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Mark Goulston    

Psychiatrist, Hostage Negotiation Trainer, Bestselling Author

Mark Goulston, M.D. is a business advisor, consultant, trainer, and coach with a background as a clinical psychiatrist, and experience as a trainer for FBI and police hostage negotiators. His work focuses on enhancing individuals' ability to connect through deep listening and real influence.

Dr. Goulston's academic journey began with a B.A. from UC Berkeley, followed by an M.D. from Boston University. He completed his postgraduate residency in psychiatry at UCLA and served as an Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA’s internationally renowned Neuropsychiatric Institute for over twenty years. He is a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a distinction that marks the highest award offered by the organization. Dr. Goulston has been consistently recognized for his expertise in psychiatry, being named as one of America's Top Psychiatrists by the Consumers Research Council of America in multiple years, including 2005, 2006, 2010, and 2011.

In addition to his psychiatric and negotiation training roles, Dr. Goulston has authored multiple influential books. His book "Just Listen" has been acknowledged globally as the top book on listening, and he co-authored "Real Influence: Persuade Without Pushing and Gain Without Giving In," which also gained international bestseller status. He has written seven published books in total and is a frequent contributor to prestigious publications like Harvard Business Review and Business Insider. He has been featured in various media outlets including the Wall St. Journal, Forbes, and CNN, and was the featured star of the PBS Special "Just Listen." He has also explored creative expression through a one-man show in 2017 titled "Steve Jobs Returns."

Dr. Goulston speaks worldwide on topics related to enhancing impact through listening and empathy, addressing diverse audiences from Fortune 500 companies to academic institutions such as Harvard Business School. His recent public appearances include a highlighted feature in Moscow. His extensive experience has benefited various companies and organizations including GE, IBM, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, and the FBI.

Dr. Goulston resides in Los Angeles with his wife and three children, continuing to influence and inspire through his speeches, writings, and media appearances.

Speech Topics


Want to Create "Gotta Have It!" instead of "Nah, never mind?" - Hacking the Genius of Steve Jobs

In this keynote, main presentation, half day/full day training, former FBI hostage negotiation trainer, UCLA psychiatrist, HBR and Business Insider writer and #1 international best selling author turned "people hacker," Dr. Mark Goulston will show you how to think like Steve Jobs and create products and services that cause people to go: "Whoa!" "Wow!" "Hmmm..." "Yes!" which is the formula that results in "Gotta Have It!" = "Gonna Buy It!"

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