Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad and How Great Companies Stay Great

"Indispensable!" ―Kim Scott, New York Times bestselling author of Radical Candor

“Ries shows us, with rigor and optimism, how to build organizations that are worthy of our trust.” ―Frances Frei, Harvard Business School

"A playbook to help avoid the inevitable pitfalls and find your path to the business you set out to create.” ―Mark Cuban, entrepreneur and investor

The most radical and powerful idea in business isn’t disruption… it’s integrity.

The Lean Startup transformed how a generation of entrepreneurs build products and sparked a global movement for smarter, faster innovation. Now Eric Ries takes the next step, asking a deeper question: how can we build companies that stay true to their mission once they succeed?

In Incorruptible, Ries reveals the hidden forces that cause even great organizations to drift from their values and shows how to design businesses that can withstand that pressure. Drawing on two decades of work with founders, CEOs, and investors around the world, he exposes the structural flaws that make modern companies vulnerable to short-term thinking and moral compromise. He then offers the blueprint for “mission-locked” organizations that can grow, prosper, and endure without losing their soul.

Drawing on wide ranging examples including Cadbury, John Lewis Partnership, Vanguard and Anthropic, Incorruptible uncovers the urgent need for purpose-driven leadership. It gives every builder―founder, executive, investor, or citizen―the tools to create enterprises that uplift rather than exploit. We all have a role to play in shaping a better future. This book is the place to start.