Teresa Amabile

Teresa Amabile is a Baker Foundation Professor and Director of Research at Harvard Business School, specializing in organizational behavior and workplace dynamics. Her research focuses on creativity, productivity, and inner work life - the interplay of emotions, perceptions, and motivation in professional settings. She is best known for her book "The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work," co-authored with Steven Kramer, which analyzes nearly 12,000 daily diary entries to demonstrate how small workplace victories fuel employee engagement. Her other notable works include "Creativity in Context," "Growing Up Creative," and scholarly instruments like "The Work Preference Inventory" and "KEYS to Creativity and Innovation."

Originally trained as a chemist, Amabile earned her doctorate in psychology from Stanford University before transitioning into organizational research. Her work bridges academia and practice, with insights applied by corporations such as Procter & Gamble, Novartis, and IDEO. She has published over 100 articles in leading psychology and management journals, including the "Journal of Personality and Social Psychology" and "Administrative Science Quarterly." A sought-after speaker, she has presented at prestigious forums like the World Economic Forum in Davos and TEDxAtlanta.

As an educator, Amabile has taught courses on creativity, leadership, and ethics at Harvard Business School and Brandeis University, where she previously held faculty positions. She also hosted the PBS series "Against All Odds: Inside Statistics," demonstrating her ability to translate complex concepts for broader audiences. Her career reflects a commitment to advancing organizational success while fostering individual fulfillment and societal impact.