Biography

Bennis was born in New York City of working-class Jewish parents. On leaving school, he enlisted in the US Army and was one of their youngest infantry officers. His action in Europe resulted in Purple Heart and Bronze Star decorations.

He began his academic training at Antioch College, where he was greatly influenced by Douglas McGregor. He then moved on to the MIT Sloan School of Management – the first of a series of appointments at top universities and leadership organisations, where he held positions as professor and president.

With more than two dozen books and a production line of articles and papers, he is regarded as the doyen of leadership, which he has re-defined for managers from his cutting-edge position. 

One of his more challenging positions comes in his HBR paper with James O'Toole How Business Schools Lost Their Way (May 2005), in which he contends that university management academics are suffering from "physics envy".

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