The Top 5 Pieces of Research Behind ‘Nothing Left to Take Away’ – #1

#1: Edward Lazear—Simple Incentives, Big Results

And so we arrive at #1. If #2 represented the challenges of using financial incentives incorrectly, #1 in my list of favorite studies from Nothing to Take Away represents the exact opposite.

The title of my book comes from the notion that so much of what we create benefits not from adding as much as possible, but from keeping things simple and straightforward—removing the superfluous until there’s nothing left to take away.

Edward Lazear’s seminal research embodies this principle perfectly. Lazear studied a windshield installation company, examining the effects of shifting from hourly wages to a straightforward piece-rate incentive (workers were paid per windshield installed). The results were pleasingly clear. Productivity increased by roughly 44% after the simple incentive was implemented. Importantly, Lazear discovered this productivity boost came from two sources: existing workers significantly improved their individual performance, and the new, simplified incentive system attracted higher-performing workers. Consequently, workers installed more windshields, and their average earnings rose by approximately 10%, creating a clear win-win scenario for both the workers and the company.

Lazear’s findings demonstrate the power of simplicity: uncomplicated, clear incentives aligned directly with measurable outcomes can dramatically enhance performance and satisfaction. No overly complicated incentive plan, no unnecessary metrics—just clear, direct alignment.

I hope you’ve enjoyed these deep dives into the research behind Nothing to Take Away—there’s plenty more where that came from!