

1k+

🧹 Bureaucracy Critique 🔄 Self-Management 🌐 Decentralized Orgs 🚀 Intrapreneurship 🧪 Business Experimentation

Humanocracy 92%

Bureaucracy costs trillions and kills autonomy. The fix: companies run on ownership, not authority.

by Gary Hamel 2020

4.01

1k+ ratings

🧹 Bureaucracy Critique 🔄 Self-Management 🌐 Decentralized Orgs 🚀 Intrapreneurship 🧪 Business Experimentation

Freedom, Inc.

by Brian M. Carney • 2009

Command-and-control kills innovation. The case for setting employees free and watching growth soar.

4.24

251

✊ Workplace Autonomy 🏢 Self-Managing Organizations 👂 Listening Leadership 🧠 Intrinsic Motivation 👀 Shared Purpose

Freedom, Inc. 92%

Command-and-control kills innovation. The case for setting employees free and watching growth soar.

by Brian M. Carney 2009

4.24

251 ratings

✊ Workplace Autonomy 🏢 Self-Managing Organizations 👂 Listening Leadership 🧠 Intrinsic Motivation 👀 Shared Purpose

Strategy Beyond the Hockey Stick

by Chris Bradley • 2018

Corporate profits follow a power law: a few concentrated bets separate winners from the rest.

4.02

1k+

🏢 Corporate Strategy 📊 Power Law Dynamics 🔄 Resource Reallocation 🧠 Behavioral Economics 🔍 Cognitive Biases

Strategy Beyond the Hockey Stick Summary

Strategy Beyond the Hockey Stick 92%

Corporate profits follow a power law: a few concentrated bets separate winners from the rest.

by Chris Bradley 2018

4.02

1k+ ratings

🏢 Corporate Strategy 📊 Power Law Dynamics 🔄 Resource Reallocation 🧠 Behavioral Economics 🔍 Cognitive Biases

Finance and the Good Society

by Robert J. Shiller • 2012

Finance is not the enemy of a good society. Its problems are design flaws, not sins.

3.64

810

💳 Financial Inclusion ⚖️ Inequality Economics 🤝 Stakeholder Capitalism 💸 Impact Investing 🕊️ Moral Economy

Finance and the Good Society 92%

Finance is not the enemy of a good society. Its problems are design flaws, not sins.

by Robert J. Shiller 2012

3.64

810 ratings

💳 Financial Inclusion ⚖️ Inequality Economics 🤝 Stakeholder Capitalism 💸 Impact Investing 🕊️ Moral Economy

The Ten Roads to Riches

by Kenneth L. Fisher • 2008

The wealthiest did not all start companies; some sued, married, or managed other people's cash.

3.59

380

🏗️ Wealth Building 🧭 Career Strategy 🗽 Financial Independence 🚀 Self-Made Wealth 📈 Economic Mobility

The Ten Roads to Riches 92%

The wealthiest did not all start companies; some sued, married, or managed other people's cash.

by Kenneth L. Fisher 2008

3.59

380 ratings

🏗️ Wealth Building 🧭 Career Strategy 🗽 Financial Independence 🚀 Self-Made Wealth 📈 Economic Mobility

The Connected Company

by Dave Gray • 2012

When customers network faster than your hierarchy can respond, the answer is small autonomous teams.

4.11

617

🏗️ Organizational Design 🛎️ Service Economy 🕸️ Networked Business 🎯 Customer-Centric Design 🤝 Self-Managing Teams

The Connected Company 92%

When customers network faster than your hierarchy can respond, the answer is small autonomous teams.

by Dave Gray 2012

4.11

617 ratings

🏗️ Organizational Design 🛎️ Service Economy 🕸️ Networked Business 🎯 Customer-Centric Design 🤝 Self-Managing Teams

Billions of Drops in Millions of Buckets

by Steven H. Goldberg • 2009

Philanthropy's defect: donations scatter, nothing scales. The fix looks like a stock market.

3.41

🏢 Nonprofit Management 🌱 Social Entrepreneurship 💸 Venture Philanthropy 📊 Impact Measurement 🎯 Prediction Markets

Billions of Drops in Millions of Buckets Summary

Billions of Drops in Millions of Buckets 92%

Philanthropy's defect: donations scatter, nothing scales. The fix looks like a stock market.

by Steven H. Goldberg 2009

3.41

22 ratings

🏢 Nonprofit Management 🌱 Social Entrepreneurship 💸 Venture Philanthropy 📊 Impact Measurement 🎯 Prediction Markets

Gods of Management

by Charles B. Handy • 1986

Four workplace gods, one crumbling bureaucracy, and the 1986 book that saw the gig economy coming.

3.78

144

🏛️ Organizational Culture 📚 Management Theory 📋 Bureaucracy Critique 🏢 Flat Organizations 💼 Gig Economy

Gods of Management 92%

Four workplace gods, one crumbling bureaucracy, and the 1986 book that saw the gig economy coming.

by Charles B. Handy 1986

3.78

144 ratings

🏛️ Organizational Culture 📚 Management Theory 📋 Bureaucracy Critique 🏢 Flat Organizations 💼 Gig Economy

The Grid

by Matt Watkinson • 2017

Nine forces shape every business choice. A single framework for seeing them all before they collide.

4.10

343

🧠 Systems Thinking 📊 Business Strategy 💰 Pricing Strategy 🎯 Competitive Positioning ✨ Customer Experience

The Grid 92%

Nine forces shape every business choice. A single framework for seeing them all before they collide.

by Matt Watkinson 2017

4.10

343 ratings

🧠 Systems Thinking 📊 Business Strategy 💰 Pricing Strategy 🎯 Competitive Positioning ✨ Customer Experience

The Economics of Higher Purpose

by Robert E Quinn • 2019

Your economic assumptions guarantee mediocrity. How authentic purpose outperforms them.

3.69

🎯 Corporate Purpose 🏢 Organizational Culture 🔥 Intrinsic Motivation 🤲 Servant Leadership 💼 Employee Engagement

The Economics of Higher Purpose 92%

Your economic assumptions guarantee mediocrity. How authentic purpose outperforms them.

by Robert E Quinn 2019

3.69

35 ratings

🎯 Corporate Purpose 🏢 Organizational Culture 🔥 Intrinsic Motivation 🤲 Servant Leadership 💼 Employee Engagement

Right Away and All At Once

by Greg Brenneman • 2016

Five actions that rescue a company, and why the same discipline saves your life outside work.

4.16

179

🏭 Corporate Turnarounds 👔 Executive Leadership 🤝 Employee Empowerment ⚡ Bias For Action ⚖️ Work-Life Integration

Right Away and All At Once 92%

Five actions that rescue a company, and why the same discipline saves your life outside work.

by Greg Brenneman 2016

4.16

179 ratings

🏭 Corporate Turnarounds 👔 Executive Leadership 🤝 Employee Empowerment ⚡ Bias For Action ⚖️ Work-Life Integration

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