About Gus

Gus Gustafson redefines leadership with his 'Both-And' framework, uniting purpose, profit, and impact for lasting success.

A New Kind of Leader

Gus Gustafson is a global thought leader and pioneer in leadership and organizational development, with over 25 years of experience driving transformational change across industries.

As the founder of Both-And Leadership Advisors, Gus has helped organizations on six continents build leadership capacity through custom competency models, culture transformation initiatives, and strategic talent management programs. He is the co-architect of the world’s first accredited Executive Doctoral Program in Values-Driven Leadership, recognized as the top leadership development program by HR.com.

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Gus’s “Both-And Leadership” philosophy challenges either-or thinking by uniting principled responsibility with measurable results. He has trained over 25,00 leaders, from executives to community changemakers, across sectors including technology, education, government, and healthcare.

Gus has served in executive roles in various industries, such as Chief Learning Officer (global industrial manufacturing), President & COO (HR technology), Head of Organization Transformation (telecommunications), Chief Culture Officer (corporate relocation) and Head of Organizational Learning & Development (global energy technology).

A lifelong learner, he holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Development from Benedictine University and advanced certifications from the University of Oxford and HEC Paris. Recognized globally for his work, Gus is an award-winning advisor and keynote speaker who helps leaders navigate complexity with confidence and impact.

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Testimonials

“I have known Jim ‘Gus’ Gustafson for more than two decades and throughout this time I have found him to be the finest leadership consultant, executive coach, educator and servant leadership practitioner with whom I’ve had the pleasure to associate with on a personal and professional basis. He is a consummate executive educational professional who combines an unparalleled level of strategic business acumen, change-leadership excellence and disciplined focus in creating and implementing transformational leadership programs that drive performance and results. He is a truly inspiring, extraordinarily bright, insanely curious and remarkably articulate leader who fully embraces the leader as teacher/learner philosophy to empower others and create higher capability in the people and teams that he has led. His indomitably positive spirit infuses life and energy into his work and everyone around him. He brings out the best in others by helping them to self-discover the best that lies within themselves – a true servant leader. Gus is a differentiated leader in his own right – he combines strong character and ethics with absolute competence and commitment. He is courageous and compassionate and a role model of the highest caliber. He is poised, professional and works well under sustained pressure and always delivers first-rate results. He both leads and follows with grace, dignity and authenticity. He always strives to contribute at the highest level and serve the greater good in everything he does – he has been a true source of support for me and an incredible asset to the organizations that he has served. I recommend him wholeheartedly in any endeavor that he pursues – he is outstanding.”

— Thomas J. Griffin, Ph.D.

“I have been in the leadership development arena for over forty years. I’ve known Dr. James ‘Gus’ Gustafson for almost thirty of those and I can say with all confidence that he is one of the finest, brightest, most capable, and humble men I’ve ever known. He is a stellar leadership scholar, practitioner, and developer of human potential. His passion and determination to educate and increase leader’s capability and capacity is unmatched. Over all the years that I have known Gus his life has been marked by service, showing up daily to add value to others and a dogged commitment to make the world a better place. I can think of no one who is better prepared and experienced to influence the current and future culture of leadership worldwide than Gus.”

— Dan Webster

“It is rare in today’s environment that you find a colleague who humbly gives of themselves for the greater good. They care equally about the work and the people. They lead with their heart and possess a strong passion for greatness. They have a way of helping you to dig deep inside and unleash potential you never realized you had. They leave a lasting impression on your world. They give everything they have to everything they do. This is Gus.

I’ve had the pleasure of working and collaborating with Gus over the past 20 years. He is one of the most intelligent, capable, and transformational leaders I’ve encountered in my career. He practices what he preaches: he is both a teacher and a student… always growing, always learning, always evolving.

Gus has an unmatched work ethic like no other. He’s loyal. Committed. Strives on building winning cultures. He has a true gift of being able to think big picture, out of the box, innovate, pull content together and synthesize it in a meaningful way to a broad scale audience. Whether it be the Board, C-Suite, senior leadership, or a group of aspiring executive doctoral students, Gus’s engaging, and influential leadership style pulls everyone together, no matter the level, and helps them envision what they are capable of.”

— Nick Wright

“I did a search for ‘inspiring, optimistic, transformational leadership developer’ and the first thing that came up was Gus’s picture. There is no better “find” than this character driven, hands-on leader… scholar-practitioner… mentor… consultant… if you’re filling a senior role or looking for a consultant in leadership development, culture improvement, change management, executive coaching, or strategic planning. I’ve watched Gus facilitate 5-person vision development teams, inspire 20-person executive learning sessions, fully engage a 100-person audience, and develop a detailed vision and strategic plan to launch a new organization from scratch. There are some people who bring out the best in those around them, whom you just need on your team before focusing on the right position. That’s Gus.”

— Lee DeRemer

“Dr. James ‘Gus’ Gustafson is an extraordinary leader, executive coach, educator, culture transformer, and consultant! ! Throughout the past decade, Gus has demonstrated his talents in transformative leadership and executive development with C-suite level leaders across all sectors globally. He innovates, facilitates and implements transformational programs and strategic plans, while engaging voices toward compelling visions and meaningful results. Gus inspires each of us to become the “best versions of ourselves”, in our purpose, professions and passion to make our planet better.”

— Sandra Gill, Ph.D.

“Gus is a generous and supportive mentor who cares deeply about the growth and success of his colleagues and clients. He is always willing to share his knowledge, feedback, and connections, and he creates a positive and trusting environment where people can thrive. He has been a great coach for me, and I have learned a lot from him. I highly recommend Gus for any leadership or organizational development role, as he is a valuable asset, has tons of experience, and a true professional to work with.”

— Jake Manino

“Gus is an outstanding executive coach. In our sessions, his empathetic style of relating makes me feel comfortable to share and verbally explore various areas that have been on my mind. His perceptive questions spark clarity in what I’m trying to accomplish. I leave our conversations with greater confidence and more conviction about the steps I want to accomplish. Gus is also a leadership and organization development consultant and thought leader, which shines through in our conversations as he deftly weaves in insights about the dynamics of complex organizations, and grasps complex situations that I’m facing instantly, as if he’s been there himself. He’s thought deeply about these issues through many years of writing and speaking and I’m impressed by his mastery of leadership and organizational development. I’d strongly him recommend to anyone looking for individual, team, and/or organizational transformation!”

— Nathan King

Recent Awards & Accomplishments

Best Global Executive Leadership Coach (the last three years in a row)
Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership & Organization Development
Best Strategic Business Partner for Talent Management, Leadership Development and Culture Transformation