The Great Game of Business, Expanded and Updated: The Only Sensible Way to Run a Company

This is a great book about management, much better than most of the management books I read. There are a few reasons I liked this book1. This book was written from the author’s real experiences in SRC by bringing a small and almost bankrupted business into a healthy and growing company.2. Jack Stack really poured heart into it rather than copy & paste. He has many great examples, cases, tools for readers to learn.3. I like the philosophy of the book - open book management, which has been successfully used by many companies like Netflix. Some other great business leaders like Jack Welch, Howard Schulz - they all focused on the essence of open book management (candor and transparency)4. Last but not least, the book offered implementation guide. The GGOB is not a rocket science but rather something that every manager can learn and use.I would recommend the book to other readers and the book is definitely worthy of your time!

We have been a GGOB practitioner for 18 years. And it was one of our companies top 5 best discoveries.Jack Stack's Company is in the business of re-manufacturing engines (they sell a product). My concern was how could we make Open Book Management principles work in a service business. In the early months, we adopted Jack's three cornerstones: 1) Know the rules of the game: Create a written business plan, and involve all employees in the annual business planning process. 2) Keep score: Produce monthly financial statements, and teach all employee how to read the P&L. 3) What's in it for me: When the company wins, pay employees Gainsharing checks each quarter. Plus we adopted Jacks meeting schedule: Managers attend weekly Great Huddle Meetings, and all employees attend Chalk Talk meetings. These meetings are designed to inform and keep the team on track with our business plan.Results? We found Open Book Management works very well in a service business. In fact, it completely changed our culture and our employees love it. Over the years, we have had a few employee leave and take jobs with other companies. But after a few months, some of them return saying they missed our culture and playing the GGOB. I strongly recommend and endorse the GGOB.It changed our organization... Who knows... It might change yours too!Daryl Flood, President & CEODaryl Flood Relocation & LogisticsThe Great Game of Business, Expanded and Updated: The Only Sensible Way to Run a Company

In 1995 Tom Peters mentioned Jack's company at a leadership conference. He said you can't forget the name Jack Stack, sounds like something you would order at IHOP. Shortly thereafter I had a turning moment when Jack's book was staring me in the face at Audrey's Bookstore in Edmonton Alberta Canada. The narrative was so intriguing that I had a hard time getting back to meetings I was attending that day. To say it was an affirmation that what I believed businesses should be and operate as was truly conformational, I wasn't nuts. I had the good fortune of bringing GGOB coaches Sydney Moore and David Lough into my former business and our transformation began. In short order, our organization changed its culture to one of transparency, open communication, and a planning forward approach. I have had the chance to attend a number of the GGOB teams conferences over the years and I make a point of going now every September to their Annual Conference, this year it will be their 25th.To now watch the second generation of Jack's staff lead their organizations and observe thousands of companies using the cultural philosophy that has lead to the term open book management is simply amazing. This book is a staple and I continue to be inspired by it and gift it to leaders who get the value of empowering staff and rewarding for results.

I am reading the book 16 years later, but the message is relevant. The basis of the book is Open-Book Management or sharing the critical numbers and the financials with your employees. I know the United States was in a recession when this book was written so I took seriously his explanations about not laying off people to be "lean and mean", but helping to create new opportunities and jobs.Not every chapter is great, some were dry and too much like a self-help book, but enough good chapters to make this book successful. The chapter on setting standards had good information about thinking how to control your costs and generate cash. I liked the advice of "Don't accept any number at face value". Meaning explore your metrics and make sure the right areas are being measured, numbers are not sacred.The other chapter I liked was Skip the Praise-Give us the Raise. This wasn't so much about giving a bonus, but thinking about how to give a bonus and understanding what needs to be accomplished to earn a bonus. I liked the advice of setting a goal based on the balance sheet and protecting your equity. Nice explanation in the book on how to do this.The book is fantastic for entrepreneurs or for owners of small companies that are growing or need to diversify. The book has many great tips on how to run a business and take care of your employees at the same time. Read this book in combination with "Managing by the Numbers" by Kremer, Rizzuto, and Case.

Great book on how to get your staff involved and care about how your business is doing. It is a guideline to help you teach your staff what it takes to run a business and what the goals are. How do they know what to do and why if you don't tell them. There are practice exercises to do with staff.

I'm sold, well except the equity part, but this is definitely something I can run with. I love having a system and this one is aligned with ad hoc things I've been doing including sharing financials. But I was missing a lot of pieces and this book showed me those pieces and what the puzzle looks like.

When was the last time you knew that your frontline team could read the income statement and the balance sheet as well as you? When was the last time your frontline team knew that your business was off-plan, and what they could do about getting it back on plan? When was the last time you had a team meeting with your frontline staff and they gave you the numbers for the week that told you if you were on or off plan? Jack Stack suggests it should be every day or certainly weekly.Stack illustrates his own companies fully open-book approach to business that calls for strong leadership, managerial daring and considerable stamina. Much of what is written appears to be teaching business managers ‘how-to-suck-eggs’, in that a great deal of the content prescribes fundamental business principles, yet holding this thought detracts from the reality of his business model. And while many business leaders might extol the principles of an open-book philosophy, the perseverance and staying power required to deliver, I suggest, would exhaust many a budding open-book advocate.Throughout Stack demonstrates a business ethic that allows his frontline team to investment in their own success by benchmarking personal success as sufficient equity to purchase their own property. Everyone is a winner as stock price increases, margins are protected and efficiency encouraged. I would guess it is would be difficult to assess if a different, more autocratic management style would have brought about a higher stock price, but even if it did, I would like to think, the local communities economy would be more sustainable and at a higher level because of it.

Excellent manual on how to develop your business to go from strength to strength, especially when in fast growth or any time.

This feels like the missing part in the jigsaw about how to get people to want to commit, contribute and feel valued.

Really great insights into how to get a team fully engaged and focused for great results. Definitely worth a read.

If I had received it, it would hate been good!

Great easy to read book. Good price.

Good Book

An excellent book, in terms of the idea it tries to convey. I'd go so far as to say it's quite revolutionary, if implemented properly. Definitely a must read for entrepreneurs, old and aspiring, and for others in key growth roles at organizations. My only complaint is that the book feels like it was written by a grandpa because it reiterates the same points several times throughout the book (to link those to other points), which can make the reading flow boring and dull. Stay patient, it's worth it.

El envío llegó en la fecha indicada, y el libro es muy interesante para las personas que tienen negocios o intención de tenerlos. Una visión interesante de la gestión del personal.

Good shape and as described. Thanks!

One of the business books I have read. Truly could revolutionise your business. Be careful this could change all you know about business.

as described

A superb book if you are considering a profit sharing plan for your employees. Many day to day examples of what to do and what to avoid in setting it up. Now waiting for his follow up book. Should arrive any day. BDJ

If only business' really ran this way!!

more of a boring than exciting