Tony Williams

Tony Williams was born in Wales and saw himself becoming a professional musician playing woodwinds in classic and jazz orchestras. However, his interests and subsequent professional life took many turns, from music to teaching to exercise physiology to medical education, and then into senior management and academia. Throughout these experiences, he developed a deep interest in how people became good—and in some cases, very good—at what they do. He is fascinated with the nature and development of professional competence. Initially this interest focused on technical expertise, particularly in clinical settings. Recently, his interest has shifted to the development of managerial and organizational competence and its impact on strategy. Much of his consulting work relates to the ethnography of top management teams and the differences between amateur and professional leaders.