Richard Dapra
Richard’s introduction to leadership began as an officer in one of the world’s largest organizations noted for its legendary leaders and highly effective leadership development, the US Marine Corps. His first post-doctoral job was at a fledgling assessment and development company, of which he was one of just four early associates. Three years later, that company, Development Dimensions International (DDI), had grown to upward of fifty people. DDI currently employs over 1,100 associates and is noted for its assessment and development solutions. Subsequent to DDI, he began and grew his own assessment company, Resource Analysis and Development. He led RAD Inc. until one of his clients, Pitney Bowes, lured him away. The next thirty-plus years of Rich’s career were spent in Fortune-100 companies including Pitney Bowes, Aetna, and Liberty Mutual, where he worked closely with CEOs and business unit heads on the acquisition, assessment, and development of talent. These experiences provided first-hand observations of leadership challenges and the capabilities required to meet them. At the end of his career, he joined Jonas’ growing and already successful leadership development company, BTS USA, where he built what is now BTS’s global assessment practice.
Several years ago, Richard began working with Jonathan and Jonas to generate targeted research and build a practical, actionable, and valuable approach to leadership assessment and development for the small business leader.
Our collective experiences and expertise give us a broad and complete view of the leadership landscape. We see the holes, the large groups of executives and business owners underserved by the existing theory. We recognize the shortcomings of the professional development frameworks and systems available to executives who wish to develop their leadership skills. This book is our first step toward educating and supporting small business leaders.
