Every successful leader has their top five list of books that have influenced their philosophy and approach to organizational success. At the top of my list is Elliot Jaques’ Requisite Organization. He answers the question of “why does the CEO earn a higher wage than the front-line employees?” The answer boils down to the ability to manage complexity over longer periods of time. He looks at the organizational structure and the vital roles at each layer (or strata) in the organization. Elliot was a behavioral psychologist so the content is rooted in data and scientific methodologies. It’s by no means a casual read but the information is priceless if you have an interest in evolving your organization. 

If you like to have a boiled down version of Elliot’s work you can follow Tom Fosters Blog at www. http://managementblog.org. Tom has a great way of conveying Elliot’s concepts through real-life experiences.