Leadership Thought Leaders
Brief Bios go to: Full Bios
May 11, 2018
The Power of Total Commitment
How Some Companies Maintain Excellence Year After Year
Frank Wagner – Internationally renowned Leadership Expert, Master Coach, and Founding Partner & Practice Leader for Stakeholder Centered Coaching by Marshall Goldsmith, the world's #1 leadership thinker and #7 business thinker (by Harvard Business Review and Thinkers 50). Frank and his team help CEOs and senior leaders execute on key behaviors in order to take their leadership to the next level. His clients have included companies like Apple Computer, Citibank, Coca-Cola, IBM, NationsBank, Reebok, Tektronix, and UCLA.
Book: The Power of Total Commitment: A Leader's Legacy
by Frank Wagner
Feb. 23, 2018
The Art of Strategic Leadership
Preparing Yourself, Executive Team & Organization for the Future
Steven J. Stowell – Internationally renowned leadership expert, Dr. Stowell is the Founder and President of the Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness, Inc. CMOE was created in 1978 for the purpose of helping chief executives and their teams maximize their effectiveness and create strategic competitiveness. Steve helps leaders and organizations transform into high-performance cultures that are focused on long-term, sustained growth.
Book: The Art of Strategic Leadership: How Leaders at All Levels Prepare
Themselves, Their Teams, and Organizations for the Future
by Steven J. Stowell
Dec. 8, 2017
How the Best Companies Continue to Keep their Brand Relevant
Allen Adamson – Internationally renowned expert in all disciplines of branding and marketing. Allen has led the creation of practical strategies that generated long-term business value and increased brand equity for many global companies including: Accenture, GE, Johnson & Johnson, FedEx, HBO, Marriott, MetLife, Verizon, Kraft, Mars, and Procter & Gamble, Lever Brothers and other iconic brands.
Book: Shift Ahead: How the Best Companies Stay Relevant in a
Fast-Changing World by Allen Adamson
Nov. 10, 2017
Removing Obstacles to Growth and a Better Bottom Line
Dorriah Rogers – Nationally acclaimed expert on business growth. Dorriah is the CEO of Autry Industrial and formerly the CEO of Paradyne Consulting Works, where she helped clients, including ExxonMobil, Shell, Lockheed Martin, Xcel Energy, Black & Veatch, Kiewit, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Department of Defense, the California Natural Resources Agency, etc., significantly improve their bottom-line.
Book: Decide to Profit: 9 Steps to a Better Bottom Line
by Dorriah Rogers
Oct. 13, 2017
Driving Business Results with High-Impact Storytelling
Esther Choy – Internationally acclaimed communications expert. Esther founded Leadership Story Lab in 2010 to help leaders leverage the art of storytelling to create extraordinary opportunities. Through the mastery of simple but potent techniques, chief executives become more engaging and persuasive – their messages resonate more with employees, customers and all stakeholders – success ensues.
Book: Let the Story Do the Work: The Art of Storytelling for
Business Success by Esther Choy
Sept. 8, 2017
Understanding & Preparing for a Future of Extreme Disruption
Bob Johansen – World-renowned futurist and distinguished fellow at the Institute for the Future in Silicon Valley. Bob helps top leaders around the world prepare for and shape the future. Bob works with corporations such as McKinsey, Tesco, UPS, Kellogg, Syngenta, and McDonald's - as well as a range of major universities and non profits. "The New Leadership Literacies" is Bob's tenth book. A social scientist by training, Bob holds a BS from the University of Illinois, where he played varsity basketball, and a PhD from Northwestern University.
Book: The New Leadership Literacies: Thriving in a Future of Extreme
Disruption and Distributed Everything by Bob Johansen
August 11, 2017
Accelerating Team Performance – Lessons from Special Ops
Jan Rutherford – At age 17, weighing 114-lbs, Jan entered the U.S. Army; he spent 6-years in Special Forces as a medic and “A” team executive officer and 3-years as a military intelligence officer. As the founder and CEO of Self-Reliant Leadership, LLC, Jan now leads Crucible expeditions with executives and transitioning special operations veterans. He is also a senior instructor at University of Colorado Denver Business School, where he teaches leadership to MBA students in the U.S. and Ireland.
Book: The Littlest Green Beret: On Self-Reliant Leadership
by Jan Rutherford
June 9, 2017
Maximizing Employee Engagement, Accountability & Retention
Jathan Janove – Nationally acclaimed workplace relationship expert. Prior to founding Janove Organization Solutions, Jathan spent 25 years litigating workplace relationships that turned toxic. He now works with employers as an organization development consultant, coach, and trainer to improve leadership, trust, accountability, engagement, and retention. Jathan is the author of three books: Hard-Won Wisdom, Managing to Stay Out of Court, and The Star Profile.
Book: Hard-Won Wisdom: True Stories from the Management Trenches
by Jathan Janove
May 12, 2017
Navigating the New Norm: Disruptive Marketing
Geoffrey Colon – Nationally acclaimed expert in social media marketing and Microsoft Executive, Geoffrey is the voice at the intersection of marketing, tech, and popular culture. Prior to joining Microsoft, Geoffrey was vice president of digital strategy at Ogilvy & Mather in New York.
CEOx Talk (video): coming soon
Book: Disruptive Marketing: What Growth Hackers, Data Punks, and Other
Hybrid Thinkers Can Teach Us About Navigating the New Normal
by Geoffrey Colon
Apr. 14, 2017
Creating High Performance Companies
Paul J. Zak – internationally acclaimed thought leader is the founding Director of the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies and Professor of Economics, Psychology, and Management at Claremont Graduate University. He was part of the team of scientists that first made the connection between oxytocin and trust—and his TED talk on the topic has received over a million views. He has appeared on CNN, Fox Business, Dr.Phil, Good Morning America, ABC World News Tonight, and is the author of the bestselling book, The Moral Molecule.
CEOx Talk (video): Creating High Performance Companies
Book: Trust Factor: The Science of Creating High Performance Companies
by Paul J. Zak
Mar. 10, 2017
Leading the Unleadable
Alan Willett – nationally acclaimed expert in managing mavericks, cynics, divas and other difficult people, is president of Oxseeker, a leadership development and organizational culture change consultancy whose clients include Oracle, Microsoft, NASA, Intuit, and others.
CEOx Talk (video): Leading the Unleadable
Book: Leading the Unleadable: How to Manage Mavericks, Cynics, Divas,
and Other Difficult People by Alan Willett
Feb. 10, 2017
Winning the Innovation Race
Andrew Grant & Gaia Grant – internationally acclaimed experts in creating a culture of innovation. The Grants are the founders and directors of Tirian International Consultancy and co-authors of the new book "The Innovation Race: How to change a culture to change the game" and the international bestseller "Who Killed Creativity?... And How Can We Get it Back?: Seven essential strategies for making yourself, your team and your organization more innovative".
Book: The Innovation Race: How to change a Culture to Change the Game
by Andrew Grant & Gaia Grant
Dec. 9, 2016
Connecting with the People who Power your Business
Ed Wallace, the foremost authority on business relationships and their impact on performance, is the #1 bestselling author on the power of business relationships. Ed brings experiences and insights from working with a client list that is a Who's Who of Fortune 500 companies to help CEOs foster an environment that creates deep meaningful relationships that are an essential element of success.
Book: The Relationship Engine: Connecting with the People who Power
your Business by Ed Wallace
Nov. 11, 2016
Using Big Data to Leapfrog the Competition
Christopher Surdak is one of the world's most globally renowned experts in Big Data, collaboration and content management, information security, regulatory compliance, and Cloud computing. He is author of Data Crush: How the Information Tidal Wave is Driving New Business Opportunities, recipient of GetAbstract’s International Book of the Year Award (2014) and contributing author to Big Data Combat” a 2016 best-seller in China. His latest book is Jerk: Twelve Steps to Rule the World.
Book: Jerk: Twelve Steps to Rule the World by Christopher Surdak
Oct. 14, 2016
Unlock Creativity and Spark Relevant New Ideas
Bernhard Schroeder is the Entrepreneurship Center Director at the prestigious Lavin Entrepreneurship Center at San Diego State University. Previously a senior partner at CKS Partners, he has served as a marketing and brand expert for Amazon, Yahoo, Apple, Nike, Kellogg’s, GM, and American Express, etc. He is the author of the bestseller, Fail Fast or Win Big and Simply Brilliant.
Book: Simply Brilliant" Powerful Techniques to Unlock Your Creativity
and Spark New Ideas by Bernhard Schroeder
Sept. 9, 2016
Using Focus, Courage, Grit and Faith to Navigate Through Risk to Results
Eric Kaufmann a renowned expert in guiding leaders to make better decisions and achieve better results. Eric is the CEO of Sagatica, a consulting, training, and leadership coaching firm, an adjunct professor of leadership and coaching at San Diego State University, a speaker, author of The Four Virtues of a Leader and Leadership as a Hero's Journey, a clinical hypnotherapist, scuba diving instructor, and lifelong practitioner of Zen meditation.
Book: The Four Virtues of a Leader: Navigating the Hero's Journey
Through Risk to Results by Eric Kaufmann
June 3, 2016
Defusing the Stress of Executive Leadership while Boosting Productivity
Sharon Melnick, Ph.D., is one of the world’s foremost experts on Leadership Stress Resilience in the most demanding times. She is the author of the bestselling book "Success Under Stress" and has trained leaders at GE, Procter and Gamble, Pfizer, Merck, Coldwell Banker, Chubb and many other organizations. Her methods are informed by 10 years of research at Harvard Medical School and field tested by over 17,000 clients and training participants.
Book: Success Under Stress: Powerful Tools for Staying Calm, Confident,
and Productive When the Pressure's On by Sharon Melnick
May 13, 2016Z
The Reality (Not the Rhetoric) of Effective Leadership
Anthony F. Smith (Tony) is the Co-founder and Managing Director of LEADERSHIP RESEARCH INSTITUTE, a global management and leadership consulting firm. He is an internationally acclaimed expert in the areas of organizational change, post-merger integration, organizational assessment, executive coaching and development, and leadership training. His clients including McKinsey and Company, Goldman Sachs, TPG, National Geographic, ESPN, the NFL, American Express, American Red Cross, The Nature Conservancy, and the Carnegie Institute.
Book: The Taboos of Leadership: The 10 Secrets No One Will Tell
You About Leaders and What They Really Think by Anthony F. Smith
Apr. 8, 2016
Racial, Religious & Gender Intelligence – Making Differences Work at Work
Michelle T. Johnson is a writer, public speaker, playwright, and diversity consultant/trainer. She is a former employment attorney for two Kansas City, Missouri law firms, including one of the largest in the city (Husch Blackwell Sanders LLC), representing companies and organizations in employment litigation, including Hallmark Cards, the Kansas City, Missouri School District, Deffenbaugh Industries, DST, Kansas City Power and Light and Interstate Brands Corporation (IBC). Go to Michelle's website: www.MichelleTJohnson.com.
Book: The Diversity Code: Unlock the Secrets to Making Differences Work
in the Real World by Michelle T. Johnson
Mar. 11, 2016
The Five Competency Framework for a Customer-Driven Growth Engine
Jeanne Bliss, one of the foremost experts on customer-centric leadership and the role of the Chief Customer Officer. A consultant and thought leader, Jeanne Bliss guides C-Suite and Chief Customer Officer clients around the world toward earning the right to business growth and prosperity, by improving customers’ lives. Go to Jeanne's website: CustomerBliss.com.
Book: Chief Customer Officer 2.0: How to Build Your Customer-Driven
Growth Engine by Jeanne Bliss
Feb. 12, 2016
Helping our Teams Achieve Maximum Effectiveness
Jeff Wolf, named one of the Top 100 Thought Leaders by the prestigious Leadership Excellence Magazine for his accomplishments in leadership development, managerial effectiveness and organizational productivity. His strategic focus on solving corporate and human issues has garnered continuing raves from myriad global organizations. Go to Jeff's website: WolfMotivation.com.
Book: Seven Disciplines of a Leader: How to Help Your People, Team,
and Organization Achieve Maximum Effectiveness by Jeff Wolf
Jan. 8, 2016
Developing Highly Effective Boardroom Relationships
Beverly Behan, named one of the 100 Most Influential People in Governance and the Boardroom, has worked with more than 140 Boards of Directors in the US and around the world—from Fortune 500 corporations to closely-held family businesses to recent IPOs. She writes "The Boardroom" column for Bloomberg BusinessWeek and is often quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Business 2.0 and other publications. Go to Beverly's website: BoardAdvisor.net.
Book: Great Companies Deserve Great Boards: A CEO's Guild to the
Boardroom by Beverly Behan
Dec. 11, 2015
Effective Ways for Leaders to Deal with Irrational & Impossible People
Dr. Mark Goulston, M.D. is a nationally renowned psychiatrist, trainer of FBI hostage negotiators, leadership consultant, coach, and business advisor. Mark is the founder and CEO of The Goulston Group works with companies, organizations and agencies to create a “gotta have it” response from customers, clients, outside talent, employees and investors that causes them to do what you want them to do without your having to persuade them.
Book: Talking to Crazy: How to Deal with the Irrational and Impossible
People in Your Life by Dr. Mark Goulston
Nov. 13, 2015
How Leaders Can Craft Meaning that Increases Engagement & Productivity
Scott Mautz is a 20 year veteran of Procter & Gamble with expertise in achieving results through inspiring the best in others, creating fulfilling work environments, and personal leadership. Scott currently runs a 3 billion dollar business at P&G. He is also a top rated thought leader and speaker, delivering over 20 keynote addresses per year speaking to thousands of people at P&G and other companies and universities.
Book: Make It Matter: How Managers Can Motivate by Creating Meaning
by Scott Mautz
Oct. 9, 2015
What Organizations Must Do to Make Sure New Leaders Succeed
David Dotlich, president of Pivot Leadership, a Korn Ferry company. He is an advisor and coach to CEOs and boards of Fortune 500 companies, an entrepreneur who has started, grown, and sold two large companies and a former executive VP of Honeywell International. David is the author of 12 books on leadership and has been named one of the Top 50 Coaches in the US.
Book: Transitions at the Top: What Organizations Must Do to Make Sure
New Leaders Succeed by David L. Dotlich and Dan Ciampa
Sept. 11, 2015
Identifying and Developing the Hidden Leaders in Your Organization
Scott Edinger, a nationally acclaimed expert, author, consultant and coach who helps organizations achieve measurable business results; clients including AT&T, Harvard Business Publishing, Bank of America, Lenovo, Gannett and The Los Angeles Times. As the former the Executive VP of Zenger Folkman, Scott helped the organization achieve unprecedented growth during the last recession – nearly doubling in size during his tenure.
Book: The Hidden Leader: Discover and Develop Greatness
Within Your Company by Scott K. Edinger & Laurie Sain
Aug. 14, 2015
How the Best Leaders Transform Uncertainty and Anxiety into Results
Eric Kaufmann, a renowned expert in guiding leaders to make better decisions and achieve better results. Eric is the CEO of Sagatica, a consulting, training, and leadership coaching firm, an adjunct professor of leadership and coaching at San Diego State University, a speaker, author of "Leadership as a Hero's Journey", a clinical hypnotherapist, scuba diving instructor, and lifelong practitioner of Zen meditation.
Book: Leadership as a Hero's Journey: 4 Virtues for Transforming
Uncertainty and Anxiety into Results by Eric Kaufmann
July 10, 2015
The CEOs Role in Creating a Talent Development Playbook That Works
Jeannie Coyle, C-suite executive coach, talent development consultant, speaker, and author of “Make Talent Your Business.” Prior to founding her coaching and consulting business, Jeannie was the Senior Vice President of Human Resources (CHRO) at American Express, on Lou Gerstner's executive team, and then the Vice President of Leadership and Management at Bank of America.
Book: Make Talent Your Business: How Exceptional Managers Develop
People While Getting Results by Jeannie Coyle and Wendy Axelrod
June 5, 2015
Too Busy to Win? 3 Factors that Contribute to CEO Success or Derailment
Nicole Lipkin, Acclaimed leadership expert, CEO of Equilibria Leadership Consulting, business psychologist, and author of two popular business books: "What Keeps Leaders Up At Night" & "Y In the Workplace." Dr. Lipkin helps CEOs and their companies by bringing the science of human behavior together with practical approaches to develop resonant, motivational, and powerful leaders.
Book: What Keeps Leaders Up At Night: Recognizing and Resolving
Your Most Troubling Management Issues by Nicole Lipkin
May 8, 2015
Driving Growth & Profits by Teaching Employees the “Rules” of Business
Steve Baker, Vice President of The Great Game of Business, Inc., a division of SRC Holdings Corporation, is an internationally acclaimed author, speaker & coach. Steve co-wrote the 20th Anniversary update of Jack Stack's best-selling book, The Great Game of Business.
Book: The Great Game of Business: The Only Sensible Way to Run a
Company by Jack Stack; with the 20th Edition updates by Steve Baker
April 10, 2015
Creating a Culture that Works for both Millennials and Management
Lee Caraher, President and CEO of Double Forte, is a nationally acclaimed communications strategist known for her practical solutions to big problems. Lee previously served as the EVP at Weber Shandwick, and Vice President at SEGA.
Book: Millennials & Management: The Essential Guide to Making It Work
at Work
March 13, 2015
The Strategic Implications of Social Media Trends in Business
Mark Babbitt, Internationally acclaimed social media expert, blogger, author, and speaker, is the Founder and CEO of YouTern, one of the Top 5 Online Community for Starting Your Career. He also serves as the President of Switch and Shift, as well as co-founder of ForwardHeroes.org.
Book: A World Gone Social: How Companies Must Adapt to Survive
January 8, 2015
Triggering the Passion & Energy that Supercharges Performance
Jackie Barretta has a 25-year history as a successful Fortune 500 C-level executive and Big Four consultant. As the top executive of a Fortune 500 company's Portland operations, she has led hundreds of employees through challenging times and major transformations.
Book: Primal Teams: Harnessing the Power of Emotions to Fuel
Extraordinary Performance
December 11, 2014
Big Data: The Strategic Implications and Competitive Opportunities
Christopher Surdak is a globally renowned expert in Big Data, collaboration and content management, information security, regulatory compliance, and Cloud computing.
Book: Data Crush: How the information Tidal Wave is Driving
New Business Opportunities
November 13, 2014
The CEO's Effective Alternative to Being Overworked and Overwhelmed
Scott Eblin, Executive coach, speaker, bestselling author, and former Fortune 200 executive with a leadership development client list that includes the leaders of some of the world’s best known private and public sector organizations. Scott also writes one of the world's "Top 50" most-read leadership blogs.
Book: Overworked and Overwhelmed: The Mindfulness Alternative
October 9, 2014
Executive Intelligence – the Unique Priorities of Top Performing CEOs
Justin Menkes is one of the world's top experts in the field of C-suite talent evaluation and is a member of Spencer Stuart’s Board. His research led him to the discovery of Executive Intelligence and the creation of a methodology to measure it, which is now used by Spencer Stuart in their work with Fortune 500 CEOs.
Book: Better Under Pressure: How Great Leaders Bring Out the Best
in Themselves and Others
September 11, 2014
Creating High-Performance Teams that Deliver Results
Paul Gustavson, CEO of OPD, Inc., the former chair of the Marriott School of Management's OB/HR Advisory Board, and a nationally renowned expert in the creation of high performance teams and design of high commitment work systems.
Book: A Team of Leaders: Empowering Every Member to Take
Ownership, Demonstrate Initiative, and Deliver Results
August 14, 2014
Tough Conversations: How to Get Through to Anyone & Gain Their Buy-In
Mark Goulston, M.D., psychiatrist, former FBI hostage negotiator, Fortune 500 leadership consultant, CEO coach, best-selling author and syndicated columnist.
Book: Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to
Absolutely Anyone
June 12, 2014
Creating a Culture of Innovation that Drives Success
Phil McKinney, CEO of CableLabs, former HP Chief Technology Officer, founder of HP’s Innovation Program Office, and globally renowned expert on innovation and creativity.
Book: Beyond the Obvious: Killer Questions That Spark
Game-Changing Innovation
May 8, 2014
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective CEOs (an interactive CEO workshop)
Sue Dathe-Douglass, FranklinCovey Global Vice President, leadership expert, advisor, consultant and subject matter expert in The 7 Habits for Managers.
Book: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
April 10, 2014
How the CEOs of Exceptional Companies Think
Discover why some "Good to Great" companies are still great and others are not.
Michael Raynor, Deloitte Services Director, Innovation & Strategy expert, author and advisor to top executives of many large global corporations.
Book: The Three Rules: How Exceptional Companies Think
March 13, 2014
How highly successful companies attract, engage and retain top talent
Tom Agnew, author, Hay group Principal, and nationally renowned for his team’s breakthrough research on understanding the work environment factors that most impact employee attraction, engagement, performance and retention.
Book: The Enemy of Engagement – Get the Most from Your Employees
February 6, 2014
The 6 Personal Dimensions that Fuel & Refuel the World's Top Leaders
Bob Rosen, Fortune 500 CEO advisor, internationally renowned leadership visionary, and NY Times best-selling author of six leadership books.
Book: Grounded: How Leaders Stay Rooted in an Uncertain World