Scaling Up Excellence


Robert Sutton and Huggy Rao have written a great little book on how to scale up farther, faster and more effectively. After having spending last week at the HRPA conference and talking to over 1,000 eager HR professionals committed to improving organizational performance, I thought this book would be a great addition to any library. In it they uncover why it is so difficult for most people to link everyday actions to the organization’s long-term goals. My take is that the science behind gamification will contribute to that understanding. Engagement is crucial – and this book covers much of the ground that is missing in today’s current engagement practices. One of my favourites is their take on the size of teams. I always hated the two pizza rule – mine is one large pizza only! So a team of six or less is highly effective. Groups that are larger tend to talk a lot, waste a lot of valuable time and accomplish little. If that is the norm in your organization, this book is for you!!

Scaling Up Excellence: Getting to More Without Settling for Less

Good Boss, Bad Boss


Bob Sutton is always an entertaining read – whenever he comes out with a new book, I try and grab it immediately. This one is no exception. Sutton weaves real-life examples with behavior science theory to explain how good bosses can stay that way and how to avoid the bad ones. You decide which category you fit in and perhaps make a few adjustments along the way.

Good Boss, Bad Boss: How to Be the Best… and Learn from the Worst