Marcus Buckingham
Marcus Buckingham is an author, speaker and human performance researcher who shares ideas about strengths, leadership and finding love in work.
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Marcus’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus their backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
Overview
- Work
- Author, speaker and human performance researcher
- Started
- Joined Gallup after graduating from Cambridge in 1987
- Breakout
- First, Break All the Rules, co-written with Curt Coffman in 1999
- Known for
- StrengthsFinder, StandOut and research on love at work
Mini bio
How it started.
After graduating from Cambridge in 1987, Marcus joined Gallup and studied human strengths with Don Clifton. That research became the foundation of his work as an author and speaker.
The books that opened the door.
First, Break All the Rules brought his research on great managers to readers in 1999. Now, Discover Your Strengths followed in 2001, alongside the StrengthsFinder system he co-created with Clifton.
From strengths to experiences.
Marcus went on to create StandOut and build The Marcus Buckingham Company, which was sold to ADP in 2017. Love + Work explored how to recognize the activities that bring out your best. His 2026 book Design Love In takes that interest into the experiences leaders create for employees and customers.
Creditschronological, newest first
- 2026Design Love InAuthor
- 2022Love + WorkAuthor
- 2019Nine Lies About WorkCo-author with Ashley Goodall
- 2015StandOut 2.0Author
- 2001Now, Discover Your StrengthsCo-author with Donald O. Clifton
- 1999First, Break All the RulesCo-author with Curt Coffman
Awards
Quotes
The method doesn’t matter. What matters is that you, the leader, are explicit about what you believe.Marcus Buckingham, Chief Executive
From “Want To Be A Great Leader? Share Your Beliefs,” May 8, 2026. https://chiefexecutive.net/want-to-be-a-great-leader-share-your-beliefs/
Trivia
- Thinkers50 recounts how he managed a childhood stammer during a school speech by imagining he was speaking to just one person.
- He created the video series Trombone Player Wanted in 2006.
- On The Remarkable Leadership Podcast, he recommended Theodore Zeldin’s An Intimate History of Humanity, a book he returns to.
Find Marcus
Follow Marcus for research, new books and conversations about work.
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