Dean Williams

Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School

Schools

  • Harvard Kennedy School

Expertise

Links

Biography

Harvard Kennedy School

Dean Williams is an Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School whose research and teaching focus on adaptive leadership and change. Williams has led major change processes and leadership development initiatives for large companies, government organizations, and social institutions throughout the world. He served as Chief Advisor to the President of Madagascar, orchestrating one of the most innovative and comprehensive development reforms in Africa; lead consultant to the government of Queensland, Australia, directing a complete reform of the educational system; and consultant to the government of Brunei, upgrading its civil service. Williams created and currently leads the popular Social Leadership Singapore program, which trains hundreds of nongovernmental organization (NGO), government, and social leaders in the principles of real leadership and change. Williams has also advised and consulted with the government of East Timor and, most recently, the government of Nigeria. He has led several long-term change initiatives for companies in Australia, the United States, and Asia, and conducted research on leadership and social change in Japan, Madagascar, and Borneo. Williams earned both his master’s and doctoral degrees from Harvard. He is also the author of Leadership for a Fractured World: How to Cross Boundaries, Build Bridges, and Lead Change (Berrett-Koehler, 2015), and Real Leadership: Helping People and Organizations Face Their Toughest Challenges (Berrett-Koehler, 2005).

Read about executive education

Other experts

Kristof Stouthuysen

Associate Professor, Partner and Director of the Centre for Financial Leadership and Digital Transformation at Vlerick Business School Professor at KU Leuven Visiting Professor at IESE Business School, Spain Doctor in Applied Economic Sciences at KU Leuven International Teachers Programme (I...

Derek Deasy

Derek is Affiliate Professor of Organisational Behaviour at INSEAD. His interests include leadership development, burnout and resilience, the impact of emotionally demanding tasks on work groups. His research and practice in these areas are informed by a systems-psychodynamics approach that take...

Looking for an expert?

Contact us and we'll find the best option for you.

Something went wrong. We're trying to fix this error.