The 10 Best Books on Company Culture

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Muriel Call, Staff Writer

Workplace culture encompasses the norms, values, and behaviors that define a company. It goes beyond holiday celebrations and casual Fridays. A good company culture offers numerous rewards. 

It can improve job satisfaction, bolster employee retention, attract top-notch talent, and pave the way for innovation. A positive culture fosters open communication, feedback, and collaboration, empowering employees to work collectively toward shared objectives. Consequently, productivity levels skyrocket, leading to greater efficiency and superior-quality outcomes. 

Books on workplace culture offer invaluable insights and practical advice for leaders aspiring to cultivate a positive and productive environment. They propose strategies for creating high-performing and engaging work environments, discussing organizational values, management techniques, and environmental elements that culminate in higher job satisfaction and more fully realized employee potential.

We have curated a list of the top 10 books on company culture, including several by Business Leadership Today contributors: 

1. Inspire Greatness by Matt Tenney
2. The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle
3. Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
4. Culture Is the Way by Matt Mayberry
5. Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh
6. Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull
7. All In by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton
8. Courageous Cultures by Karin Hurt and David Dye
9. Good Comes First by S. Chris Edmonds and Mark S. Babbitt
10. Work Rules! by Laszlo Bock
    

These resources can assist leaders in elevating their skills and revolutionizing their organizational cultures. In this article, we’ll delve into these five influential books and the valuable insights they offer into constructing a positive company culture.*

1. Inspire Greatness: How to Motivate Employees with a Simple, Repeatable, Scalable Process by Matt Tenney

Inspire Greatness by Matt Tenney is a USA Today, LA Times, and Publishers Weekly bestseller that stands as a beacon of practical wisdom for leaders looking to transform their organizations. This book offers a simple, scalable, four-step process that empowers leaders to consistently bring out the best in their team members and enhance performance.

Tenney, a sought-after keynote speaker and consultant, challenges the notion that leadership is an art, not a science. He presents an algorithm—a repeatable process rooted in decades of research on employee motivation—that any leader can follow to consistently inspire greatness in others.

He also makes it clear that although the human resources (HR) team is an essential partner for creating a great organizational culture, managers are ultimately responsible for the culture.

Thus, the four-step process he presents helps managers at every level contribute to a sustainable, high-performance culture that has a positive impact on the growth and well-being of everyone in the organization.

The four-step process involves:

1. Taking responsibility for employee engagement and acting from the understanding that a leader’s primary job is to inspire greatness in their team members.
2. Identifying what team members need to thrive and do great work.
3. Collecting regular feedback on how well direct supervisors are meeting the 14 universal needs people have for being engaged at work.
4. Pairing feedback for leaders with bite-size learning that is easy to consume and act on immediately.

This process generates a strong, synergistic effect by greatly enhancing the chances of managers forming lasting habits that promote employee engagement, while also enabling employees to see prompt and meaningful action taken in response to their feedback.

Inspire Greatness is more than a book—it’s a practical guide to creating and sustaining a great workplace culture. It also helps leaders in your organization realize deep meaning and fulfillment at work.

This book is a must-read for those seeking to create a workplace that has high levels employee engagement, retention, and performance!

A Small Sample of the Praise for Inspire Greatness

“It’s not often that a business book completely disrupts the status quo. Inspire Greatness does exactly that. In this engaging book you’ll discover a compelling explanation for why the average levels of employee engagement and motivation haven’t improved in over 20 years, along with an innovative solution that will help you and your organization to improve and sustain employee engagement and performance. If you are a leader of people, the learning moments shared in Inspire Greatness are must-reads!”

• Garry Ridge, Chairman Emeritus, WD-40 Company

“In Inspire Greatness, Matt Tenney presents an innovative, systematic approach to developing highly engaged and motivated employees. With practical strategies and actionable steps, Tenney offers a path any leader can follow to consistently inspire and empower individuals to reach their full potential. This transformative guide equips leaders and leadership teams with a process and tools for building a sustainable high-performance culture that drives organizational success and helps employees to thrive.” 

• Skip Prichard, CEO, OCLC, Inc., and author of The Book of Mistakes: 9 Secrets to Creating a Successful Future

“In Inspire Greatness, Matt Tenney has done an exceptional job of presenting a clear, concise, and compelling game plan to improve employee engagement, company culture, and organizational success. The author’s narrative style is a standout feature, making this book an engaging read that avoids overwhelming the reader with complex terminology. Instead, it offers straightforward explanations and real-life examples of what drives human behavior and helps managers unleash discretionary effort. I highly recommend this book to any leader who wants to more consistently serve team members and inspire peak performance.”

• Lou Gizzarelli, President, Quadient Canada

2. The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle

The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle reveals the secrets of successful groups and organizations. It highlights three critical elements: building safety, sharing vulnerability, and establishing purpose. 

Coyle emphasizes that successful cultures prioritize safety and trust, creating an environment where everyone feels secure, connected, and valued. 

Leaders who share their vulnerabilities encourage authenticity and openness, leading to stronger bonds and better problem-solving. Cultures thrive when they have a clear purpose, and leaders must provide ultra-clear signals aligned with the organization’s goals, reinforcing the sense of direction and motivation. 

The book offers actionable instructions, examples, and tips for improving individual behavior and team dynamics.

A Small Sample of the Praise for The Culture Code

“If you want to understand how successful groups work—the signals they transmit, the language they speak, the cues that foster creativity—you won’t find a more essential guide than The Culture Code. This is a marvel of insight and practicality.” 

• Charles Duhigg, New York Times bestselling author of The Power of Habit and Smarter Faster Better

“Daniel Coyle has produced a truly brilliant, mesmerizing read that demystifies the magic of great groups. It blows all other books on culture right out of the water. Read it immediately.” 

• Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Option B, Originals, and Give and Take

“There are profound ideas on every single page, stories that will change the way you work, the way you lead, and the impact you have on the world. Highly recommended, an urgent read.” 

• Seth Godin, author of Linchpin

3. Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t by Simon Sinek

Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek delves into the essence of exceptional leadership. Sinek investigates why certain teams thrive on trust and support, while others drown in conflict and betrayal. 

He emphasizes that it’s not just about strategy or tactics; it’s about the workplace culture set by the leader—a critical factor often overlooked in the pursuit of success. 

Through compelling narratives and real-world examples, Sinek reveals how selfless leaders prioritize their teams’ well-being, creating environments where people feel safe, motivated, and inspired to give their best.

A Small Sample of the Praise for Leaders Eat Last

“Leaders Eat Last should be required reading for everyone who calls themselves a manager. To help them actually be leaders.” 

• Medium

“Simon Sinek’s newest book, Leaders Eat Last, is inspiring and thought-provoking, in part because he uses so many relatable, nonbusiness metaphors to illustrate his message—military protocol, parenthood, news stories, and even the evolutionary development of our own minds and bodies.” 

• Robert Half

“Lots of new insights here for me, and many great examples of both good and bad leadership in action. I loved the whole evolutionary standpoint the book took, explaining how leadership even became necessary, and the idea that safety means progress was a real eye-opener as well.” 

• Four Minute Books

4. Culture Is the Way: How Leaders at Every Level Build an Organization for Speed, Impact, and Excellence by Matt Mayberry

Culture Is the Way by Matt Mayberry offers practical insights for leaders at all levels to create a workplace culture that drives organizational excellence. 

Mayberry emphasizes the importance of employee engagement and provides a playbook for achieving cultural excellence. 

The book will help you learn how to overcome roadblocks hindering cultural transformation and how to implement strategies for unleashing the full potential of teams. 

With a focus on fostering an organizational culture where individuals thrive, this book is essential reading for managers and executives committed to enhancing workplace performance. The book also identifies five common roadblocks that prevent leaders from leveraging culture to get the best from their teams. 

A Small Sample of the Praise for Culture Is the Way

“Culture Is the Way hits the mark. Matt Mayberry has mined his own experiences as an athlete, as well as examples across the business world, to produce a compelling guide for leaders at all levels who want to build a better culture.”

• Daniel H. Pink, New York Times bestselling author of The Power of Regret and Drive

“Your most important job as a leader is to drive the culture of your team and organization. Culture is not just one thing. It’s everything. This is a masterful book on how to take action and build a world-class culture. I highly recommend it.”

• Jon Gordon, Bestselling author of The Power of Positive Leadership and The Carpenter

“In Culture Is the Way, Matt clearly articulates why it takes leaders at all levels of an organization to create a workplace culture where employees are deeply engaged and committed to the company’s success. Engaged employees are more productive, more focused, and more collaborative. Matt delivers a compelling playbook for creating cultural excellence. This book should be a must-read for leaders.”

• Jim Lynch, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Autodesk Construction Solutions

5. Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose by Tony Hsieh

Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh is a compelling memoir and business book that tells the story of Hsieh’s evolution from a young entrepreneur to the CEO of Zappos. The book underscores the significance of stellar customer service and a strong company culture in fostering a prosperous business. 

Hsieh’s belief was that by prioritizing employee happiness, a company can trigger a positive chain reaction that benefits customers, stakeholders, and the wider community. He offers his valuable insights and firsthand experiences on cultivating a joyful work environment that yields enduring successes. 

Hsieh underscores the pivotal role of happiness in both personal and professional satisfaction and advocates for a corporate culture that prioritizes employee happiness, ultimately resulting in improved customer service and overall business success. 

A Small Sample of the Praise for Delivering Happiness

“In this fascinating (and often hilarious) account, Tony explains how he turns his beliefs into actions that really do deliver happiness.” 

• Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project

“An uplifting tale of entrepreneurial success, personal growth, and redemption.” 

• Publishers Weekly 

“This book is awesome. How Tony and Zappos grew to $1 billion in gross revenue in 10 years is just the beginning. From fundraising to finding happiness, from actual emails to checklists, it covers it all. Intensely personal and intensely practical.” 

• Tim Ferriss, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The 4-Hour Workweek 

6. Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull (with Amy Wallace)

Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull, who co-founded and served as president of Pixar, provides an in-depth exploration of the management principles that underpinned Pixar’s distinctive and highly successful organizational culture. 

Drawing from nearly a decade of experience, Catmull offers valuable insights on creating and sustaining a creative working environment. The book focuses on concepts such as the significance of team dynamics, embracing risk, and promoting open communication. 

Through new chapters and updates, the book continues to examine how Pixar has maintained its creative edge while adapting to change. This is a comprehensive resource for cultivating creativity and excellence within any organization.

A Small Sample of the Praise for Creativity, Inc.

“In Creativity, Inc. Ed reveals, with commonsense specificity and honesty, examples of how not to get in your own way and how to realize a creative coalescence of art, business, and innovation.”

• George Lucas

“Ed Catmull has developed methods to root out and destroy the barriers to creativity, to marry creativity to the pursuit of excellence, and, most impressive, to sustain a culture of disciplined creativity during setbacks and success.”

• Jim Collins, co-author of Built to Last and author of Good to Great

“This book should be required reading for any manager.”

• Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit

7. All In: How the Best Managers Create a Culture of Belief and Drive Big Results by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton

All In by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton explores how managers can create a “culture of belief” to drive high performance. Drawing on a study of 300,000 people and interviews with leaders from top companies, the authors reveal that successful managers engage, enable, and energize their teams. 

They present a seven-step roadmap for building this workplace culture: define a burning platform, create a customer focus, develop agility, share everything, partner with talent, root for each other, and establish clear accountability. 

This book offers practical insights and strategies for managers to inspire commitment and achieve outstanding results.

A Small Sample of the Praise for All In

“At Cigna … our success is dependent on our employees being passionate about the opportunity and responsibility to make a difference. In All In, Gostick and Elton provide a roadmap for every manager to help build a culture of possibility that drives bottom-line results for customers and companies.”

• David Cordani, President and CEO, Cigna Corporation

“I loved this book! The stories will resonate and be repeated on a daily basis by leaders who understand that their greatest responsibility is to create and sustain a high-performing culture. This book is a prescription for doing just what all new and experienced leaders dream of doing. It is a fabulous and fun read and one I recommend for all levels of any and every organization.”

• Ann Rhoades, Founding Executive Vice President of People, JetBlue Airways; President, People Ink; and bestselling author, Built on Values

“What could you learn from 300,000 people who thrived in the toughest economy in seventy years? Read this book and find out. Want to thrive yourself? Follow Gostick and Elton’s fascinating, fun, and potent principles and you will.”

• Joseph Grenny, New York Times bestselling co-author of Change Anything and Crucial Conversations

8. Courageous Cultures: How to Build Teams of Micro-Innovators, Problem Solvers, and Customer Advocates by Karin Hurt and David Dye

Courageous Cultures by Karin Hurt and David Dye addresses the disconnect between leaders and employees, advocating for a culture of courage. The book provides a roadmap to build a high-performance, high-engagement workplace culture focused on sharing ideas, solving problems, and rewarding contributions. 

It emphasizes the importance of micro-innovators, problem solvers, and customer advocates working together. In a constantly changing environment, a courageous culture is essential for attracting both customers and employees. 

The book offers practical tools and proven methods to reengage and motivate employees, sharing best practices from companies worldwide. It’s a vital guide for leaders aiming to create an organizational culture where courage triumphs. 

A Small Sample of the Praise for Courageous Cultures

“By following the guidance in this savvy book, you’ll attract first-rate talent, serve your customers better, and liberate people to perform their best.”

• Daniel H. Pink, New Your Times bestselling author of When, Drive, and To Sell Is Human

“In a world of accelerating disruption, Karin and David provide powerful tools to tap into the innovative and problem-solving capacity of every employee. No grandiose, glamorous, otherworld theory here; Courageous Cultures is a compendium of straightforward, proven, practical ideas and solutions. Read the book, and up your game.” 

• Whitney Johnson, award-winning author, Disrupt Yourself and Build an A Team

“Hurt and Dye offer leaders a wonderfully practical road map for how to get the most from their people—by creating a culture where safe silence dies and small acts of courage compound to increase innovation, problem-solving, and customer advocacy. If you want to increase contribution and multiply the capability of your team, Courageous Cultures is a must-read.” 

• Liz Wiseman, New York Times bestselling author of Multipliers and Rookie Smarts

9. Good Comes First: How Today’s Leaders Create an Uncompromising Company Culture That Doesn’t Suck by S. Chris Edmonds and Mark S. Babbitt

In Good Comes First, S. Chris Edmonds and Mark S. Babbitt challenge outdated leadership practices that prioritize results over respect, creating toxic work environments. They argue that to attract and retain top talent, leaders must cultivate cultures where good comes first. 

Drawing on their combined 50 years of experience, the authors provide actionable strategies for creating positive, productive workplaces. Readers will learn to define and implement a culture of respect and results, formalize their team’s purpose, and hold everyone accountable for desired behaviors. 

This book offers practical guidance to overcome barriers, champion change, and build lasting legacies as business leaders. By specifying respectful behaviors and aligning the organization to these values, leaders can create a work culture that benefits employees, customers, and stakeholders alike. 

Good Comes First demonstrates that meaningful change is not only possible but also profitable, making it a must-read for modern leaders.

A Small Sample of the Praise for Good Comes First

“A foundational element of the WD-40 Company tribal culture was formalizing our values. The most impactful element, though, is holding everyone accountable for modeling our values and behaviors daily. Good Comes First maps out a path to success for both elements.”

• Garry Ridge, president/CEO of WD-40 Company, author, Helping People Win At Work

“Good Comes First outlines detailed steps on how to bring a contagious culture to your company and truly create a differentiating model where respect is valued as high as results.”

• Joel D. Anderson, President/CEO, Five Below, Inc. 

“Perhaps the biggest and best part of the book is when it talks about the starting point on creating a great culture. The starting point is you. This is gold. Leaders have to look within and live, breathe and sleep the culture they want to create. Good Comes First nails it.”

• Jeffrey Moore, Former Director of Staffing, Google

10. Work Rules!: Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead by Laszlo Bock

In Work Rules!, Laszlo Bock, former head of Google’s People Operations, delves into the philosophy of work and offers a blueprint for attracting and nurturing top talent. 

Bock emphasizes the importance of creating a motivating and humanizing work environment. He shares key lessons such as removing managerial power over employees, learning from both top and bottom performers, hiring smarter individuals, and using data to guide decisions. The book draws on behavioral economics and psychology, providing examples from various industries. 

Bock reveals why Google is a top-rated workplace, distilling 15 years of research into actionable principles. Work Rules! balances creativity and structure, aiming to enhance both quality of life and market success.

A Small Sample of the Praise for Work Rules!

“WORK RULES! is spectacular. I spent weeks with it, because I wanted to take such careful, detailed notes. I plan to share it with our entire Quiet Revolution team—and I’m sure that all company founders will do the same.”

• Susan Cain, co-founder of Quiet Revolution and author of Quiet

“WORK RULES! offers a bold, inspiring, and actionable vision that will transform the future of work. It should be mandatory reading for everyone who leads, manages, or has a job.”

• Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of 5 books and organizational psychologist

“An intriguing profile of an innovative company that continues to shake up the world.”

• Kirkus Reviews

Cultivating a Winning Company Culture

Books on workplace culture serve as a treasure trove of insights and practical advice for leaders aiming to foster a positive and productive environment. 

They offer a roadmap to creating high-performing and engaging work environments, discussing organizational values, management techniques, and environmental elements that lead to higher job satisfaction and more fully realized employee potential.

These books provide a deep dive into the intricacies of company culture, shedding light on the importance of a strong, positive culture in driving employee engagement, boosting productivity, attracting top talent, and fostering innovation. They underscore the fact that company culture is not a static entity but a dynamic one that needs to be actively cultivated and nurtured.

Leaders can draw inspiration from these books to understand the nuances of their own company cultures, identify areas for improvement, and implement strategies to transform their workplaces. The books offer a plethora of strategies, ranging from promoting better teamwork to creating two-way conversations with employees to gaining better feedback about the state of affairs.

They highlight the role of leaders in shaping company culture. They emphasize that leaders are not just responsible for setting the vision and direction of the company but also for creating an environment where employees feel valued, engaged, and motivated to contribute to the company’s success.

These insightful books serve as a guide for leaders to navigate the complex terrain of company culture. They equip leaders with the knowledge and tools to cultivate winning company cultures that not only drive business success but also create workplaces where employees thrive. 

*Note About Affiliate Links – Business Leadership Today may receive a small affiliate commission if you click on a link to a book on this page. But this does not result in any cost to you.

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