WSJ’s Top 21 Most Influential Business Thinkers/Gurus
August 15, 2008
In keeping with the dual themes of leadership and mental focus I decided to include a list of the top 20 business thinkers (why 21 in my article?…because the Journal miscounted and had two listed as number 11) according to a Wall Street Journal Article published May 5, 2008. In the upcoming weeks and months I will be highlighting each of these leaders and providing a snapshot of their driving philosophy. While each of us may not have the time to read 20 books on leadership some great insights can be gleaned through studying a short synopsis of their styles. Keep checking back for updates! Now onto the list…
Name Area of Expertise Recent Book
1. Gary Hamel Strategy Guru The Future of management
2. Thomas L. Friedman NY Times Columnist Hot, Flat and Crowded
3. Bill Gates Microsoft Chairman Business at the Speed of Thought
4. Malcolm Gladwell Author, Public Speaker Blink, The Tipping Point
5. Howard Gardner Harvard Professor Responsibility at Work
6. Phillip Kotler Northwestern Professor According to Kotler
7. Robert B. Reich Ex-labor secretary Supercapitalism
8. Daniel Goleman Psychologist Social Intelligence
9. Henry Mintzberg McGill Professor Strategy Safari
10. Stephen R. Covey Author, Speaker 7 Habits, 8th Habit
11. Jeffrey Pfeffer Stanford Professor The Knowing Doing Gap
12. Peter Senge Author, Speaker The 5th Discipline
13. Richard Branson Entrepreneur, Virgin Founder Big Shots
14. Michael E. Porter Harvard Professor Redefining Healthcare
15. Michael S. Dell Dell Founder Direct from Dell
16. Geert Hofstede Author Culture’s Consequences
17. Clayton M. Christensen Harvard Professor Seeing What’s Next
18. Jack Welch Former CEO General Electric Winning
19. Tom Peters Author In Search of Excellence
20. Myron S. Scholes Nobel Laureate Taxes and Business Strategy
21. Ikujiro Nonaka Hitotsubashi professor Knowledge Management
