You cannot ask a person to improve a number they cannot read. That is the first lesson of The Great Game of Business, and it is the one most law firm owners skip.
In this book club masterclass, Darren Wurz, CFP®, and John Davidson of The Lawyer Millionaire® walk through Jack Stack’s six themes and translate each one for a law firm, from the solo practitioner to the 10-attorney firm. Stack and his team bought a failing division of International Harvester in 1983, taught every employee to read an income statement, and grew share value from 10 cents to $348 over 30 years. The method was open-book management. This session is about whether it works in a law firm, and how far you should take it.
The six themes:
Numbers are the language of business – Why financial literacy for your team comes before strategy
Run the firm like an aquarium – The case for opening the books, and the compensation conversation that makes most owners hesitate
Find your critical number – The one number your firm must hit to survive, and why it is never revenue
Give everyone a line of sight – How each role connects to the critical number, and why silos are an information problem, not a personality problem
The huddle is the heartbeat – The weekly numbers meeting, and the solo version: a standing CEO date with yourself
A stake in the outcome – Incentives tied to the critical number: no more than two or three goals, paid quarterly
This is the third stop in the 2026 Profit on Purpose series, after Profit First and Simple Numbers. Profit First organized the cash. Simple Numbers taught the metrics. The Great Game of Business answers the next question: how do you get the team to care?
⏱ CHAPTERS
00:00 – Where this fits: Profit First, Simple Numbers, and what comes next
02:12 – The story behind The Great Game of Business
03:32 – The six themes
03:51 – Theme 1: Numbers are the language of business
06:50 – Theme 2: Run the firm like an aquarium (open-book management)
13:36 – Theme 3: Find your critical number
20:27 – Theme 4: Give everyone a line of sight
24:46 – Theme 5: The huddle is the heartbeat
30:09 – Theme 6: A stake in the outcome
33:16 – Recap and discussion: working on the business vs. in it
📞 WORK WITH ME
Are you a law firm owner ready to turn your firm’s success into personal wealth? Book a free, no-pressure strategy call: https://www.lawyermillionaire.com/strategy
📊 WHAT IS YOUR FIRM WORTH?
Get a free estimate of your law firm’s value: https://audit.lawyermillionaire.com/firm-value
📘 GET THE BOOK
The Lawyer Millionaire (American Bar Association), the complete guide for attorneys on maximizing wealth, minimizing taxes, and retiring with confidence: https://www.lawyermillionaire.com/the-lawyer-millionaire-book
🎧 THE LAWYER MILLIONAIRE PODCAST
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lawyer-millionaire-podcast-business-financial/id1617888607
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UzNhoXUtW9qsDTdDCE30k
All episodes: https://www.lawyermillionaire.com/episodes
📚 MORE FOR LAW FIRM OWNERS
Free resources: https://www.lawyermillionaire.com/law-firm-owner-resources
Upcoming events and masterclass replays: https://www.lawyermillionaire.com/events
▶ MORE FROM THE PROFIT ON PURPOSE SERIES
The 6 Disciplines of Strong Cash Flow for Law Firms: https://youtu.be/aRfxLKC2SX8
The Science of Scaling for Law Firms: https://youtu.be/PUeVpuso1-A
🔔 SUBSCRIBE for weekly strategies on law firm profitability, tax planning, and building a work-optional future: https://www.youtube.com/@thelawyermillionaire/
🔗 CONNECT
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Hosted by Darren Wurz, CFP®, founder of The Lawyer Millionaire and financial planner and business advisor for law firm owners. Investment advisory services offered through Wurz Financial Services, LLC. This content is for educational purposes only and is not individualized financial, tax, or legal advice.