Russ Eisenstat

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Executive Director (Emeritus), Center for Higher Ambition Leadership and Founder, TruePoint

In a career that has spanned nearly three decades in both management consulting and academic research, Russ has pioneered new thinking and practice on how leaders can more effectively transform their organizations to achieve significantly higher levels of sustainable performance and stakeholder commitment.

His work in the area of large scale organization change and strategic alignment has earned international recognition. For example, his and Michael Beer’s contributions to the development of the Strategic Fitness Process received the 1998 Award for the Outstanding Organizational Development Project Worldwide from the Organizational Development Institute. In addition, Russ’s book The Critical Path to Corporate Renewal, written with Michael Beer and Bert Spector, received the Johnson, Smith & Knisely Award for New Perspectives on Executive Leadership.

He has successfully partnered with clients on transformational work across a wide spectrum of industries, including Computer Software & Hardware, Energy, Environmental Services, Healthcare, Medical Devices, and Telecommunications.

Past Experience

Russ served six years on the faculty of the Harvard Business School. He also spent five years at McKinsey & Company as a Senior Organizational Fellow and expert in the areas of organizational design and change.

Publications

Russ was a co-author of the recently published Higher Ambition, a book that shows how great CEOs around the world create superior long term economic and social value.  His other significant publications include:

  • Harvard Business Review Articles

    • The Higher Ambition Leader, 2011

    • The Uncompromising Leader, 2008

    • How to Have an Honest Conversation About Your Business Strategy, 2004

    • Why Change Programs Don’t Produce Change, 1990

  • Publications

    • How to Have an Honest Conversation About Your Business Strategy, Harvard Business Review, 2004

    • The Silent Killers of Strategy Implementation & Learning, Sloan Management Review, 2000

    • The Critical Path to Corporate Renewal, 1990

Personal

Russ shares a passionate, if at times painful commitment to the Red Sox, the Celtics and the Patriots with his wife and three sons.

Education

B.A., Harvard University 
Ph.D., Yale University

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