Jim Salvucci

About Jim Salvucci

Most managers get promoted because they\'re brilliant at their jobs—not because they know how to lead. Then they\'re blindsided by the messy reality of managing people, delegating work, resolving conflicts, and making decisions that actually stick.That\'s where I come in.I\'m Dr. Jim Salvucci, president of Guidance for Greatness. I spent three decades as a university professor, dean, and vice president—mentoring hundreds of students and faculty, leading strategic initiatives, and mastering the art of values-driven leadership. Now I work directly with emerging leaders who want to bridge the gap between technical expertise and genuine leadership excellence.My approach? Help leaders align their personal values with organizational missions. No platitudes, no corporate-speak—just practical strategies grounded in research and real-world experience. Because being good at leadership matters more than looking great on paper.I host On Leading with Greatness, a blog and podcast with over 250 episodes (https://jimsalvucci.substack.com), and I\'m a frequent guest on other leadership podcasts. In spring 2025, I released Greater than Great: How to Excel in Leadership through Learning, Logic, and Life to Make a True Difference in the World. I\'ve also delivered a TEDxClarkstown talk titled \"Swizzle: The Way of the Change Agent.\"When I\'m not coaching leaders or writing about them, I\'m cycling through Wilmington, Delaware (where I live with my wife), playing blues guitar badly but enthusiastically, tending my garden, or watching the Orioles and Phillies battle it out on summer nights. I\'m also a Bob Dylan scholar and co-host The Dylantantes podcast (https://thedylantantes.substack.com)—because apparently one podcast wasn\'t enough.

Experience

1. CEO

   Guidance For Greatness

   Jan 2021 — Present · Newburgh, NY, US

   At Guidance For Greatness, we understand the myriad of challenges leaders face, especially during \"not so good\" times. We\'ve helped all kinds of leaders to clarify the critical mission of their company; then we tap into the guidance that naturally emanates from that inner wisdom to ensure precise action on those initiatives. Our clients learn to lead with more conviction and less effort. AND THAT, SIMPLY PUT, IS GREATNESS.

Education

• Bard College

  BA, English

  1982 — 1986

• Harvard Graduate School of Education

  Institute for Management and Leadership in Education

• Queens College

  MA, English

  1990 — 1993

• University of Toronto

  Ph.D., English

  1993 — 2000

• Tiny Habits Academy

  Tiny Habits Coaching Certification