THIS BOOK represents decades of our work on the themes that have culminated in the theory of primal leadership, each of us approaching the topic from a unique angle. Our indebtedness extends to many who have contributed to our thinking, research, and our ability to write this book.
For Richard Boyatzis and Daniel Goleman, many of those whose research has contributed to our thinking are colleagues on the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations, headed by Cary Cherniss of the Graduate School for Professional and Applied Psychology at Rutgers University. These include Lyle Spencer, Marilyn Gowing, Claudio Fernández-Aráoz, and Matthew Mangino, whose research has directly contributed to this book.
But our first inspiration was our main professor at Harvard during our graduate school years, David McClelland—his research and theories shaped much of our own work until his death in 1998. We also are indebted to colleagues from those early years who are now at The Hay Group and who have continued to share their research findings and explorations into the ingredients of excellence. These include Murray Dalziel, group managing director for worldwide practices at The Hay Group, who continues to be a fount of insights and analytic clarity in his thinking about leadership and organizational development; Mary Fontaine, senior vice president, and James Burrus, vice president, at the McClelland Center of The Hay Group in Boston; John Larrere, vice president and general manager, The Hay Group; and Paul Basile, formerly director of marketing, The Hay Group.
Among the many other colleagues at The Hay Group whose work has supported our own are Keith Cornella, Ginny Flynn, Patricia Marshall, Signe Spencer, and Bill Tredwell, all in Boston; Therese Jacobs-Stewart in Minneapolis; Connie Schroyer in Arlington, Virginia; Rick Lash in Toronto; Nick Boulter, Chris Dyson, Alison Forsythe, Katherine Thomas, and Peter Melrose in London; Sergio Oxer and Luiz Giorgio in São Paolo; and Tharuma Rajah in Kuala Lumpur.
In the Boston office of The Hay Group, Ruth Jacobs has provided crucial data analyses, along with Michele Burckle. Fabio Sala, who continues to direct research with the ECI, has also done yeoman service with data analyses.
Richard Boyatzis gives special thanks to David Kolb, professor of organizational behavior at Case Western Reserve University, who introduced him to the model of behavior change and intrigued him to study it further. Also, he thanks the many colleagues who helped him in the research and building of the self-directed learning model, or who helped him teach it: Ann Baker, Robert F. Bales, Diana Bilimoria, Susan Case, Scott Cowen, Christine Dreyfus, Vanessa Druskat, Louella Harvey-Hein, Retta Holdorf, David Leonard, Poppy McLeod, Charalampos Mainemelis, Angela Murphy, Patricia Petty, Ken Rhee, Lorraine Thompson, Jane Wheeler, and Robert Wright.
Many others have contributed to the thinking about leadership in this book. Daniel Goleman wishes to acknowledge Deepak Sethi of Thomson Corporation; Naomi R. Wolf of the Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership; Richard Davidson, director of the Laboratory for Affective Neuroscience at the University of Wisconsin; Steve Kelner of Egon Zehnder International; and Robin Stern of the Program for Social and Emotional Learning at Teachers College, Columbia University. Rachel Brod provided resourceful literature searches, and Rowan Foster gave invaluable logistical support.
In addition, Annie McKee gives special thanks to Fran Johnston of the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, whose keen insights and coaching over the years have enriched her thinking and practice, and whose friendship is a treasure; Cecilia McMillen of the University of Massachusetts, whose research and work with organizations has been enlightening; and Tom Malnight of IMD, for creativity, collaboration, and fun. Also acknowledged is the invaluable help of Barbara Reitano, Tracy Simandl, Neen Kuzmick, Lezlie Lovett, Beulah Trey, Jonno Hanafin, MaryAnn Rainey, Michael Kitson, Linda Pittari, Felice Tilin, David Smith, and Carol Scheman.
At Harvard Business School Press, our thanks to Marjorie Williams and Carol Franco, who guided us to the completion of this work. A special thanks to our lead editor, Suzanne Rotondo, for her keen insights and partnership, and to Lucy McCauley for inspired aid in rewrites. Astrid Sandoval, Sharon Rice, and Gayle Treadwell each lent invaluable help. As ever, Suzy Wetlaufer advanced our own thinking even as she shaped an article for the Harvard Business Review.
On a personal note, Annie McKee thanks her husband, Eddy Mwelwa, who is her inspiration; her children, Becky Renio, Sean Renio, and Sarah Renio, who through their own leadership demonstrate the power of emotional intelligence and bring resonance to the family; her parents, Cathy MacDonald Wigsten and Murray Wigsten, for intellectual and emotional support of this work; her brothers, Rick, Matt, Mark, Jeff, and Robert; and her sister, Sam.
Richard Boyatzis thanks his wife, Sandy, for tolerance of his preoccupation over the months of writing, and her loving support and help in reacting to drafts; and his son, Mark Scott, and late father-in-law, Ronald W. Scott, for reacting to drafts.
Daniel Goleman, as ever, appreciates the inspiration and patience of his wife, Tara Bennett-Goleman, and hopes this book will help create a better future for his granddaughters, Lila and Hazel Goleman.
And finally, we’d each like to acknowledge the value of our collaboration—and its resonance—in writing this book.