In his role as a consultant to leading companies Ralph Jacobson has helped organizations to learn a common language of leadership that enables greater clarity of purpose, more open and effective communication, and improved bottom-line results. His innovative, yet eminently practical approach to leadership was synthesized in his critically-acclaimed book Leading for a Change: How to Master the Five Challenges Faced by Every Leader, and he puts those principles into practice day in and day out with the organizations he trains and counsels.

Ralph argues that successful organizations thrive by aligning the needs of their customers, the talent of their employees, and a vision for greatness. To accomplish greatness requires people who are willing to find their own greatness. We live in a new age: one that demands that we find the most efficient and effective way to build leadership. Building leadership is the driving force of his life, and his mission is to set a new standard for leadership development. In addition to Leading for a Change, he has also published The Change Champion's Field Guide, which describes the implementation of The Leader's Toolbox® at both a Fortune 100, and a mid-sized organization. This leadership development program is one of the most effective there is for developing and implementing a new leadership approach on an organization-wide level, creating positive change in a timely and cost-effective manner. It shows managers how they should act and what they should do—not how they have to be. As a principal of Synthesis Consulting, Inc., he has provided innovative solutions for Fortune 50 organizations and for emerging growth companies. A member of the faculty at the Physicians Leadership College, University of St. Thomas, he holds advanced degrees in psychology and human resources from Ohio State University and the University of Minnesota.

You know a great vision is important to your future success. Now that you have it, how do you make that change in your personal life, job, or organization a reality? This talk explores Ralph's powerful, proven and practical Leader’s Map™, a tool that has helped both individuals and companies reframe their futures.

By the conclusion of the keynote, each member of the audience has an opportunity to build the specific steps they will take on their own journey around The Leader’s Map™. Beyond helping individuals, Ralph provides common language and a leadership process that significantly helps organizations lower their internal silos, utilize their people more effectively, and significantly paves the way to achieving success.

Most leaders don't have the time to do the important stuff. It's not you, just life getting in the way. This talk helps audiences to see the roadblocks we face in our leadership roles, and shows them how to create an environment that allows them to do more important and meaningful work. Leaders learn that there are three roles they play everyday -- roles that compete with each other for time. The role that is the most important usually finds itself in last place. Listeners learn how to free up more time to devote to the more value-added and important leadership work.

Many leaders get to the top positions because they are experts at solving difficult problems. But once there, they find that many of these approaches no longer bring about the successes of the past. That's because most of the important organizational issues leaders have to address are not really problems-they are paradoxes. In this innovative and compelling talk Ralph teaches leaders how to distinguish a problem from a paradox. He provides a powerful and effective way to help leaders address the organization, role, and personal dilemmas that have kept them up at night. This is one of those talks in which participants always experience a deep "ah ha!", learning how to manage their way out of those times when they find themselves between a rock and a hard place.