Author Speakers
Michael Watkins
Leadership Transitions Expert, Professor of Organisational Change, and Internationally Best-selling Author of The First 90 Days
At a Glance
Global Recognition
Widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost experts on leadership transitions, strategic thinking, and negotiation.
Professor of Leadership
Professor of Leadership and Organisational Change at the IMD Business School in Switzerland, where he leads senior executive programmes
Best-Selling Author
Internationally best-selling author, including the classic leadership book The First 90 Days, described by The Economist as “the onboarding bible,” and his most recent book, The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking.
Co-founder
Co-founder of Genesis Advisers, a global leadership development consultancy specialising in transition acceleration for leaders, teams, and organisations.
Accelerating Transitions
Advises senior executives to accelerate their transitions, build their teams, and transform their organisations.
Shaping Future Enterprise Leaders
Advises senior executives to accelerate their transitions, build their teams, and transform their organisations.
The Globally-Recognised Expert
Michael Watkins is a globally recognised expert, academic and author specialising in leadership transitions and organisational change. He has spent the past two decades coaching C-level executives and teaching the next generation of leaders how to step up to enterprise leadership, develop their teams, and transform their organisations effectively.
As a Professor of Leadership and Organisational Change, Michael teaches at the International Management Development (IMD) Business School in Switzerland and co-directs its Transition to Business Leadership executive programme for future enterprise leaders. Before joining the IMD, he was an Associate Professor at Harvard Business School and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He is also the co-founder of Genesis Advisers, a boutique executive coaching firm that guides leaders and their teams and organisations through periods of transition.
His proven strategies, professional experiences and decades of contributions to management and leadership development meant that in 2023, Michael was inducted into the prestigious Thinkers 50 Management Hall of Fame.
Internationally Best-Selling Author
Michael is a renowned business author, with his most notable book being the international best-seller The First 90 Days. Dubbed ‘the onboarding bible’ by The Economist in praise of its practical framework for navigating the early stages of a new leadership role, the book is one of the world’s most trusted guides for managers undergoing a career transition, selling more than 1.5 million copies worldwide. It has been translated into 23 different languages and was chosen by Amazon as one of their top 100 leadership and success books to read in a lifetime.
His latest book, The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking, was published in 2023. Featured by publications like the Financial Times, Harvard Business Review, Fortune, and more, it provides actionable methods for leaders to weave strategic thinking into their leadership style and highlights the benefits of developing these skills within teams and organisations. The book also features various case studies and examples of CEOs and businesses who have used strategic thinking to their advantage, sharing key lessons to implement in leaders’ routines and processes.
Author of The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking: Leading Your Organization Into the Future
Businesses face unprecedented challenges with technology, supply chain issues, economic uncertainty, and political instability. To avoid being overwhelmed by the chaos and outmanoeuvred by their competitors, leaders must learn how to turn disruption into opportunity and instil strategic thinking into their teams, cultures, and management styles.
Every leader can learn to be a stronger strategic thinker. From mental agility and pattern recognition to visioning and political savvy, this book digs deep into the six disciplines of strategic thinking that separate good and great leaders, and offers the tools required to build this skill into a competitive edge in a VUCA environment.
A comprehensive, practical, and actionable guide to strategic thinking, this essential new book offers a wealth of insights and tools for leaders at all levels to help them win the game of business – strategically.
Ready To Speak To The Media
Michael is an experienced speaker and writer who is available for interviews, guest articles and commentary on topics including:
Mastering Leadership Transitions
How to accelerate success in new leadership roles by systematically navigating the critical first 90 days.
The Seven Seismic Shifts
Stepping Up to Enterprise Leadership: “Understanding the seven major shifts required to transition from functional leadership to enterprise-level leadership.”
Strategic Thinking for Turbulent Times
The six essential disciplines of strategic thinking every leader must develop to lead in today’s complex business environment.
The Impact of AI on Leadership
Preparing leaders for the future by understanding the evolving role of AI and its implications for workforce dynamics and strategic planning.
Mastering Strategic Negotiation
Learn the principles and tools of strategic negotiation, focusing on diagnosing complex situations, building coalitions, and navigating power dynamics for successful outcomes.
Leading Organisational Transformation
Best practices for effectively leading large-scale transformations that align culture, strategy, and operations.
Building Adaptive Cultures
How to cultivate adaptive cultures that embrace change, foster innovation, and continuously evolve in response to dynamic environments.
Mindful Leadership
Enhancing Presence and Decision-Making: “How integrating mindfulness can improve leadership presence, decision-making, and emotional intelligence in high-pressure environments.
Building Resilient Organisations
Creating resilient teams through psychological safety and fostering well-being to adapt to organisational challenges and change.
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My book hit #1 on Amazon which is beyond my wildest dreams and that is in no small park due to the team at The Book Publicist. The PR they managed to do in a short term is incredibly impressive including Daily Mail, BBC, Forbes etc. Please don't leave me . . .
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