Herminia Ibarra

Herminia Ibarra is a professor of organizational behavior at the London Business School and a world-renowned expert on leadership and professional development. She is the author of multiple books and articles on the topic, including her 2019 bestseller, Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader. Her work explores how individuals can become more effective, adaptive leaders that drive organizational performance.

Herminia Ibarra was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and moved to the United States in her teens. She earned a B.A in comparative literature and French from Wellesley College, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in organizational behavior and industrial relations from the University of Michigan. She began her teaching career at Harvard University in the business and government policy program in 1989. In 2000, she left Harvard and joined the London Business School, where she is currently the Cora Chaired Professor of Leadership and Learning.

Ibarra’s work focuses on how individuals can develop the necessary skills and competencies to become leaders and how organizations can better support them in their growth. Her book Act Like A Leader, Think Like A Leader offers concrete advice for business professionals on how to “act” like a leader — making changes in behavior, appearance, and communication that will enhance perception of “leadership” — and how to “think” like a leader, crafting a leadership mindset, leveraging unexpected resources and collaborating to get results.

Ibarra is also the author of Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career. In this book, Ibarra has outlined ways to reinvent one’s career. Rather than offering a step-by-step plan, her unconventional guide focuses on challenges unique to individuals in various cultural, organizational, and age settings, and includes tips on how to recognize and capitalize on career successes and restructure working identities.

Ibarra has also published multiple articles on the topics of leadership and career development, including “The Career Myths We Make and Break” in Young Professionals Quarterly and “Leadership Development Programs: A Call for Caution” in Harvard Business Review. She has provided expert opinion and appeared on BBC, CNN, and CNBC.

Herminia Ibarra is a leading authority on leadership and professional development. She is on the forefront of research that looks at how individuals can become more effective and adaptive leaders that drive organization performance. Her books and articles are invaluable resources filled with tips and advice on how to pursue a successful and fulfilling career.