Our People

Dave Ulrich

Partner

Dave has published over 30 books on leadership, organization, and human resources. These ideas have shaped how people and organizations deliver value to customers, investors, and communities. He has consulted and done research with over half of the Fortune 200 and worked in over 80 countries.  He has received numerous public recognitions and lifetime awards for his work. 

Dave Ulrich is the Rensis Likert Professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan and a partner at the RBL Group, a consulting firm focused on helping organizations and leaders deliver value. He has published over 200 articles and book chapters and over 30 books. He edited Human Resource Management 1990-1999, served on editorial board of 4 Journal and on the Board of Directors for Herman Miller (16 years), has spoken to large audiences in 90 countries; performed workshops for over half of the Fortune 200; coached successful business leaders, and is a Distinguished Fellow in the National Academy of Human Resources. He is known for continually learning, turning complex ideas into simple solutions, and creating real value to those he works with in three fields.

Organization. With co-authors, he has influenced thinking about modern organizations (Reinventing the Organization) by empirically showing how organization delivers 4 times business results over talent (Victory Through Organization), defined organizations as bundles of capabilities (Organization Capability) and worked to delineate capabilities of talent management (Why of Work; Talent Accelerator), culture change (GE Workout), learning (Learning Organization Capability), and collaboration (Boundaryless Organization).

Leadership. With colleagues, he has also articulated the basics of effective leadership (Leadership Code and Results Based Leadership), connected leadership with customers (Leadership Brand), shown how leadership delivers market value (Why the Bottom Line Isn’t), shapes investor expectations with an ability to measure leadership (Leadership Capital Index), and synthesized ways to ensure that leadership aspirations turn into actions (Leadership Sustainability).

Human Resources. He and his colleagues have shaped the HR profession and he has been called the “father of modern HR” and “HR thought leader of the decade” by focusing on HR outcomes, governance, competencies, and practices (HR Champions; HR Value Added; HR Transformation; HR Competencies; HR Outside In). He spearheaded a “gift” book on the future of HR (The Rise of HR) distributed to over 1,500,000 HR professionals), in which 70 thought leaders freely shared their insights.

Honors include:

2021:

  • Lifetime Achievement Award from Institute of Management Studies
  • #3 (out of 200) thought leader in 2021 by PeopleHum
  • “Most Influential Global HR Leader, 2021” sponsored by PeopleFirst and HRD Forum
  • “Honorary Member” of IFTDO (500,000 person training/development organization)

2020:

  • Distinguished Fellow (one of 15), National Academy of Human Resources
  • Honorary Doctorate from Utah Valley University
  • Initiated the Dave Ulrich Impact Award by the Academy of Management to honor contribution in HR
  • "Most Influential Global HR Leader, 2020"sponsored by PeopleFirst and HRD Forum

2019:

  • Named one of the 100 most influencers in HR (in leadership & development category)
  • Named one of the top 20 influential HR leaders
  • Ranked #1 thought leader in HR by HRD Connect

2018:

  • Named one of the 20 most influential business professors in the world by top-business-degree (#13)

2017:

  • Named to the Thinkers50 “Hall of Fame”, a recognition of lifetime achievement in influencing management
  • Chartered Fellow of the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand

2016:

  • Presidential lecture In Defense of Organization for Utah Valley University

2015:

  • Named the most “influential HR thinker of the decade”
  • Listed in Thinkers50 as management thought leader

2014:

  • Ranked #1 speaker in Management/Business by Speaking.com
  • Commencement speaker, University of Michigan Ross School of Business

2013:

  • Lifetime Leadership Award from the Leadership Forum at Silver Bay
  • Listed in Thinkers50 as a management thought leader

2012:

  • Lifetime Achievement Award from HR Magazine for being the father of modern human resources

2011:

  • Ranked #1 most influential international thought leader in HR by HR Magazine
  • Listed in Thinkers50 as a management thought leader
  • Ranked in Top 100 Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Leadership Behavior

2010:

  • Nobels Colloquia Prize for Leadership on Business and Economic Thinking
  • Lifetime Fellowship in Australia Human Resources Institute (AHRI)
  • Ranked #1 most influential international thought leader in HR by HR Magazine
  • Kirk Englehardt Exemplary Business Ethics Award from Utah Valley University
  • Why of Work (co-authored with Wendy Ulrich) was #1 best seller for Wall Street Journal and USA Today

2009:

  • Listed in Thinkers 50 as a management thought leader
  • Ranked #1 most influential person in HR by HR Magazine

2008:

  • Ranked #1 most influential person in HR by HR Magazine

2007:

  • Lifetime Achievement Award from American Society of Training and Development (ASTD)
  • Honorary Doctorate from University of Abertey, at Dundee Scotland

2006:

  • Ranked #1 most influential person in HR by HR Magazine in vote by influential HR thinkers
  • Dyer Distinguished Alumni Award from Brigham Young University, Marriott School of Management

2005:

  • Ranked #2 management guru by Executive Excellence
  • Named by Fast Company as one of the 10 most innovative and creative thinkers of 2005
  • President, Canada Montreal Mission, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

2001:

  • Ranked #1 management educator and guru by Business Week

2000:

  • Lifetime achievement award from World Federation of Personnel Management
  • Listed in Forbes as one of the world’s top five business coaches

1998:

  • Society for Human Resource Management award for Professional Excellence for lifetime contributions
  • Lifetime achievement (PRO) award from International Association of Corporate and Professional Recruitment, and Employment Management Association

1997:

  • Warner W. Stockberger Lifetime Achievement Award from International Personnel Management Association