Dave Ulrich

Dave Ulrich is a dynamic force in the field of business and human resources, currently serving as the Rensis Likert Professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, while also being a partner at the innovative RBL Group. With an impressive portfolio of over 200 articles, book chapters, and more than 30 influential books, he has become a cornerstone of HR thought leadership.

For a decade, he edited Human Resource Management and has contributed to the editorial boards of four additional journals, alongside a 16-year tenure on the Board of Directors for Herman Miller. His engaging presentations have captivated large audiences across 90 countries, and he has facilitated workshops for more than half of the Fortune 200, all while coaching successful business leaders. As a Distinguished Fellow in the National Academy of Human Resources, he is committed to elevating the profession.

Ulrich actively shares his insights with a thriving community on LinkedIn, boasting over 350,000 followers and an astounding 3.3 million page views in 2024. His free weekly newsletter has attracted over 220,000 subscribers, reinforcing his goal to inspire impactful ideas that enhance stakeholder value through human capability—which he defines as the synergy of talent, organization, leadership, and HR.

Organization: Alongside co-authors, Ulrich has revolutionized the understanding of modern organizations in Reinventing the Organization, empirically demonstrating how effective organizational practices can yield four times better business results than talent alone in Victory Through Organization. He has defined organizations as bundles of capabilities in Organization Capability, while also exploring the essentials of talent management, culture change, learning, and collaboration in works like Why of Work, Talent Accelerator, GE Workout, Learning Organization Capability, and Boundaryless Organization.

Leadership: Ulrich and his colleagues have laid the groundwork for effective leadership in Leadership Code and Results Based Leadership, linking leadership to customer engagement in Leadership Brand. He has illustrated how effective leadership drives market value in Why the Bottom Line Isn’t, shaped investor expectations with the measurable Leadership Capital Index, and synthesized methodologies to transform leadership aspirations into actionable outcomes in Leadership Sustainability.

Human Resources: Revered as the “father of modern HR” and recognized as the “HR thought leader of the decade,” Ulrich has profoundly influenced the HR profession by prioritizing HR outcomes, governance, competencies, and practices in landmark works like HR Champions, HR Value Added, HR Transformation, HR Competencies, and HR Outside In. He also led the creation of The Rise of HR, a “gift” book on HR’s future that reached over 1.5 million HR professionals and featured insights from 70 thought leaders, exemplifying his commitment to fostering growth and innovation in the field.