About the Author

Mike Mears is the former CIA Chief of HR and founder of the CIA Leadership Academy. He advises government and private-sector organizations on creating psychological environments that foster accountability and innovation.

Before joining the CIA, Mike was a senior vice president at GE Investments, where he managed private-equity funds, led organizational turnarounds, and served as a Six Sigma Black Belt. He has also launched several small businesses and served as president of a fast-food company.

Mike is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and Harvard Business School. In his military career, he commanded a nuclear missile site, served as a general’s aide, and was decorated for valor in combat.

He has taught or lectured on leadership at the Department of Defense, Georgetown University, the University of Salzburg, the University of Maryland, and the National Intelligence University. He is a former Senior Fellow at The Conference Board.

Mike is the author of Certainty: How Great Bosses Can Change Minds and Drive Innovation, a science-based guide to working with human nature to build trust, engagement, accountability, and innovation.