Thomas Kolditz

Dr. Tom Kolditz is the founding Executive Director of the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University and a retired Brigadier General with over 35 years of experience in leadership roles across four continents. He has been consistently ranked by Global Gurus in London from #6 to #13 globally as a professional leadership coach since 2016. Kolditz limits his coaching clients to just a few at a time, offering 24/7/365 availability, leveraging his extensive background in education, leadership, and coaching.

He has authored the book "In Extremis Leadership: Leading As If Your Life Depended On It," based on his research and interviews conducted during combat operations in Iraq. His publications include more than 75 articles across various academic and leadership trade journals. He also serves on the editorial and advisory boards of several of these journals. In 2006, Kolditz co-edited and was the lead author in a special issue of the Leader to Leader journal, which won the APEX Publishing Award for best magazine or journal in the United States. He is a Fellow in the American Psychological Association.

His expertise focuses on crisis management, leadership in high-risk situations, and innovation leadership in legacy organizations. Holding three Master’s degrees and a PhD in psychology, his academic contributions and practical insights help leaders enhance their effectiveness in various demanding contexts.