Diane Hamilton (behavioral specialist)

Diane Hamilton (born September 24, 1962) is an American business behavioral expert, author, speaker, and creator of the Curiosity Code Index, the first assessment designed to identify factors that inhibit curiosity in individuals and organizations. She was awarded the Fulbright Specialist award for her work with Luxembourg School of Business. She is a former MBA Program Chair at the Forbes School of Business & Technology and currently serves on the faculty of Duke Corporate Education. Hamilton was named to the Thinkers50 Radar list, created by Des Dearlove and Stuart Crainer recognizing her as one of the world's leading management thinkers. She has severed on multiple board of advisor groups including Docusign, Forbes School of Business & Technology with Steve Forbes, and the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue created by Keith J. Krach, Former Under Secretary.
She has written extensively on leadership, emotional intelligence, perception, and engagement, including books such as Curiosity Unleashed: Achieving Business Excellence by Challenging the Status Quo and Cracking the Curiosity Code: The Key to Unlocking Human Potential, which introduced the Curiosity Code Index, and The Power of Perception: Eliminating Boundaries to Create Successful Global Leaders which she co-authored with Dr. Maja Zelihic. Apart from her work on curiosity, Hamilton has explored topics including perception, behavioral dynamics in the workplace, and the role of emotional intelligence in business.
Biography
Diane Hamilton was born in Phoenix, Arizona. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Arizona State University, a Master of Arts in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix, and a Doctorate in Business Management from Northcentral University. Her academic journey was influenced by a deep curiosity about workplace dynamics, particularly focusing on leadership, emotional intelligence, and the factors that drive or inhibit curiosity.
Family
Hamilton comes from a family with a strong legacy in business and innovation. Her great-grandfather, Charles Dingee Pennock Hamilton I (C.D.P. Hamilton I), was one of the four founders of the International Shoe Company, which became one of the largest shoe manufacturers in the United States. He also authored Modern Scientific Whist: The Principles of the Modern Game Analyzed and Extended in 1895, a widely recognized guide on the card game Whist. The Hamilton family also owned the St. Louis Arena, a key venue for sports and entertainment events, managed by Hamilton’s grandfather, C.D.P. Hamilton II.
Her uncle, Charles Dingee Pennock Hamilton III, continued the family tradition in the shoe industry, founding the Hamilton Shoe Company in 1938. During World War II, he transformed the company into the Victory Canvas Company, supplying military equipment, and received the Army-Navy "E" Award for excellence.
Hamilton is also a second cousin of Ralph Millard, a plastic surgeon known for his pioneering work in cleft lip and palate surgeries. In his memoir Saving Faces: A Plastic Surgeon's Remarkable Story, Millard referenced Hamilton and her husband, Dr. Robert J. Spies, also a plastic surgeon.
Career
Hamilton worked as a Dean, MBA Program Chair, Assistant Professor, and Associate Faculty for multiple universities including the Forbes School of Business & Technology at University of Arizona Global Campus, Grand Canyon University, University of Advancing Technology, Baker College, and Thomas Edison State University.
Recognition and Awards
* Global 100 Inspirational Leaders: Named among the top 100 inspirational leaders globally by Global Leaders Today.
* Leadership Recognition: Recognized among the top voices in leadership on various lists, including LeadersHum's Top 200 Biggest Voices in Leadership, PeopleHum's Top 10 Powerful Women Leaders in HR, and HiringBranch's Top 24 HR Influencers.
* Fulbright Specialist Award: The U.S. Department of State and Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board awarded Hamilton the Fulbright Specialist Program award for her work with Luxembourg School of Business.
Publishing History
Books
* 2024: Curiosity Unleashed: Achieving Business Excellence by Challenging the Status Quo, Curiosity Code Press. ISBN 978-1-7322000-5-1 .
* 2020: The Power of Perception: Eliminating Boundaries to Create Successful Global Leaders, co-authored with Dr. Maja Zelihic, Curiosity Code Press. ISBN 978-1-7322000-3-7 .
* 2019: Developing and Testing the Curiosity Code Index, published in Heliyon, Elsevier. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e01021.
* 2018: Cracking the Curiosity Code: The Key to Unlocking Human Potential, Curiosity Code Press. ISBN 978-1-7322000-0-6 .
* 2017: How to Reinvent Your Career: Make More Money Doing What You Love, Curiosity Code Press. ISBN 978-1-7322000-1-3 .
* 2015: It's Not You… It's Your Personality: Skills to Survive and Thrive in the Modern Workplace, Curiosity Code Press. ISBN 978-1-7322000-2-0 .
* 2013: The Online Student's User Manual: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Successful Online College Student, Curiosity Code Press. ISBN 978-1-7322000-4-4 .

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu