Rita McGrath
Columbia Business School Professor | Thinkers50 Top Strategy Thinker | Bestselling Author of Seeing Around Corners & The End of Competitive Advantage
George Kohlrieser
Distinguished Professor of Leadership & Organizational Behavior, IMD | Hostage Negotiator | Bestselling Author of Hostage at the Table & Care to Dare
George Kohlrieser is a Distinguished Professor at IMD and a foremost authority on high performance leadership and conflict resolution. A former hostage negotiator across 100+ countries, he brings unmatched insights into trust, influence, and resilience. His bestselling books and flagship IMD programs have shaped thousands of senior executives. On stage, he equips leaders with tools to overcome fear, navigate conflict, and build high-performing cultures.
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George Kohlrieser biography
Leadership speaker George Kohlrieser is a Distinguished Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behavior at IMD Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he created and directs the renowned High Performance Leadership (HPL) and Advanced High Performance Leadership (AHPL) programs for senior executives. An organizational and clinical psychologist by training, he brings a rare combination of academic rigor and real-world crisis expertise to his work on human performance, trust, and influence. Over a career spanning decades, Kohlrieser has trained thousands of leaders from Fortune 500 companies and government institutions alike.
Before his academic career, Kohlrieser served as a police psychologist and hostage negotiator, personally intervening in hostage crises across more than 100 countries. This frontline experience shaped his groundbreaking concept of secure base leadership — the idea that leaders who provide both safety and challenge unlock extraordinary potential in their teams. He has translated these insights into bestselling books, including Hostage at the Table: How Leaders Can Overcome Conflict, Influence Others, and Raise Performance, winner of the Best Business Book award from Dirigeants Commerciaux de France, and Care to Dare: Unleashing Astonishing Potential Through Secure Base Leadership, named among the Best Business Books by Soundview.
Global Impact and Recognition
Kohlrieser consults with leading global organizations including Accenture, Cisco, Coca-Cola, NASA, Nestlé, Morgan Stanley, and Toyota, helping senior executives build cultures of trust and high performance. His teaching has earned the CEEMAN Global Champion Award for Excellence and the BrandLaureate International Brand Personality Award. He is also an expert at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), contributing to leadership development in international affairs and diplomacy.
A commanding presence on the global stage, Kohlrieser regularly speaks at the World Business Forum, the World Economic Forum, the United Nations, and TEDx events. As a speaker, George Kohlrieser challenges audiences to break free from the mental hostages — fear, self-doubt, and conflict avoidance — that limit their leadership capacity, equipping them with practical tools to build trust, navigate conflict, and inspire lasting high performance in their organizations.
George Kohlrieser Speaking Videos
George Kohlrieser - How to turn loss into inspiration
George Kohlrieser - Secure-base leadership: Creating trust in people, teams and organizations
George Kohlrieser Keynote Topics
As a former hostage negotiator, George Kohlrieser has witnessed the devastating toll that captivity takes on the human mind. But physical hostage situations are just the most visible form of a universal phenomenon. In the business world, leaders and teams routinely become psychological hostages to fear, self-doubt, guilt, and the actions of others — often without realizing it.
In this powerful keynote, Kohlrieser draws on the proven techniques of hostage negotiation, which achieve a 95% resolution rate, and translates them into practical leadership strategies. Audiences learn how to face conflict openly, break free from limiting mental patterns, and adopt a positive leadership stance that enables them to lead with full potential and drive sustainable performance.
The most effective leaders share a common trait: they serve as a secure base for those they lead, providing both a sense of safety and a compelling challenge that stretches people beyond their comfort zones. Drawing from his bestselling book Care to Dare and decades of research at IMD, George Kohlrieser reveals how secure base leadership creates the psychological conditions for risk-taking, innovation, and peak performance.
This keynote explores the neuroscience of bonding and trust, the leadership behaviors that inspire loyalty and extraordinary effort, and actionable frameworks for building secure base cultures within organizations. Leaders leave with a roadmap for unlocking the full potential of their teams.
High-performing leaders turn adversaries into allies by mastering the art of dialogue. In this keynote, George Kohlrieser explores how words, when used with intention and authenticity, become a leader's most powerful instrument of influence. Drawing on his experience as a hostage negotiator and organizational psychologist, he shows how effective dialogue creates trust, resolves conflict, and fuels innovation.
Attendees discover how to listen beneath the surface, reframe contentious conversations, and create environments where constructive challenge thrives. Whether navigating boardroom negotiations or leading through organizational change, the skills taught in this session enable leaders to drive transformation through genuine human connection.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking George Kohlrieser
Why George Kohlrieser?
George Kohlrieser is one of the rare speakers who combines world-class academic credentials with intense real-world experience. As a Distinguished Professor at IMD and a former hostage negotiator who has operated in over 100 countries, he delivers keynotes that are both intellectually rigorous and viscerally compelling. His concepts of secure base leadership and the hostage mindset have transformed the leadership practices of thousands of senior executives at organizations including NASA, Nestlé, Cisco, and Coca-Cola. On stage, Kohlrieser is a dynamic, passionate storyteller who challenges audiences to confront their deepest fears and emerge as stronger, more authentic leaders. Book George Kohlrieser through Aurum Speakers Bureau to bring a transformative leadership experience to your next event.
What is secure base leadership?
Secure base leadership is a concept developed by George Kohlrieser that draws on attachment theory and neuroscience. A secure base leader creates a bond of trust and safety that simultaneously encourages people to take risks, explore new possibilities, and perform beyond their perceived limits. Kohlrieser argues that the most impactful leaders in history — from business to sports to politics — have served as secure bases for those around them. The concept is detailed in his bestselling book Care to Dare: Unleashing Astonishing Potential Through Secure Base Leadership, co-authored with Susan Goldsworthy and Duncan Coombe.
What topics does George Kohlrieser speak about?
George Kohlrieser speaks on high performance leadership, conflict resolution, negotiation, trust-building, and the psychology of influence. His signature topics include overcoming the hostage mindset, secure base leadership, and the power of dialogue. Each presentation draws on his dual expertise as a hostage negotiator and organizational psychologist, making his talks uniquely engaging for executive audiences. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to discuss which topic best suits your event and audience.
What is the hostage mindset in leadership?
The hostage mindset refers to a psychological state in which a person feels trapped, powerless, or controlled by external circumstances, other people, or their own fears — even when no physical threat exists. In the workplace, leaders and employees can become hostages to anxiety about failure, toxic relationships, organizational politics, or resistance to change. George Kohlrieser teaches that recognizing and overcoming this mindset is the first step toward high performance leadership. Through techniques drawn from actual hostage negotiation, he shows leaders how to reclaim agency, face conflict constructively, and create environments where others feel safe enough to perform at their best.
How to book George Kohlrieser as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book George Kohlrieser as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about George Kohlrieser's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for George Kohlrieser or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is George Kohlrieser speaking fee?
George Kohlrieser speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire George Kohlrieser to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book George Kohlrieser.
How can I contact George Kohlrieser?
We only work with George Kohlrieser on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking George Kohlrieser and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having George Kohlrieser speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact George Kohlrieser for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book George Kohlrieser for a virtual keynote?
Yes, George Kohlrieser is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book George Kohlrieser for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
