GEORGE KOHLRIESER is an organizational and clinical psychologist. He is Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behavior at IMD (International Institute for Management Development), Switzerland, one of the world’s leading business schools, and is the creator and director of its flagship High Performance Leadership Program.
George incorporates the lessons he learned as a psychologist and hostage negotiator in his work with leaders. He has worked with the police, the military and humanitarian organizations in such hot spots as Israel, the Palestinian territories, and Croatia, as well as with police departments and police academies in the United States, the Netherlands, Germany, France, and India. In the course of his work, he has been taken hostage four times – once in a hospital emergency room and three times in homes during domestic violence disputes. Each time, using Secure Base Leadership skills, he successfully negotiated his way out.
His first book, Hostage at the Table: How Leaders Can Overcome Conflict, Influence Others, and Raise Performance, was an international best seller and received the "Best Business Book Award 2007" from DCF (French Association of Business Leaders) and "Best Management Book 2008" in Germany by Managementbuch.de.
An engaging teacher and a highly sought after motivational speaker for conferences and keynote addresses, George has been a guest on BBC, CNN, ABC, and CBS as well as numerous radio programs. His work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the Economist and other leading newspapers and magazines
SUSAN GOLDSWORTHY is founder & CEO of Goldswolf & Associates, a company specializing in leadership development, executive coaching, and change communications. She works with a number of international clients, is on the faculty at Webster University, Geneva, and is an executive coach and consultant lecturer at IMD.
Susan has more than twenty years management experience in large multinational companies, working for Japanese (Hitachi), American (Digital) and European (Tetra Pak) corporations across a range of industry areas. Her most recent corporate role was as Vice President, Communications, Tetra Pak International.
A former Olympic finalist, European and Commonwealth Bronze Medallist, Susan combines experience from the fields of sports, business and neuroscience. She is passionate about helping people turn knowledge into behaviour and creating the conditions for healthy high performance.
Susan holds a Masters degree (MSc) in Consulting and Coaching for Change with HEC and Oxford University, certification in Coaching for Leadership & Professional Development with The Tavistock Institute, the Graduate Certificate in the Neuroscience of Leadership and post-graduate diplomas in Marketing, Direct Marketing and Change Management. She is also qualified in the use of a number of psychometric assessment tools.
DUNCAN COOMBE is a teacher, researcher, author and advisor. He is on the faculty of Ashridge Business School and is a consultant to the Fowler Center for Sustainable Value. He works as an external consultant to a variety of for-profit and non-profit organizations. Duncan’s teaching and advisory work to senior executives includes topics of leadership development, organization development, culture and change management. He has served clients in many sectors including financial services, hotels, poverty alleviation, FMCG and pharmaceuticals. His work has taken him to five continents and places as diverse as Bhutan, Burkina Faso, and the Arctic Circle. The central theme of all of his work is human well-being, whether at the individual, team, organization or societal level. He is deeply committed to being a voice for humanity in the workplace and is particularly focused on the topic of Love in organisations. Duncan completed his Doctorate in Organizational Behavior at The Weatherhead School of Management. He holds an MBA from IMD, an LLB (Dean’s Merit List) and a Bachelor of Social Science (majors in Psychology and Economics). Duncan is on the faculty of the Gestalt Center for Organization and Systems Development and is also a Lifeline crisis counsellor. Previously, Duncan worked at Procter & Gamble and Investec Asset Management in a variety of business development roles. He has lived and worked in the US, Switzerland, the UK and South Africa.
