Amy C. Edmondson stands as a preeminent scholar in organizational behavior and leadership whose work has transformed modern understanding of effective team dynamics. She currently serves as the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School, a distinguished chair established to support the study of human interactions that foster successful enterprises contributing to societal betterment. Edmondson earned her AB in Engineering and Design, AM in Psychology, and PhD in Organizational Behavior all from Harvard University, establishing the foundation for her interdisciplinary approach to organizational science. Before joining Harvard, she gained practical experience as Director of Research at Pecos River Learning Centers, working on transformational change initiatives in major corporations, and earlier served as Chief Engineer for visionary architect Buckminster Fuller.
Dr. Edmondson pioneered the groundbreaking concept of psychological safety, fundamentally reshaping how organizations understand team performance, learning, and innovation across diverse sectors including healthcare, technology, and education. Her seminal research, spanning over two decades, has demonstrated that team members' comfort in speaking up, admitting mistakes, and asking questions without fear of punishment directly correlates with organizational effectiveness and innovation capacity. Her influential book The Fearless Organization Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning Innovation and Growth has become a global bestseller, translated into more than 15 languages and consistently ranking among Amazons top human resources titles. This work has catalyzed a paradigm shift in organizational practice, with major companies worldwide implementing psychological safety frameworks to enhance team performance, reduce medical errors in healthcare settings, and accelerate product innovation.
Beyond her academic contributions, Edmondson has emerged as a transformative thought leader whose insights bridge theory and practice through extensive speaking engagements and executive education programs worldwide. Recognized consistently on the prestigious Thinkers50 list of top global management thinkers, she achieved the number 1 ranking in 2021 and 2023, cementing her status as a preeminent voice in contemporary organizational leadership. She continues to expand her research agenda through her latest work Right Kind of Wrong The Science of Failing Well, which explores how organizations can productively engage with mistakes to drive learning and innovation. As organizations navigate increasingly complex challenges in the knowledge economy, Edmondsons frameworks for effective teaming and psychological safety remain essential tools for leaders seeking to build resilient, adaptive, and innovative organizations.
