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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

Research and Awards


  • Paper selected for the Proceedings of the Academy of Management (best papers), Conflict Management Division, 2014.

  • London Business School Excellence in Teaching Award, 2013, for overall teaching performance within the School.

  • Small Group Research 2010-11 finalist Best Paper Award.

  • 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

  • Paper selected for the Proceedings of the Academy of Management (best papers, top 10% of submissions), Conflict Management Division, 2006

  • London Business School Teaching Award for Innovation in Learning, 2004, for Global Leadership Assessment for Managers (GLAM) course

  • S. C. Johnson Graduate School of Management “4.5 Club” (for excellence in teaching), 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004. 

  • Clifford H. Whitcomb Faculty Fellowship (for excellence in research), Cornell University, 2000-2001

  • Paper selected for the Proceedings of the Academy of Management (best papers, 11 of 270), Organizational Behavior Division, 1998 

  • Paper selected for the Proceedings of the Academy of Management (best papers, 3 of 63), Conflict Management Division, 1998

  • Society of Experimental Social Psychology Dissertation Award, Finalist 

  • Division 49 of APA (groups division) Dissertation Award, Finalist 

  • Chair's Dissertation Fund Award, Psychology Department, UC Berkeley, 1994

  • Leadership in organisational work teams
  • Personality and leadership success
  • Top management team decision-making

2023

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

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

The science behind successful teams

Peterson R S

Think at London Business School 2020 3 March 2020

2019

Back channels in the boardroom

Gardner H K; Peterson R S

Harvard Business Review 2019 Vol 97:5 p 106-113

Boards Need To Get Serious About Managing Organizational Culture

Peterson R

Forbes online 2019

Cultural intelligence: Time to let go of being on time?

Peterson R S

London Business School Review 2019 Vol 30:2-3

Rethinking authenticity

Peterson R S; O'Connor K

London Business School Review 2019 4 April 2019

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

When women win, we all win

Peterson R S

London Business School Review 2019 Vol 30:2-3

2018

Elephants get out of the boardroom

Peterson R S; Johnston A

London Business School Review 2018

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

Leadership Insights: trust in the right people

Peterson R S

London Business School Review 2017

Leading across cultures: bringing out the best of all worlds

Peterson R S

London Business School Review 2017

Leading teams: tactics inspired by the Middle East

Peterson R S

London Business School Review 2017

Motivation for leaders: seven proven levers

Peterson R S

London Business School Review 2017

The drive for strong leaders

Henderson D; Peterson R S

Economist 2017 Economist Intelligence Unit

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

When self-confidence is a curse

Peterson R S

London Business School Review 2017

2016

5 coaching myths and a 5-step coaching reality check

Peterson R S

London Business School Review 2016

5-D leadership

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

Five negotiator types: which are you?

Peterson R S

London Business School Review 2016

How to go from good to great

Peterson R S

London Business School Review 2016 Spring Vol 27:1 p 44-45

Is President Trump a sign of the times?

Peterson R S

London Business School Review 2016

Leadership analysis of the 2016 US presidential candidates

Peterson R S

London Business School Review 2016

Lessons in leading diverse teams

Peterson R S

London Business School Review 2016

Three behavioural ‘don’ts’ for healthier boards

Peterson R S

London Business School Review 2016

Three ways to get the best out of diverse teams

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

Ten tips for leaders in 2016

Peterson R S

London Business School Review 2015

Trust us

Peterson R S

London Business School Review 2015 Summer Vol 26:2 p 12-13

2014

Beyond control

Peterson R S

Business Strategy Review 2014 Spring Vol 25:1 p 79-81

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

Leadership beyond control

Peterson R S

London Business School Review 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

Conflict resolution.

Peterson R S

Business Strategy Review 2011

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

2007

Bullies need not apply

Peterson R S

Business Strategy Review 2007 Summer p 73-76

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

When to let them duke it out

Simons T; Peterson R S

Harvard Business Review 2006 June p 23-24

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

Fear and loving...

Peterson R S

Financial Times 2003 Nov 15

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

The group dynamics q-sort in group communication research

Peterson R S

2002

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

Managing conflict in your team

Peterson R S

London Business School Alumni News 2001 Vol 91 p 23

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


Teaching portfolio

Our teaching offering is updated annually. Faculty and programme material are subject to change.

  • Masters Degrees core courses

    A key part of our Masters programmes curriculum.

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    • Executive Leadership
      Executive Leadership
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    • GLAM
      The first rule of leadership and management success is always to know your strengths and weaknesses in order to know what you offer to the people you work with, and where you need to focus effort on improvement.
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  • Masters Degrees electives

    Optional courses providing a deep dive into specialist areas.

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    • Intro to Corporate Governance and Board Effectiveness
      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.
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    The first step to academic excellence.

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  • Executive Education

    Short programmes offering academic excellence, global focus and exceptional diversity of perspective.

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    • Accelerated Development Programme
      "Attending the Accelerated Development Programme is a unique opportunity for participants to learn not only from our world-class faculty but from their fellow participants. Consequently, the way the programme is designed encourages you to get to know as many people as possible and to form a life-long network of culturally diverse peers".
    • Senior Executive Programme
      "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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