When was the Best Practice Institute founded?

BPI's foundational work began in 1998 with a study on leadership development and the publication of its first best-practice book. In 1999, it created its core Best Practice Systems Model.

Who were some of BPI's founding thought leaders?

BPI formed its Thought Leader Board in 2005, which included influential figures such as Marshall Goldsmith, Warren Bennis, Roland Sullivan, and Nathaniel Branden.

When did BPI begin its corporate membership program?

BPI launched its corporate membership in 2005. The first corporate members included Pfizer, Bank of America, Johnson & Johnson, and GlaxoSmithKline.

What kind of research does BPI publish?

BPI researches and publishes books and studies on leadership development, talent management, and organizational development and change, often in collaboration with Marshall Goldsmith.

How did BPI engage with the community after 9/11?

In 2001, following the 9/11 tragedy, the Best Practice Institute initiated community-building efforts with students and executives in New York City.

History of the Best Practice Institute (BPI)

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The History of the Best Practice Institute

The Best Practice Institute (BPI) has a rich history of research, community building, and collaboration with leading organizations and thought leaders. This timeline chronicles our key milestones in shaping the fields of leadership, organizational development, and talent management.

2010-2014: Influence and National Service

During this period, BPI solidified its role in recognizing top leadership and contributing to national conversations.

2014: BPI visited the Pentagon to help develop solutions for soldiers transitioning to the civilian workforce.
2013: The institute conducted site visits to BlackRock and Novelis.
2012: BPI was named “Best in Leadership Development” by Executive Excellence Magazine and released its Top 25 CEOs list.
2011: Board members honored the victims of 9/11 at the World Trade Center Memorial. BPI also visited the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to present Leader of the Year awards to Frances Hesselbein and Warner Burke.
2010: BPI announced its Top 25 CEO List and visited Fidelity Investments to present thought leader awards to Edgar Schein and John Kotter.

2006-2009: Expanding Research and Recognition

BPI expanded its research influence, recognized top leaders, and opened its membership to a wider audience.

2009: BPI visited Bank of America to present the Leader of the Year award to former PepsiCo CEO Steve Reinemund. The institute also surveyed over 32,000 executives, leading to the Jossey Bass publication Best Practices in Talent Management with Marshall Goldsmith.
2007: The institute was invited as honored guests to the US Army War College and visited GlaxoSmithKline in London, presenting the Leader of the Year award to London Business School Dean, Sir Andrew Likierman. BPI also surveyed over 20,000 executives, profiling 14 organizations including Intel, HP, and Motorola for the book Best Practices in Leadership Development & Organization Change.
2006: BPI opened its membership to the general public.

2001-2005: Founding Members and Community Building

The early 2000s were a formative time for BPI, marked by the creation of its core boards, membership structure, and community focus.

2005: The BPI Thought Leader Board was formed with Marshall Goldsmith, Roland Sullivan, Warren Bennis, and Nathaniel Branden. Pfizer, Bank of America, Johnson & Johnson, and GlaxoSmithKline became the first corporate members. The institute also introduced Best Practice Benchmarking studies.
2003: BPI published the first edition of its Change Champion’s Fieldguide.
2002: The institute surveyed over 10,000 HR and OD executives for the research that would become the Jossey Bass book Best Practices in Organization Development & Change with Marshall Goldsmith.
2001: Following the 9/11 tragedy, BPI began its community-building work with students and executives in New York City.

1998-1999: Foundational Research

BPI's origins are rooted in foundational research and partnerships with icons in organizational development.

1999: BPI, with Richard Beckhard and Louis Carter, created the six-step approach for best practice benchmarking—the Best Practice Systems Model—for its publication Best Practices in Organization Development and Change.
1998: The institute produced a study on High Potential Leadership Development with Warren Bennis. BPI also published the first book in its best-practice series with Jossey Bass, Best Practices in Leadership Development, which profiled the practices of blue-chip organizations in a case-study format. '''

Best Practice Institute

Best Practice Institute is the research organization behind Most Loved Workplace® certification, the SPARK Model, the Love of Workplace Index™ (LOWI™), and The Workplace Report.

The Workplace Report

The Workplace Report is BPI's original workplace culture research and editorial briefing series for CEOs, CHROs, people leaders, talent leaders, and employer-brand teams. It turns BPI's 25 years of research, Most Loved Workplace® certification data, SPARK findings, and current workforce signals into practical analysis leaders can use.

The report format includes executive summaries, research-backed articles, company examples, methodology notes, and practical implications for retention, hiring, culture, leadership, and employee experience. New research and analysis is published on an ongoing editorial cadence at /workplace-report.

History