Richard Boyatzis

Richard Boyatzis is one of the foremost experts on leadership and human performance, having written several books on the topics as well as speaking at conferences, writing hundreds of essays, and coaching professionals. He has been active in the study of management, psychology, education, and organizational behavior for over forty years.

Richard Boyatzis was born in Athens, Greece in 1949. He obtained his B.S. from the London School of Economics in 1971 and his M.A. from Yale University in 1972. He went on to get his Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from Case Western Reserve University in 1974. Afterward, Boyatzis began his career as a professor at Case Western Reserve University. During his time there, he pioneered the field of Positive Organizational Scholarship, which contributed to the further understanding of human motivation, emotion, and effectiveness in the workplace.

In 1984, Richard Boyatzis wrote his first book, The Mechanisms of Mind, which was followed by Resonant Leadership in 2001. He co-authored Primal Leadership with Daniel Goleman and Annie McKee in 2002, Emotional and Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships in 2004, and The Cultural Architect in 2008. His most popular book, however, is Inspiring Leadership: Character, Credo, and Calling, which was first published in 2014. The book describes the three C’s (character, credo, and calling) behind great leadership and how they can create an inspiring environment that encourages long-term, sustainable success.

Throughout his career, Boyatzis has developed techniques and models for inspiring performance, both in individuals and organizations. In his book, Resonant Leadership, Boyatzis explains that leaders must learn to use their emotional and social intelligence, rather than relying solely on technical skills, in order to create an inspired, learning environment. In addition to his books, Boyatzis has written many articles, collected in his Inspiring Leadership: Character, Credo, and Calling book and his 2008 book, The Cultural Architect. He has also been featured in the Harvard Business Review, Executive Excellence magazine, Strategy+Business, and other publications.

Richard Boyatzis uses a holistic approach to leadership, in which he looks at all aspects of a leader’s life, from work to relationships, to figure out what motivates and inspires them. This is the same approach he takes when coaching professionals. He helps his clients by helping them see how their strengths, values, and beliefs are connected to their professional and personal lives, and how they can use those to become successful.

In his books and speaking engagements, Richard Boyatzis encourages leaders to think beyond the traditional view that success is attained by having a powerful position or gaining control. He explained that in order to be successful, leaders have to be resonant, meaning they have to have “calls to greatness.” In this way, Boyatzis has inspired leaders to create environments that create growth and success individually and collectively.

In addition to writing and speaking, Richard Boyatzis has been a consultant to many organizations, including IBM, McKinsey & Company, Deloitte, and Johnson & Johnson, where he has helped them identify the unique “resonant” strengths of their teams and leaders and develop strategies for success.

Richard Boyatzis' work on leadership and human performance has had a major impact on the modern workplace. He has developed concepts that have become part of the mainstream conversation about how to be an effective leader and create resonant, inspiring teams. While his books and articles provide a powerful toolkit for organizational success, it is his coaching and consulting work that has made the most profound impact. Through his work, Richard Boyatzis has been a leader in helping organizations develop the techniques and strategies to become successful.