[2] Formerly a clinical instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Heifetz works with leaders in government, nonprofits, and business.

He is known for his seminal work during the past three decades on the practice and teaching of leadership; his research focuses on how to build adaptive capacity in societies, businesses, and nonprofits.

He also coauthored the bestselling book Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading with Marty Linsky (Harvard Business School Press, 2002).

His most recent book, The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization (Harvard University Press, 2009).

A sequel to Leadership on the Line, it provides a more hands-on approach to identifying personal and organizational practices related to mobilizing organizations around adaptive challenges.