About

Dr. Bryan Deptula

Dr. Bryan Deptula is an Author, Speaker, CEO of BKD Leaders (a strategic Leadership Development and Training company), and owner of Canalside Inn. His mission is to improve the life and leadership of all people. Dr. Deptula achieves his mission by delivering leadership development programs that work, dynamic keynotes, engaging workshops, and life-changing retreats.

Dr. Deptula’s remarkable journey started in New Castle, DE, where he overcame childhood poverty to become a PhD, MBA, Hotelier, Vistage Speaker, and former University Associate Professor and Management Department Chair. This journey has taken him to over 30 countries spanning five continents, where he has given hundreds of keynotes and workshops to conferences as well as small businesses and Fortune 100 global companies.

Dr. Deptula’s approach focuses on learning to be one’s best self, leading from within, and living with purpose. Bryan’s unique ability to solve organizational challenges and inspire change has made a profound impact in the field of leadership.

His Work and Contributions

Bryan’s TED Talk, Leaders Are Born to Be Made, gives practical wisdom about how to make leaders out of all people while coordinating and collaborating to get work done with and through others. Bryan’s book Your Leaders Suck…But It’s Not Their Fault offers high reward, low risk ways to make Executives and Managers better leaders. Dr. Deptula has co-authored a combined 20 research-based journal articles, book chapters, and conference presentations. As an Executive Coach and Corporate Trainer, Bryan facilitates strategic planning for organizations and creates best practice leader development programs that work by improving individual and team performance.

Vision

A world where every individual believes in their ability to lead, is empowered to lead, and where 100% of the workforce performs beyond expectations.

mission

Improve the life and leadership of all people

Values

LEARN to become your best self: Strive for continuous self-evolution, introspection, brutal honesty, and identification of your organization’s leader developmental goals.

LEAD authentically, from within: Embrace a constant evolution of self, self-reflection, honesty, and identification of your organization’s leader developmental goals.

LIVE with purpose: Provide people with a reason to believe in you, a cause worth fighting for.

Watch Dr. Bryan Deptula’s TED Talk Leaders Are Born To Be Made

Groundbreaking TED Talk that answers the question

ARE LEADERS BORN OR MADE?

Leaders are born, and they are made. Leader Genes, nurture, and motivation to lead influence whether a person will be a leader. Learn the 3 pillars of becoming a leader:

BEING – your leader identity and brand
KNOWING -how to lead and what motivates you to lead
DOING – skills to practice leading

Bryan’s Background

Education: BA in Economics from the University of Delaware in 1998. MBA at Suffolk University in 2008.
Ph.D. in Leadership at Florida Atlantic University in 2013.
University Professor: Central Washington University and Nova Southeastern University (2009-2020)
Established BKD Leaders, a leadership development consulting firm, in 2014.
Delivered a TEDX NSU talk titled “Leaders are Born to Be Made” in 2018.
Provided Leadership to numerous companies, including Univision, Microsoft, Vistage Groups, and HR Executives at SHRM.
Trained Thousands of leaders, ranging from first-time managers to CEOs.

Bryan’s Passion & Interested

• Enjoys all things soccer, actively participating in an adult league and coaching his children’s soccer teams.

• Fluent in Spanish and actively imparts Spanish language skills to his children.

• Has a passion for skiing adventures.

• Spends weekends mastering recipes from Cook Illustrated.