James R. Bailey

James Bailey

James R. Bailey

Hochberg Professorial Fellow of Leadership Development; Professor of Management


Contact:

Office Phone: (202) 994-1669
2201 G Street NW, Suite 315-M Washington, D.C. 20052

James R. Bailey is Professor and Hochberg Fellow of Leadership Development at the George Washington University School of Business, and a Fellow in the Centre for Management Development, London Business School. He has held distinguished or visiting professorships at the University of Michigan, London Business School (England), the Institute for Management Development (Switzerland), the Helsinki School of Economics (Finland), and Adelaide University (Australia), among others.

Dr. Bailey is the recipient of many teaching distinctions, including ten GWSB Outstanding Faculty Awards. In 2006, he was named one of the world’s top ten executive educators by the International Council for Executive Leadership Development. He has published over 50 academic papers and case studies and is the author of five books, including the award-winning, best-selling Organizational and Managerial Wisdom and the forthcoming Lessons on Leadership. He has designed and delivered hundreds of executive programs for firms like Nestle, UBS, Conoco-Phillips, and Goldman Sachs, as well as for several major law firms and U.S. Congressmen.

Dr. Bailey is also a frequent keynote speaker who has appeared on broadcast programs for the BBC, CBS, NPR, and Fox News Channel, and whose work has been cited in more than 200 outlets as the Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Forbes, and Business 2.0. He is a frequent contributor to The Hill, Washington Post, Washington Business Journal, and Harvard Business Review. He is the past Editor-in-Chief of the Academy of Management Learning and Education, as well as the founder and Editor-in-Chief of the online magazine Lessons on Leadership and the previous author of the Psychology Today column, At the Helm.  Professor Bailey has served as a dean, department chair, and program director during his 30 year academic career. 


  • Effective Leadership
  • Leadership Development
  • Organizational and Individual Change
  • Strategy Formulation and Execution
  • Employee Motivation, Competence, Satisfaction, and Performance
  • Managerial Decision Making
  • Business Ethics
  • Teams

Washington University, Interdisciplinary Program in Organizational Behavior, St. Louis, MO

  • Ph.D., Psychology, 1991, Magna Cum Laude, Valedictorian (advisors: Walter Nord, Richard deCharms, Jane Loevinger, Mike Strube)
  • A.M., Organizational Behavior, 1988

Eastern Illinois University, College of Arts & Sciences, Charleston, IL

  • B.A., Psychology, 1985, Cum Laude

Publications (partial list)

  • Bailey, J.R. (2023), The Power of Saying “I am sorry” and “You are given." Harvard Business Review, June (online).
  • Bailey, J.R. (2022). The Best Managers Are Leaders – and vice versa. Harvard Business Review, September. (online).
  • Bailey, J.R., & Mezias J.M. (2022). 5 Self-Sabotaging Traps to Avoid at Work. Harvard Business Review, June. (online).
  • Bailey, J.R., & Vargo K. (2022). “Exercise Guilt” Is Real – But it should not be. Harvard Business Review, May. (online).
  • Bailey, J.R., & Scheherazade, R. (2022). Don’t Underestimate the Power of Self-Reflection. Harvard Business Review, March (online). 
  • Bailey, J.R. & Rehman, S. (2022).  How to overcome return to office resistance.  Harvard Business Review, February (online).
  • Aguinis, H., Hill, N. S., & Bailey, J. R. (2021). Best practices in data collection and preparation: Recommendations for reviewers, editors, and authors. Organizational Research Methods, 24(4), 678-693.
  • Bailey, J.R. & Cohen, N. A. (2021).  How your dreaded commute might be good for you. Harvard Business Review, May (online).
  • Bailey, J.R. & Phillips, H. (2020).  How do consumers feel when companies get political? Harvard Business Review, February (online).  
  • Aguinis, H., Ramani, R.S., Alabduljader, N., Bailey, J.R. & Lee, J. (2018). A pluralist conceptualization of scholarly impact in management education: Students as stakeholders.  Academy of Management Learning & Education, 1(2), 11-42.
  • Lewicki, R.J. & Bailey, J.R. (2018). A deeper dig.  Journal of Management Education, 40(5), 516-523. 
  • Kayes, D.C. & Bailey, J.R. (2018). Improvement myths that may be holding you back.  Harvard Business Review, February (online).
  • Ormiston, M. & Bailey. J. R. (2017).  We know that female CEOs get paid more, but we don’t know why.  Harvard Business Review, March (online).

Practitioner Publications (partial list)

  • Bailey, J. R. & Suh, J.H. (2023). Key Service Recover in Hospitality. International Business Times, November. 
  • Bailey, J. R. & Rehman. S. (2023).  The Dangers of Wearable Technology in Boardrooms.  The Messenger, October. 
  • Bailey, J. R. (2023).  Gimme Shelter: Soaked by Organizational Change. International Business Times, June. 
  • Bailey, J.R., Sawyer, K. Ramani, R. & Martin, L (2023).  Advancing DEI Initiative Remotely.  Thompson-Reuters May. 
  • Bailey, J.R. (2022). ‘Boomerang employees’ could be the untapped talent pool bosses have been looking for. Fortune, September.
  • Bailey, J.R., & Gamble L.M. (2022). Transfer The Transformation: How to bring an outdoor expedition home. International Business Times, July.
  • Bailey, J.R. (2022). Do What You (Elon) Musk. International Business Times, May.
  • Bailey, J.R. (2022). Embrace Your Flaws: It Makes You Relatable. International Business Times, April.
  • Bailey, J.R. (2022). When business aligns with activism. The Hill, March.
  • Bailey, J.R. (2022). Vladimir Putin’s search for ‘Moby Dick’. The Hill, March.
  • Bailey, J.R., & Falk, D. (2022). Stories of emotional leadership. Talent Management & HR, March.
  • Bailey, J.R. (2022).  How to get Employees to come bac to the Office.  Business Report, March. 
  • Bailey, J.R. (2022). The hidden reason people don’t want to go back to the office. Fast Company, February.
  • Bailey, J.R. (2022). Viewpoint: Business leaders must face ultimate Covid question – and a ‘clash’ of interests. Washington Business Journal, January.
  • Bailey, J.R., Villamor, I, & Hill, S. (2021). 2022 needs to be the year Virtual Leadership gets better: Here are five way to make it happen.  Fast Company, December. 
  • Bailey, J.R. (2021).  Homers are creating the Soulless Downtown.  Fortune, December. 
  • Bailey, J.R., & Angulara, A. (2021).  Hypersensitive in a Covid World. International Business News, November. 
  • Bailey, J.R. (2021).  Reviving Urban Economics by returning to the office: The case of the Nations Capital.  The Hill, November. 
  • Bailey, J.R. (2021).  How each Generation is feeling about returning to the office?  Fast Company, September. 
  • Timm, B, & Bailey, J. R. (2021).  Managers tell; Leaders story-tell.  C-suite.  April. 
  • Bailey, J.R. (2021).  An American Mark Twain Moment.  The Hill, January. 
  • Bailey, J.R. (2021).  Why we need heroic leaders now and what makes them so special.  International Business Times, January. 
  • Davis-Laack, P. & Bailey, J.R. (2020). Meeting lawyers psychological needs.  Legal Executive Institute, October.
  • Bailey, J.R. (2020).  Why safety is more important now than ever before.  GWSB Expert Series, August. 
  • Davis-Laack, P. & Bailey, J.R. (2020). Is it stress or burnout?  Legal Executive Institute, July.
  • Bailey, J.R. & Rehman, S. (2019). Why corporate boards must develop tech acumen.  International Business Times, November.
  • Bailey, J.R. & Azzarino, J. (2019).  Where are law firm partners going when they leave?  Law 360, September. 
  • Bailey, J.R. (2019).  How an adult gap year can help your career.  Ladders, August
  • Bailey, J.R. (2019).  CEOs say Facebook should live by different rules, by why?  CEO Magazine, June. 
  • Bailey, J.R. & Kellogg, S. (2019).  CEOs are in the spotlight: To succeed they need to be real.   CNN, April.
  • Bailey, J.R. & Azzarino, J. (2019).  Are “big law” firms ready for a makeover?  The Hill, April. 
  • Bailey, J.R. (2019). Morpheus’s Bargain: A psychosocial explanation for political division.  International Business Times, April.
  • Bailey, J.R. & Timm, B. (2019).  What’s in your closed? A strategy to solve sticky situations.   Financial Director, March.
  • Bailey, J.R. & Timm, B. (2019).  Lessons from the shutdown: Why the second deal worked.   International Business Times, February.
  • Bailey, J.R. & Phillips, H. (2019).  CEOs more progressive than university deans?  International Business Times, January.
  • Bailey, J.R. (2018).  The risky rise and fall of celebrity CEOs.  CNN Business, December. 
  • Bailey, J.R. (2018).  Facebook, Zuckerberg, at leadership crossroads. International Business Times, December. 
  • Bailey, J.R. (2018).  Letters of recommendation for graduate school. The Graduate School Site, August. 
  • Bailey, J.R. (2018).  The return to the larger than life leader. The Hill, May.
  • Bailey, J.R. (2017) Why CEOs like Chipotles overstay their welcome. Fortune, December. 
  • Bailey, J.R., Martin, S, Larsen, T. (2017). How to build a cannabis dream team: Better people, better experience, better training, and better business.  Cannabis Business Executive, November.
  • Bailey, J.R. Larsen, T., Martin, S. (2017). How to manage cannabis business leadership in an increasingly brighter spotlight. Cannabis Business Executive, August. 
  • Bailey, J. R. (2017).  Goggles’ tight rope: From harmony to dissent and back again. Media Post/Marketing Daily, July. 
  • Bailey, J. R. (2017).  My native advantage. The Native Society, July. 
  • Bailey, J.R. (2017).  Adversity to leadership. Business Expansion Journal, July.   
  • Singh, S., Bailey, J.R., & Ramani, R.S. (2017).  Study Smart Tutors: A case of entrepreneurial dilemmas and opportunities to break through unique growth barriers. Sage Business Cases (online)

Scholarship

  •             Best-Integrated Practitioner Articles, American Philosophical Society, 2023.
  •             Most published and downloaded articles, Harvard Business Review 2022 (Recognized in 2023).
  •             Weekly Hotlist, Harvard Business Review, 2022 (Leaders and Managers: Are they Different?).
  •             Article of the Month, Harvard Business Review, 2022 (Don’t Underestimate the Power of Self-
  •             Reflection).
  •             Ascending Article, Harvard Business Review, 2022 (Don’t Underestimate the Power of Self-Reflection).
  •             #1 Google relevant search terms (11/10/22: Leaders and Managers; Are they Different?).
  •             Best Paper Award Nominee, Academy of Management, MED Division, 2018.
  •             Most Downloaded Article, Organization Management Journal, 2010.
  •             Outstanding Academic Book, American Librarian Association, 2008.
  •             Editor’s Choice Award, Organization Management Journal, 2008.
  •             Best Symposium Award, Academy of Management (MED Division), 2007, 2008.
  •             Most Promising New Management Book, European Academy of Management, 2006.
  •             Literati Club Award for Excellence, Literati Club, 1999.
  •             Citation for Excellence in Research, Anbar Management Intelligence, 1998. 
  •             Nominated for the Fritz Roethlisberger Memorial Award, Best Paper in Journal of Management Education, 1998.
  •             Best Paper Award, Academy of Management (MED Division), 1994
  •             Best Paper Award, Katz School of Business Program in Corporate Culture, University of Pittsburgh, 1993.
  •             Henry E. Rutgers Fellowship, Rutgers University, 1993.
  •             Henry E. Rutgers Fellowship, Rutgers University, 1992.
  •             Best Paper Award, American Psychological Association Centennial Celebration of William James, 1990.

Education

  •             Outstanding Teaching Award (PMBA), George Washington University, 2018. 2020.
  •             Outstanding Teaching Award (MBA), George Washington University, 2016.
  •             Outstanding Teaching Award (EMBA), George Washington University, 2009.
  •             Nominee, Peter B. Vaill Outstanding Doctoral Faculty Award, George Washington University, 2002, 2006, 2008.
  •             Outstanding Teaching Award (EMBA), George Washington University, 2007.
  •             Top Ten Executive Leadership Educators Worldwide (6th), International Council for Executive Leadership Development, 2006. 
  •             Outstanding Teaching Award (EMBA), George Washington University, 2005.
  •             Outstanding Teaching Award (BBA), George Washington University, 2003.
  •             Who’s Who in Business Higher Education, 2003.
  •             Honor Roll of Educators in Management, Organizational Behavior Teaching Society, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2019, 2021.
  •             Faculty Appreciation Award, Student Government Association, Rutgers University, 1996.
  •             David L. Bradford Outstanding Educator Award, Organizational Behavior Teaching Society and McGraw-Hill, 1995.
  •             Professor of the Year Award, Student Government Association, Rutgers University, 1995.
  •             Professor of the Year Award, Student Government Association, Rutgers University, 1994.
  •             Professor of the Year Award, Student Government Association, Rutgers University, 1993.
  •             Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching, Washington University, 1991.

 Academic

  •             Lifetime Outstanding Service Award (WEMBA), George Washington University, 2019.
  •             Outstanding Faculty Service Award (GWSB), George Washington University, 2019. 
  •             Outstanding Leadership & Service Award, Academy of Management, 2008.
  •             Bob Walter Distinguished Professor of Executive Education, Adelaide University (Australia), 1999-2005.
  •             Distinguished Visiting Professor, London Business School, 2002-2004. 
  •             Faculty Academic Service Award, Rutgers University, 1993, 1996, 1997.
  •             Graduation with Distinction, Valedictorian, Doctoral Class, Graduate School of Arts & Science, Washington University, 1991.
  •             University Fellowship, Washington University, 1985-1986.
  •             Graduation with Distinction, Cum Laude, Eastern Illinois University, 1985.
  •             Donald A. Rothchild Scholarship, Eastern Illinois University, 1984.
  •             University Student Research Award, Eastern Illinois University, 1983, 1984.

Professional

  •             Lifetime Contribution Award, American Legal Association, 2023.
  •             Certificate of Appreciation, US Department of State, 2023.
  •             Distinguished Alumni Award, Eastern Illinois University, 2019.
  •             Advisor, Kris Hart Congressional Campaign, 13th district, PA, 2017.
  •             Advisor, Benjamin Wolfe Congressional Campaign, 5th district, IL, 2017. 
  •             Advisory Board, Washington Post, 2017-present.
  •             Board of Directors, Center for Social Leadership, 2012-present.
  •             Board of Directors, Universal Strategic Consulting Services, 2012-present.
  •             Who’s Who Among Executives and Professionals Throughout the World, 2009.
  •             Harvard Business Review Round Table Group member, 2009-present.

Media Citations & Appearances (partial list)

Washington Examiner (11/23), Forbes (6/23), Washington Examiner (5/23), NBC-Bay Area (5/23), Forbes (5/23), Human Resource Director (4/23), Human Resource Reporter (4/23), Scripps (3/23), Business Insider (3/23), Washington Examiner (3/23), Forbes (3/23), NOVA Magazine (3/23), Forbes (3/23), Forbes (2/23), Forbes (2/23), Fox 5 DC (2/23), HRReporter (1/23). WTOP Radio (1/23), Inc, (12/22), Hofstra University-Shorthand (12/22), Supply Train Brain (11/22), Forbes (10/22). Benzinga Podcast, (10/22), Tough Talk Podcast (10/22), DCNewsNow TV (9/22), BBC TV (9/22), HR Reporter (9/22), Forbes (9/22), Fox 5 TV (8/22), Forbes (8/22), Recently Heard (8/22), CNBC TV (8/22), Star Tribune (7/22), Washington Examiner (7/22), Forbes (7/22), Out of Office (6/22), Washington Examiner 6/22), Out of Office (6/22), Newwise (6/22), Aspen Institute (6/22), Social Science in China (4/22), Forbes (4/22), Washington Examiner (4/22), Achieve Workplace Culture podcast (3/22), New York Times (3/22), Inc (3/22), Travel Plus (3/22), MSNBC TV (2/22), Healthline (2/22), OKAY Days podcast (2/22), Forbes (2/22), Washington Examiner (1/22), Forbes (1/22), Washington Examiner (December 2021), Quality Digest (December 2021), Forbes (November, 2021), WTOP Radio (October 2021), Sputnik International (October 2021), Forbes (October 2021), Forbes, (September, 2021), The Guardian (August, 2021), Forbes (July 2021), Zenger (July 2021), CBS News (TV, June 2021), MSNBC, (June 2021), Fox News (TV, May 2021), Fox News (TV, May 2021), Forbes (April 2021), Trougu Daily (April 2021), On The Marc (podcast, February 2021), Forbes (February 2021), CNN Business (January 2021), NRK Norwegian Public Broadcasting (TV, January 2021), Forbes (December 2020), Business of Fashion Magazine August 2020), US News & World Reports (Augst 2020), Business News Daily (August 2020), Forbes (July 2020), Forbes (June 2020); Forbes (May 2020); London School of Economics Business Review (May 2020); The Vault (April 2020); Salon (April 2020); Forbes (April 2020); CNN (April 2020); ABC Radio (March 2020); US News & World Reports (March 2020); Forbes (March 2020); Los Angeles Times (March 2020); Academy of Management (February 2020); Forbes (January 2020); Forbes (December 2019); Techworld, (December 2019): CNN (November 2019): Forbes (November 2019): Forbes (November 2019) Business News Daily (October 2019); USN&WR (October 2019); Corp! Magazine (October 2019); Fox News TV (September 2019), Washington Post (August 2019), The Post-Modern Warrior Podcast (July 2019), Wired (July 2019), TechWorld (June 2019); CNN (May 2019); The Native Influence (May 2019); New York Business Journal (December 2018); Student International News (July 2018); PR News (July 2018); Business News Daily (July 2018); USA Today (June 2018); CNN Money (May 2018);  Fox Business (February 2018); LA Times (December 2017); CBS Nightly News (August 2017); Scientific American (September 2017); Small Business Trends (September 2017); Boston Globe (August 2017); Fierce CEO (July 2017); Good Call (July 2017); Knowledge at Wharton/Sirius-XM (June 2017); Washington Post (June 2017); Washington Post (June 2017); Native Society Advantage (June 2017); Washington Post (May 2017); Fame & Fortune (May 2017); Bplans.dcom (May 2017); Cheddar Live (March 2017); INC (November 2016); Hillsborough Newdsay (November 2016); Learning Life (August 2016); Los Angeles Times (July 2016); Chicago Tribune (July 2016); Bermuda Royal Gazette (July 2016); WBAL Radio (July 2016); WCCO Radio (July 2016); WTOP Radio (August 2016); Top Five (September 2016); Sirrus/XM Radio Leadership in Action (January 2016); GWSB Alumni Magazine (Spring 2016); Washington Post, (April 2012); Washington Post (March 2012); Washington Business Journal, (July 2011); Roll Call—The Congressional Newspaper (June 2011); The Federal Times (September 2010); The Hill Newspaper (July 2010); Washington Business Journal (August 2010); CNN.com (March 2010); Washington Post (November 2009); CNN.com (October 2009); Fox News Channel (July 2009); Wall Street Journal (May 2009); SNL Financial (July 2008); Rural Telecommunications (April 2008); National Public Radio (March 2007); Washington Business Journal (March 2007); Baltimore Sun (March 2007); Chronicle of Higher Education (September 2006); Business 2.0 (April 2005); Congressional Quarterly, (March 2005); Fox News Channel (February 2005); GWBusiness (Spring 2005); BBC Radio “World Business Report” (January 2005); Psychology Today (August 2004); Forbes (September 2003); GWBusiness (Fall 2002); WRGW Radio (August 2002); Business 2.0 (July 2002); Profile (December 2001); Newark Star-Ledger (June 1998); Newark Star-Ledger (February 1998); Internet Magazine (November 1997); Today's Careers: The Employment Paper (September 1997); Fortune (September 1996); The Home News and TribuneBusiness Section (April 1996); Courier News (April 1996); New Jersey Network Television News  (April 1996); The Denise Richardson ShowNewstalk TV (July & May 1995); KaupphellitiThe Finnish Business Daily (August 1994)