Randall Peterson
Professor of Organisational Behaviour; Academic Director, Leadership Institute
BS MA (Minnesota) PhD (University of California, Berkeley)
Professor Randall S. Peterson is Academic Director of the Leadership Institute and Chair of the Research Ethics Committee. Randall’s research and teaching focus on CEO personality, top management team interaction, board dynamics, leading diverse teams, conflict management, and the effects of member personality on group interaction and performance. Randall has won the Academy of Management’s ‘Best Paper’ award, as well as the ‘most influential article’ award. His research was similarly awarded ‘most influential article’ by the International Association of Conflict Management and ‘Best Paper’ published in small group research.
Randall’s newest book is ‘Disaster in the Boardroom: Six Dysfunctions Everyone Should Understand.’ His earlier book is ‘Leading and Managing in the Dynamic Organization.’ He has also published more than 50 articles in top scientific journals such as Administrative Science Quarterly and the Journal of Applied Psychology, as well as top managerial journals including Harvard Business Review and Sloan Management Review. His research has also been featured in major news outlets around the world including the BBC, Economist, Financial Times, Forbes, Board Agenda, The New Yorker, and Zawya.
Randall is also an outstanding mentor, having won the Academy of Management’s ‘Best Mentor’ award and teacher as a winner of London Business School’s ‘Excellence in Teaching” award. Randall has been invited to teach and consult across the world, for companies such as ADNOC, Alcan, AREVA, Barclays, Chevron/Texaco, Deutsche Bank, Emirates Bank, E.ON, GIB, IBM, Lufthansa, Nestlé, Price Waterhouse Coopers, and Roche.
Randall holds a PhD in Social Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to joining London Business School, he was on the faculty of Northwestern University and Cornell University's SC Johnson Graduate School of Management. He is a former Deputy Dean (Faculty), Subject Area Chair of Organisational Behaviour, Chair of the Ph.D. Programme, and Vice President of the Campaign Committee of London Business School.
To learn more about Professor Peterson’s research, awards, and teaching, please visit: www.randallspeterson.com
- Personal website
- rpeterson@london.edu
- +44 (0)20 7000 8926
- Randall Peterson CV
Research and Awards
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Paper selected for the Proceedings of the Academy of Management (best papers), Conflict Management Division, 2014.
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London Business School Excellence in Teaching Award, 2013, for overall teaching performance within the School.
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Small Group Research 2010-11 finalist Best Paper Award.
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International Association for Conflict Management (IACM), Outstanding Article or Book Chapter Award for an article or book chapter that has made a significant and lasting contribution to the field over the previous two years, 2010
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Paper selected for the Proceedings of the Academy of Management (best papers, top 10% of submissions), Conflict Management Division, 2006
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London Business School Teaching Award for Innovation in Learning, 2004, for Global Leadership Assessment for Managers (GLAM) course
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S. C. Johnson Graduate School of Management “4.5 Club” (for excellence in teaching), 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004.
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Clifford H. Whitcomb Faculty Fellowship (for excellence in research), Cornell University, 2000-2001
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Paper selected for the Proceedings of the Academy of Management (best papers, 11 of 270), Organizational Behavior Division, 1998
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Paper selected for the Proceedings of the Academy of Management (best papers, 3 of 63), Conflict Management Division, 1998
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Society of Experimental Social Psychology Dissertation Award, Finalist
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Division 49 of APA (groups division) Dissertation Award, Finalist
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Chair's Dissertation Fund Award, Psychology Department, UC Berkeley, 1994
- Leadership in organisational work teams
- Personality and leadership success
- Top management team decision-making
2024
Faking it with the boss’s jokes? Leader humor quantity, follower surface acting, and power distance.
Hu X; Parke M; Peterson R S
Academy of Management Journal 2024 Online first
2023
Better together: member proactivity is better for team performance when aligned with conscientiousness
Emich K; Lu L; Ferguson A J; Peterson R S; Martin S; McLean E; Woodruff T; McCourt M
Academy of Management Discoveries 2023 In Press
Kill Chaos with Kindness: Agreeableness Improves Performance Under Uncertainty
Lim S-L; Peterson R S; Bentley P; Hu X; Prouty-McLaren J
Collective Intelligence 2023 In Press
Team composition revisited: expanding the team member attribute alignment approach to consider patterns of more than two attributes
Emich K J; McCourt M; Lu L; Ferguson A; Peterson R S
Organizational Research Methods 2023 Online first
2022
Is Your Board Inclusive — or Just Diverse?
Peterson R S; Gardner H K
Harvard Business Review 2022
Leadership in the Boardroom
Peterson R S
In Valeur C & Fargeot C, Effective Directors: The Right Questions to Ask (QTA). Abingdon, Taylor & Francisg
Team Composition Revisited: A Team Member Attribute Alignment Approach
Emich K J; Lu L; Ferguson A; Peterson R S; McCourt M
Organizational Research Methods 2022 Vol 25:4 p 642-672
When to Cooperate with Colleagues and When to Compete:
Behfar K J; Peterson R S
Harvard Business Review 2022 Mar-Apr
2021
Standing Out While Fitting In
O'Connor K M; Peterson R S
MIT Sloan Management Review Digital Articles 2021
Things are not always what they seem: the origins and evolution of intragroup conflict
Shah P; Peterson R S; Jones S L; Ferguson A J
Administrative Science Quarterly 2021 Vol 66:2 p 426-474
2020
Diverse teams can perform brilliantly – or fail spectacularly. Here’s why
Peterson R S
World Economic Forum (Online). Published online, 11 March 2020
Executives and Boards, Avoid These Missteps in a Crisis.
Gardner H K; Peterson R S
Harvard Business Review Digital Articles 2020
2019
Back channels in the boardroom
Gardner H K; Peterson R S
Harvard Business Review 2019 Vol 97:5 p 106-113
Cultural intelligence: Time to let go of being on time?
Peterson R S
London Business School Review 2019 Vol 30:2-3
Time to rethink bringing your whole self to work?
Peterson R S; O'Connor K M
Forbes online 2019 April 1, 2019
Viewpoint: Bringing Your 'Whole Self' to Work Can Feel Risky. Here's Why
Peterson R S; O'Connor K
Society for Human Resource Management (Online). Published online 29 April 2019
How should you do a board evaluation?
de Largy C; Peterson R S
Management Today 2018 10 December 2018
It's time to vote majority rule off the company board
Peterson R S
Strategy and Business 2018 October 24, 2018
Leadership insights: leading teams across diverse industries
Peterson R S
London Business School Review 2018
2017
Boardroom insights: what makes a great chair
Peterson R S; Johnston A
London Business School Review 2017
Going nowhere fast: executive derailment and how to avoid it
Peterson R S; Jolly R
London Business School Review 2017 March
How does leader humor expression influence follower outcomes? Exploring the dual process model
Hu X; Zhang G; Wang L; Peterson R S; Bai Y
Academy of Management Proceedings 2017 Vol 2017:1
Leading across cultures: bringing out the best of all worlds
Peterson R S
London Business School Review 2017
The type of narcissist that can make a good leader
Peterson R S; Wakeman S W
Harvard Business Review Digital Articles 2017 March 6th
What worries leaders?
Peterson R S; Yueh L; Ibarra H; Vermeulen F
London Business School Review 2017
2016
5 coaching myths and a 5-step coaching reality check
Peterson R S
London Business School Review 2016
A dynamic perspective on diverse teams: moving from the dual-process model to a coordination-based model of diverse team performance
Srikanth K; Harvey S; Peterson R
Academy of Management Annals 2016 Vol 10:1 p 453-493
How to go from good to great
Peterson R S
London Business School Review 2016 Spring Vol 27:1 p 44-45
Leadership analysis of the 2016 US presidential candidates
Peterson R S
London Business School Review 2016
2015
Group conflict
Peterson R S
in C. M. Berger and M. Roloff (Eds). International Encyclopedia of Interpersonal Communication, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley. 2015
Recommended reading : eight must-read books on leadership
Peterson R S
London Business School Review 2015 Winter Vol 26:4 p 53
Sinking slowly: diversity in propensity to trust predicts downward trust spirals in small groups
Ferguson A J; Peterson R S
Journal of Applied Psychology 2015 Vol 100:4 p 1012-1024
Executive derailment; group cohesiveness; group dynamics and group norms
Peterson R S; Harvey S R
Book Chapter: In Wiley Encyclopedia of Management 3rd eds., John Wiley, 2014
Strategies for developing trust through constructive conflict resolution in teams
Peterson R S; Ferguson A J
in O.B. Ayoko, N. Ashkanasy & K. A. Jehn (Eds), Handbook of conflict management research, p.193-204. Edward Elgar, 2014
The process of team boundary spanning process in multi-organizational contexts
Harvey S; Peterson R S; Anand N
Small Group Research 2014 Vol 45:5 p 506-538
2012
Bringing status to the table – Attaining, maintaining, and experiencing status in organizations and markets
Chen Y R; Peterson R S; Phillips D J; Podolny J M; Ridgeway C L
Organization Science 2012 Vol 23:2 p 299-307
Crossing party lines: Group composition and individual differences in groups.
Peterson R
In A. B. Hollingshead and M. S. Poole (Eds.), Research Methods for Studying Groups and Teams: A Guide to Approaches, Tools, and Technologies (pp. 121-131). London, UK: Taylor Francis/Routledge.
Leadership in small groups and teams: Toward a theory of group leadership
Peterson R S; Kim K
In M. Neale and E. A. Mannix (Eds), Looking Back, Moving Forward: A Review of Group and Team-Based Research. In the series: Research on Managing Groups and Teams, Emerald Publishing, 2012
2011
Conflict in small groups: The meaning and consequences of process conflict
Behfar K J; Mannix E A; Peterson R S; Trochim W M K
Small Group Research 2011 Vol 42:2 p 127-176
2010
Point/counterpoint: Introduction to SGR's new feature
Brower A; Keyton J; Moreland R L; Peterson R S
Small Group Research 2010 Vol 42:1 p 249-250
2009
Leadership and conflict: Using power to manage conflict in groups for better rather than worse
Peterson R S; Harvey S
In Tjosvold D; Wisse B (eds), Power and interdependence in organizations, Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press, 2009
2008
Critical role of conflict resolution in teams: A close look at the links between conflict type, conflict management strategies, and team outcomes
Behfar K J; Peterson R S; Mannix E A; Trochim W M K
Journal of Applied Psychology 2008 Vol 93:1 p 170-188
Does one rotten apple spoil the barrel? Using a configuration approach to assess the conflict-inducing effects of a high neuroticism team member
Peterson R S; Davidson J; Moynihan L M
In Behfar K & Thompson L eds., Conflict in organizational groups, pp93-112, Evanston IL: Northwestern University Press, 2007
Paradox of conflict in groups: conflict with trust is the basis for deep level cooperation in work groups
Ronson S; Peterson R S
In Sullivan B A; Snyder M; Sullivan J L eds., Cooperation: The political psychology of effective human interaction, pp181-198, Malden MA: Blackwell, 2007
2006
Choosing between a rock and a hard place when data are scarce and the questions important: reply to Hollenbeck, DeRue, and Mannor
Peterson R S; Smith D B; Martorana P V
Journal of Applied Psychology 2006 Jan Vol 91:1 p 6-8
Cultural intelligence and the multinational team experience: does the experience of working in a multinational team improve cultural intelligence?
Moynihan L; Peterson R S; Earley P C
In Mannix E A; Neale M A; Chen Y-R eds., Research on managing groups and teams: national culture,Vol 9 pp279-304, Elsevier, 2006
Exploring new aspects of multinational teams
Moynihan L; Peterson R S; Earley P C
In Chen Y R and Mannix E eds., Research in the management of groups and teams, JAI Press, 2006
Key role of personal values in decoupling task conflict from relationship conflict
Peterson R S; et al.
Best proceedings of the Academy of Management
2005
Executive derailment
Ronson S; Peterson R S
in Nicholson N, Audia P and Pillutla M eds., Blackwell encyclopedia of management: organisational behavior, Blackwell, 2005
Group cohesiveness
Peterson R S; Ronson S
in Nicholson N, Audia P and Pillutla M eds., Blackwell encyclopedia of management: organisational behavior, Blackwell, 2005
Group dynamics
Peterson R S; Ronson S
in Nicholson N, Audia P and Pillutla M eds., Blackwell encyclopedia of management: organisational behavior, Blackwell, 2005
Group norms
Peterson R S; Ronson S
in Nicholson N, Audia P and Pillutla M eds., Blackwell encyclopedia of management: organisational behavior, Blackwell, 2005
Group roles
Peterson R S; Ronson S
in Nicholson N, Audia P and Pillutla M eds., Blackwell encyclopedia of management: organisational behavior, Blackwell, 2005
Look at groups from the functional perspective
Peterson R S; et al.
in Poole M S and Hollingshead A B eds., Theories of small groups: an interdisciplinary perspective, p 21-62, Sage, 2005
2004
Elusive cultural chameleon: cultural intelligence as a new approach to intercultural training for the global manager
Earley P C; Peterson R S
Academy of Management Learning and Education 2004 Vol 3 p 100-115
Functional perspective as a lens for understanding groups
Peterson R S; et al.
Small Group Research 2004 Vol 35 p 17-42
Leadership as group regulation
Peterson R S; Behfar K J
in Messick D and Kramer R eds., Psychology of leadership: new perspectives and research, p 143-162, Erlbaum, 2004
Role of personality in group processes
Moynihan L; Peterson R S
in Schneider B and Smith D B eds., Personality and organizations, p 317-345, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2004
2003
Dynamic relationship between performance feedback, trust and conflict in groups: a longitudinal study
Peterson R S; Behfar K J
Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 2003 Vol 92:1-2 p 102-112
Impact of Chief Executive Officer personality on top management team dynamics: one mechanism by which leadership affects organizational performance
Peterson R S; Smith D B
Journal of Applied Psychology 2003 Oct Vol 88:5 p 795-808
Leading and managing people in dynamic organizations: emerging themes from a new paradigm
Peterson R S; Sancovich A C
in Peterson R S and Mannix E A eds., Leading and managing people in dynamic organizations, p 253-261, Erlbaum, 2003
2002
Group dynamics q-sort in communication research
Peterson R S
in Frey R ed., New directions in group communication research, p 79-96, Sage, 2002
Leading organizational change: a comparison of county and campus views of extension engagement
Franz N K; Peterson R S; Dailey A L
Journal of Extension 2002 Vol 40:3
Review of Turner M E, 'Groups at work: theory and research'
Peterson R S; Tetlock P E
Administrative Science Quarterly 2002 Vol 47 p 178-181
2001
Contingent configuration approach to understanding the role of personality in organizational groups
Moynihan L; Peterson R S
Research in Organizational Behavior 2001 Vol 23 p 327-378
Toward a more deontological approach to the ethical use of social influence
Peterson R S
in Darley J, Messick D and Tyler T R eds., Social influences on ethical behavior in organizations, p21-36, Erlbaum, 2001
2000
Best practices of statewide program committees: leadership for successful self-directed work teams
Peterson R S; et al.
Cornell Cooperative Extension, 2000
Review of Kramer R M and Neale M A eds., 'Power and influence in organizations'
Peterson R S
Administrative Science Quarterly 2000 Vol 45:1 p 160-162
Task conflict and relationship conflict in top management teams: the pivotal role of intragroup trust
Simons T L; Peterson R S
Journal of Applied Psychology 2000 Vol 85 p 102-111
1999
Can you have too much of a good thing?: the limits of voice in improving satisfaction with leaders
Peterson R S
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 1999 Vol 25 p 313-324
Cause or effect?: an investigation of the relationship between top management team group dynamics and organizational performance
Peterson R S; Owens P D; Martorana P V
in Wageman R ed., Groups in context, p 49-69, JAI Press, 1999
Group dynamics q-sort in organizational research: a new method for studying familiar problems
Peterson R S; Owens P D; Martorana P V
Organizational Research Methods 1999 Vol 2 p 107-136
1998
Group dynamics in top management teams: groupthink, vigilance and alternative models of organizational failure and success
Peterson R S et al.
Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 1998 Vol 73 p 272-305
Organizational performance and CEO personality: explaining more of the variance through top management team group dynamics
Peterson R S; Owens P D; Martorana P V
in Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings, 1998
Task conflict and relationship conflict in top management teams: the pivotal role of intragroup trust
Simons T L; Peterson R S
in Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings, 1998
1997
Directive leadership style in group decision making is both virtue and vice: evidence from elite and experimental groups
Peterson R S
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1997 Vol 72 p 1107-1121
1996
Focus versus flexibility: majority and minority influence can both improve performance
Peterson R S; Nemeth C J
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 1996 Vol 22 p 14-23
Revising the value pluralism model of ideological reasoning: incorporating social content and context postulates
Tetlock P E; Peterson R S; Lerner J S
in Seligman C, Olson J M and Zanna M P eds., Psychology of values: the Ontario symposium, Erlbaum, 1996
1994
Role of values in predicting fairness judgements and support of affirmative action
Peterson R S
Journal of Social Issues 1994 Vol 50:4 p 95-116
Slavery debate in antebellum America: cognitive style, value conflict and the limits of compromise
Tetlock P E; Armor D; Peterson R S
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1994 Vol 66:1 p 115-126
1993
Flattering and unflattering personality portraits of integratively simple and complex managers
Tetlock P E; Peterson R S; Berry J M
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1993 Vol 64 p 500-511
Politics of the American dilemma: issue pluralism
Sniderman P M; Peterson R S et al.
in Sniderman P M, Tetlock P E and Carmines E G eds., Prejudice, politics, and the American dilemma, p 212-236, Stanford University Press, 1993
Racism and liberal democracy
Sniderman P M; Tetlock P E; Peterson R S
Politics and the Individual 1993 Vol 3 p 1-28
1992
Assessing political group dynamics: a test of the groupthink model
Tetlock P E; Peterson R S et al.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1992 Vol 63 p 403-425
2022
Disaster in the Boardroom: Six Dysfunctions Everyone Should Understand
Brown G; Peterson R S
Palgrave Macmillan
Marin Alsop: A study in inclusive leadership - Compact Case
Fletcher C J; Peterson R S; Rattan A
Marin Alsop: Dream job or nightmare - Compact Case
Fletcher C J; Peterson R S; Rollins V L
Marin Alsop: Showing them success - Compact Case
Fletcher C J; Peterson R S; Rollins V L
2021
Board Diversity and Effectiveness in FTSE 350 Companies
Peterson R S
Financial Reporting Council
Fatima Akilu: Staying true to her values (B)
Peterson R
Fatima Akilu: The rise of a quiet leader (A)
Peterson R
The Maestro Marin Alsop – Leading “Under a Huge Magnifying Glass”
Peterson R; Rollins V; Fletcher C J
https://publishing.london.edu/cases/david-pyott-the-battle-for-allergan-a/
Duke L; Peterson R
Paul McGinley – Leading a Multinational Team of Individuals
Duke, L; Peterson R
2003
Leading and managing people in dynamic organizations
Peterson R S; Mannix E A eds.
Erlbaum, 2003
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Executive Leadership
Executive Leadership
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Drawing on the Leadership Institute’s substantial research and practitioner work in this area, this elective offers an introduction to corporate governance combined with the topic of board effectiveness. Students will be exposed to blend of taught and experiential inputs on governance and the often neglected board dynamics, providing an opportunity to learn as well as build their capability to work as an effective board contributor, adviser or stakeholder. They will also have the opportunity to reflect on how the data generated by their leadership assessment stream can be used to inform a development plan to move them towards being "board ready" and/or increasing their effectiveness if they already are a member of a board. PROGRAMMES WITH THIS ELECTIVE
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Intro to Corporate Governance and Board Effectiveness
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Micro OB - Teams
Micro OB - Teams
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Micro OB - Teams
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"Thinking strategically, developing leadership skills and managing globally are the keys to achieving and maintaining competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving marketplace".
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Accelerated Development Programme