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Doing Meritocracy Right: How Business Leaders Can Turn an American Aspiration into Reality
198 pages, Paperback
Published December 3, 2025
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January 29, 2026In "Doing Meritocracy Right: How Business Leaders Can Turn an American Aspiration Into Reality" by Thomas A. Cole, the familiar promise that talent and hard work alone determine success is placed under careful scrutiny. The idea of meritocracy has long been central to the American Dream, inspiring people to believe that effort will be fairly rewarded and that leadership positions are earned rather than inherited. Yet many sense a growing disconnect between this ideal and lived reality. Advancement often seems to favor those with the right background, connections, and credentials rather than those with the deepest capability or strongest character. Cole argues that recognizing this gap is not an act of cynicism but the first step toward rebuilding systems of opportunity that are both fair and worthy of public trust.
The book begins by examining how privilege has gradually disguised itself as merit. Wealthy families can now purchase advantages that look like talent on paper: elite schooling, specialized coaching, and carefully curated résumés. Entire industries exist to guide already advantaged students into prestigious universities, turning admission letters into symbols not only of achievement but of financial investment. At the same time, institutions quietly reserve places for the children of donors and alumni, reinforcing a cycle in which status reproduces itself. This has led to an overreliance on narrow credentials, especially degrees from a small group of elite schools, as shortcuts for identifying potential. Yet evidence consistently shows that leadership excellence emerges from a far broader range of educational and social backgrounds. When organizations mistake pedigree for ability, they close their doors to vast pools of capable people and undermine the very principle of equal opportunity they claim to uphold.
This distorted system does more than waste talent; it shapes the mindset of those who succeed within it. When individuals are told their rise is solely the result of personal brilliance, it becomes easy to forget the roles of luck, support, and inherited advantage. Such amnesia breeds arrogance and distance from those who did not start with the same resources. Leaders who believe they earned every inch of their status may struggle to empathize with employees facing structural barriers, and this lack of humility erodes trust inside organizations and across society. Cole suggests that when elites fail to acknowledge how the game was tilted in their favor, resentment grows among those who feel the ladder has been pulled up behind them.
To correct this, the author proposes a richer definition of merit. Intelligence and effort matter, but they are incomplete without integrity. History offers repeated warnings of what happens when brilliance is unmoored from ethical grounding. Corporate scandals and financial crises were not caused by incompetence but by highly capable individuals who lacked moral restraint. Cole echoes the view that character must be the non-negotiable foundation of leadership, because energy and intellect without honesty and responsibility can magnify harm rather than create value. Alongside integrity, he highlights the importance of life experience as a form of education. Work that demands service, resilience, and cooperation - whether in the trades, the military, or frontline service roles - often cultivates emotional intelligence and practical wisdom that no elite classroom can replicate.
Humility completes this redefinition of merit. A leader who understands that success is a blend of effort, support, and chance is less likely to cling to status and more likely to listen, learn, and build others up. Such leaders focus not on proving their superiority but on enabling collective success. This orientation shifts organizations away from cultures of ego and toward cultures of stewardship, where authority is exercised with an awareness of its social impact.
Cole places particular responsibility on the private sector to drive this transformation. Political systems, mired in polarization and short electoral cycles, are ill-equipped to redesign pathways of opportunity on their own. Businesses, by contrast, make daily decisions about who is hired, trained, promoted, and mentored. These choices directly shape social mobility. When companies cling to outdated filters such as unnecessary degree requirements, they exclude millions who have developed skills through alternative routes. By adopting skills-based hiring and evaluating candidates on demonstrated capability rather than formal pedigree, organizations can immediately broaden access to opportunity and strengthen their own talent pipelines.
At the same time, the pursuit of diversity must avoid the trap of double standards. Lowering expectations or making symbolic hires may satisfy appearances but ultimately harms both performance and the individuals involved, who may feel their achievements are discounted. A genuine meritocracy holds one high bar for everyone while actively widening the paths that allow people to reach it. When two candidates show equal ability, Cole argues, the one who has overcome greater obstacles often possesses untapped potential forged through adversity. Recognizing this is not favoritism but a more accurate reading of resilience and growth capacity.
Another critical reform involves confronting subtle forms of nepotism. Favor requests from powerful networks, often framed as harmless opportunities, quietly preserve an inherited elite. Each unearned placement crowds out someone who may have had to fight far harder for a chance. Leaders committed to fair opportunity must be willing to decline such pressures, even when they come from influential sources. Doing so signals that advancement is based on contribution, not connection, and that organizational values are more than slogans.
The stakes of these choices extend beyond individual companies. When large segments of society believe that effort no longer leads to reward, frustration can harden into alienation and anger. Economic exclusion wastes human potential, slowing growth, while psychological exclusion weakens the social fabric. Restoring visible fairness in how opportunities are distributed helps renew confidence that institutions are worth trusting. In this sense, corporate leadership becomes a form of civic leadership. By modeling integrity, rejecting inherited privilege, and opening doors to diverse talent, business can help stabilize a culture strained by inequality and mistrust.
Cole also calls on leaders to carry these standards into other spheres of influence, from university governance to political engagement. Institutions that claim to serve the public good must not operate as private clubs for the wealthy, and voters should demand the same character from public officials that they expect from executives. Merit, whether in the boardroom or in government, must be grounded in competence and ethical responsibility.
In conclusion, "Doing Meritocracy Right: How Business Leaders Can Turn an American Aspiration Into Reality" by Thomas A. Cole argues that the promise of equal opportunity can be renewed only if merit is redefined and practiced with honesty. True meritocracy is not a system that rewards polished résumés and inherited advantages, but one that recognizes integrity, resilience, and real contribution wherever they are found. By dismantling credentialism, resisting nepotism, and holding fast to a single standard rooted in character, leaders can build organizations that are both more effective and more just. In doing so, they do more than improve corporate performance; they help restore faith in a social ideal that depends on the belief that the path upward is open to all who are willing and able to walk it.
The book begins by examining how privilege has gradually disguised itself as merit. Wealthy families can now purchase advantages that look like talent on paper: elite schooling, specialized coaching, and carefully curated résumés. Entire industries exist to guide already advantaged students into prestigious universities, turning admission letters into symbols not only of achievement but of financial investment. At the same time, institutions quietly reserve places for the children of donors and alumni, reinforcing a cycle in which status reproduces itself. This has led to an overreliance on narrow credentials, especially degrees from a small group of elite schools, as shortcuts for identifying potential. Yet evidence consistently shows that leadership excellence emerges from a far broader range of educational and social backgrounds. When organizations mistake pedigree for ability, they close their doors to vast pools of capable people and undermine the very principle of equal opportunity they claim to uphold.
This distorted system does more than waste talent; it shapes the mindset of those who succeed within it. When individuals are told their rise is solely the result of personal brilliance, it becomes easy to forget the roles of luck, support, and inherited advantage. Such amnesia breeds arrogance and distance from those who did not start with the same resources. Leaders who believe they earned every inch of their status may struggle to empathize with employees facing structural barriers, and this lack of humility erodes trust inside organizations and across society. Cole suggests that when elites fail to acknowledge how the game was tilted in their favor, resentment grows among those who feel the ladder has been pulled up behind them.
To correct this, the author proposes a richer definition of merit. Intelligence and effort matter, but they are incomplete without integrity. History offers repeated warnings of what happens when brilliance is unmoored from ethical grounding. Corporate scandals and financial crises were not caused by incompetence but by highly capable individuals who lacked moral restraint. Cole echoes the view that character must be the non-negotiable foundation of leadership, because energy and intellect without honesty and responsibility can magnify harm rather than create value. Alongside integrity, he highlights the importance of life experience as a form of education. Work that demands service, resilience, and cooperation - whether in the trades, the military, or frontline service roles - often cultivates emotional intelligence and practical wisdom that no elite classroom can replicate.
Humility completes this redefinition of merit. A leader who understands that success is a blend of effort, support, and chance is less likely to cling to status and more likely to listen, learn, and build others up. Such leaders focus not on proving their superiority but on enabling collective success. This orientation shifts organizations away from cultures of ego and toward cultures of stewardship, where authority is exercised with an awareness of its social impact.
Cole places particular responsibility on the private sector to drive this transformation. Political systems, mired in polarization and short electoral cycles, are ill-equipped to redesign pathways of opportunity on their own. Businesses, by contrast, make daily decisions about who is hired, trained, promoted, and mentored. These choices directly shape social mobility. When companies cling to outdated filters such as unnecessary degree requirements, they exclude millions who have developed skills through alternative routes. By adopting skills-based hiring and evaluating candidates on demonstrated capability rather than formal pedigree, organizations can immediately broaden access to opportunity and strengthen their own talent pipelines.
At the same time, the pursuit of diversity must avoid the trap of double standards. Lowering expectations or making symbolic hires may satisfy appearances but ultimately harms both performance and the individuals involved, who may feel their achievements are discounted. A genuine meritocracy holds one high bar for everyone while actively widening the paths that allow people to reach it. When two candidates show equal ability, Cole argues, the one who has overcome greater obstacles often possesses untapped potential forged through adversity. Recognizing this is not favoritism but a more accurate reading of resilience and growth capacity.
Another critical reform involves confronting subtle forms of nepotism. Favor requests from powerful networks, often framed as harmless opportunities, quietly preserve an inherited elite. Each unearned placement crowds out someone who may have had to fight far harder for a chance. Leaders committed to fair opportunity must be willing to decline such pressures, even when they come from influential sources. Doing so signals that advancement is based on contribution, not connection, and that organizational values are more than slogans.
The stakes of these choices extend beyond individual companies. When large segments of society believe that effort no longer leads to reward, frustration can harden into alienation and anger. Economic exclusion wastes human potential, slowing growth, while psychological exclusion weakens the social fabric. Restoring visible fairness in how opportunities are distributed helps renew confidence that institutions are worth trusting. In this sense, corporate leadership becomes a form of civic leadership. By modeling integrity, rejecting inherited privilege, and opening doors to diverse talent, business can help stabilize a culture strained by inequality and mistrust.
Cole also calls on leaders to carry these standards into other spheres of influence, from university governance to political engagement. Institutions that claim to serve the public good must not operate as private clubs for the wealthy, and voters should demand the same character from public officials that they expect from executives. Merit, whether in the boardroom or in government, must be grounded in competence and ethical responsibility.
In conclusion, "Doing Meritocracy Right: How Business Leaders Can Turn an American Aspiration Into Reality" by Thomas A. Cole argues that the promise of equal opportunity can be renewed only if merit is redefined and practiced with honesty. True meritocracy is not a system that rewards polished résumés and inherited advantages, but one that recognizes integrity, resilience, and real contribution wherever they are found. By dismantling credentialism, resisting nepotism, and holding fast to a single standard rooted in character, leaders can build organizations that are both more effective and more just. In doing so, they do more than improve corporate performance; they help restore faith in a social ideal that depends on the belief that the path upward is open to all who are willing and able to walk it.
July 12, 2025
Book Review: Doing Meritocracy Right: How Business Leaders Can Turn an American Aspiration into Reality (and Why They Should) by Thomas A. Cole
Rating: 4.5/5
Thomas A. Cole’s Doing Meritocracy Right is a provocative and pragmatic manifesto for reimagining meritocracy in corporate America—one that left me both energized and sobered. As someone who has oscillated between idealism about meritocratic ideals and cynicism about their real-world execution, I found Cole’s grounded approach refreshing. Drawing on decades of experience steering elite law firms and nonprofits, he reframes meritocracy not as a myth to dismantle but as a system to redesign, with businesses leading the charge.
What struck me most was Cole’s nuanced balance of idealism and pragmatism. His case studies of professional-service firms (like consultancies and law offices) as accidental laboratories for equity—where diversity and merit intersect out of sheer competitive necessity—are compelling. The chapter on “Merit, More Broadly” challenged my assumptions by arguing for character-driven metrics alongside traditional performance indicators. Cole’s prose is crisp and CEO-friendly, though I occasionally wished for more visceral storytelling to humanize data-heavy sections (e.g., firsthand accounts of employees navigating these systems). His “To-Do List for Reform” is admirably actionable, but the book’s focus on elite institutions might leave readers wondering how to adapt these principles for small businesses or frontline industries.
By the final pages, I felt both hopeful and impatient—Cole’s vision is persuasive, but his acknowledgment of systemic barriers (like educational inequities preceding corporate pipelines) underscores how much work remains. This isn’t just a business manual; it’s a moral call to rebuild ladders of opportunity.
Summary Takeaways:
-Cole doesn’t just defend meritocracy—he delivers a blueprint to fix it. A must-read for leaders who want talent to trump privilege.
-Turns the meritocracy debate on its head: What if businesses, not politicians, hold the keys to equitable opportunity?
-For fans of Lean In and The Meritocracy Trap, Cole offers something radical: practical solutions.
-Proof that meritocracy isn’t dead—it’s just been done wrong. This book is the reboot corporate America needs.
-A playbook for turning DEI platitudes into real pathways to power.
Thank you to the University of Chicago Press and Edelweiss for the advance copy. Doing Meritocracy Right is essential reading for anyone invested in equitable capitalism—a galvanizing mix of boardroom wisdom and societal urgency.
Rating: 4.5/5
Thomas A. Cole’s Doing Meritocracy Right is a provocative and pragmatic manifesto for reimagining meritocracy in corporate America—one that left me both energized and sobered. As someone who has oscillated between idealism about meritocratic ideals and cynicism about their real-world execution, I found Cole’s grounded approach refreshing. Drawing on decades of experience steering elite law firms and nonprofits, he reframes meritocracy not as a myth to dismantle but as a system to redesign, with businesses leading the charge.
What struck me most was Cole’s nuanced balance of idealism and pragmatism. His case studies of professional-service firms (like consultancies and law offices) as accidental laboratories for equity—where diversity and merit intersect out of sheer competitive necessity—are compelling. The chapter on “Merit, More Broadly” challenged my assumptions by arguing for character-driven metrics alongside traditional performance indicators. Cole’s prose is crisp and CEO-friendly, though I occasionally wished for more visceral storytelling to humanize data-heavy sections (e.g., firsthand accounts of employees navigating these systems). His “To-Do List for Reform” is admirably actionable, but the book’s focus on elite institutions might leave readers wondering how to adapt these principles for small businesses or frontline industries.
By the final pages, I felt both hopeful and impatient—Cole’s vision is persuasive, but his acknowledgment of systemic barriers (like educational inequities preceding corporate pipelines) underscores how much work remains. This isn’t just a business manual; it’s a moral call to rebuild ladders of opportunity.
Summary Takeaways:
-Cole doesn’t just defend meritocracy—he delivers a blueprint to fix it. A must-read for leaders who want talent to trump privilege.
-Turns the meritocracy debate on its head: What if businesses, not politicians, hold the keys to equitable opportunity?
-For fans of Lean In and The Meritocracy Trap, Cole offers something radical: practical solutions.
-Proof that meritocracy isn’t dead—it’s just been done wrong. This book is the reboot corporate America needs.
-A playbook for turning DEI platitudes into real pathways to power.
Thank you to the University of Chicago Press and Edelweiss for the advance copy. Doing Meritocracy Right is essential reading for anyone invested in equitable capitalism—a galvanizing mix of boardroom wisdom and societal urgency.
January 29, 2026
Blinkist app book of the day!
Respect
Opportunity
Doing Meritocracy Right (2025) challenges you to reject the flawed systems of credentialism and nepotism that have turned a noble American ideal into an artificial aristocracy. It argues that private sector leaders, rather than politicians, possess the unique ability to redefine success by valuing character and integrity alongside talent. By implementing practical reforms in hiring and promotion, you can strengthen your organization and help restore the promise of upward mobility for all.
Respect
Opportunity
Doing Meritocracy Right (2025) challenges you to reject the flawed systems of credentialism and nepotism that have turned a noble American ideal into an artificial aristocracy. It argues that private sector leaders, rather than politicians, possess the unique ability to redefine success by valuing character and integrity alongside talent. By implementing practical reforms in hiring and promotion, you can strengthen your organization and help restore the promise of upward mobility for all.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews