Tom Rath

Tom Rath, born in 1975, is a renowned author and consultant from the United States specializing in employee engagement, strengths, and overall well-being. He has made significant contributions through his research on strength-focused leadership and well-being, which he has consolidated and shared through a series of popular books. His writings have enjoyed global recognition with more than 5 million copies sold and translations available in sixteen languages.

Biography: Rath pursued his undergraduate studies in Psychology at the University of Michigan and later acquired his M.S. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Post-graduation, Rath embarked on his professional journey at Gallup, Inc., serving as a senior scientist, consultant, and advisor. He also held the position of vice chairman at the VHL cancer research organization and is a frequent guest lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania.

Work: Writing Career: Rath's initial venture into authorship was with his book, How Full Is Your Bucket?, which he co-wrote with his grandfather, Donald O. Clifton, during the latter's final year. This book, which became a New York Times bestseller in 2004, aimed at imparting valuable lessons to children about appreciating life's moments.

In 2009, Rath, alongside Barry Conchie, penned Strengths Based Leadership, a book grounded in his and Gallup's extensive research on leadership dynamics and follower expectations from their leaders, focusing on trust, compassion, stability, and hope.

Rath co-authored another New York Times bestseller in 2010, Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements, with Jim Harter. This book, rooted in Gallup's wellbeing research, delineates five crucial wellbeing aspects: career, social, financial, community, and physical wellbeing.

One of Rath’s most notable works is StrengthsFinder 2.0 (2007), which not only became a #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller but was also recognized as the top global business bestseller by The Economist in 2011. The book advocates for honing individual unique skills in the workplace, proposing that both employees and employers should channel their efforts into enhancing strengths rather than rectifying weaknesses.

Eat Move Sleep: At the tender age of 16, Rath was diagnosed with VHL disease, a rare genetic condition triggering cancerous cells to develop in various body parts. Since his diagnosis, Rath has been tirelessly researching and experimenting with methods to retard the tumor growth in his kidneys, adrenal glands, pancreas, and spine.

In 2012, Rath took a hiatus from his full-time role at Gallup to devote his time to writing a new book, Eat Move Sleep: How Small Choices Lead to Big Changes. This book, which became a New York Times bestseller upon its release in October 2013, and was also hailed as one of the best nonfiction books of 2013 by Apple iTunes, delves into the profound impact of dietary habits, physical activity, and sleep on health and daily vitality. It offers insightful suggestions on making healthier choices and underscores the interconnectedness of eating, moving, and sleeping, urging a holistic approach towards improving one's health.