Barry Bales

Barry is intrigued by what enables people to be successful in leadership roles. After 30-plus years of studying, teaching, and coaching in the field of leadership development, he believes that the best leaders – and the best teachers and researchers for that matter – are those willing to challenge their own mindsets.

As assistant dean for professional development at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, the University of Texas at Austin, Barry loves being part of both the rigorous learning environment of a university and the practical application of working with executives to improve their practice of leadership. His work has been primarily with executives in government organizations but he additionally has clients in the private and not-for-profit sectors. He has taught, coached, and consulted with clients and organizations throughout Texas, the U.S., and nine foreign countries. Barry helped establish and now teaches in the LBJ School’s Executive Master in Public Leadership, which has as its purpose to prepare mid-career, experienced leaders with the skills and thinking capacities needed for executive-level roles in public and not-for-profit organizations. In addition to his teaching duties, he also serves as the executive education advisor to the students in the EMPL program.

Barry has a PhD in Adult and Human Resource Development Leadership from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s in Public Administration from Texas State University. Additionally, he has certifications in MBTI, coaching, emotional intelligence, mediation, and multi-rater feedback assessment.

Barry lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife Janet. They have two grown children, one grandson, and one granddaughter on the way. Barry’s favorite pastimes are backpacking in wilderness areas in the mountains of New Mexico and Colorado, snow skiing, and sitting on a beach reading a book.