Ruth Gotian Headshot

Dr. Ruth Gotian

Dr. Ruth Gotian is an award-winning author, keynote speaker, and executive coach who teaches individuals and organizations how to achieve extreme success by applying the habits of Nobel laureates, astronauts, and Olympians.

Meet Dr. Ruth Gotian

Dr. Ruth Gotian studies extreme success—and teaches audiences how to achieve it themselves. A globally recognized leadership development and mentorship expert, Ruth has interviewed some of the world’s highest achievers—Nobel Prize winners, Olympic champions, astronauts, and NBA legends—distilling their common habits into actionable strategies for anyone striving for peak performance.

Named the #1 emerging management thinker by Thinkers50, one of the top 50 executive coaches globally, and a top voice in mentoring by LinkedIn, Dr. Gotian is also the author of two award-winning books, The Success Factor and The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring. Whether she’s coaching CEOs, giving keynotes to military officers, or inspiring C-suite executives, Ruth delivers powerful tools to unlock human potential. Dr. Ruth Gotian is available to be booked for corporate and private events. Contact the Mollie Plotkin Group today to inquire about her fees.

Want to book Dr. Ruth Gotian for an event?

Contact the Mollie Plotkin Group at (215) 995-0905 to book Dr. Ruth Gotian for corporate or private events, keynote speeches, workshops, fireside chats, motivational speaking, or virtual appearances. Our agency will work directly with your organization and our keynote speakers to create an unforgettable event.

The Mollie Plotkin Group is the leading keynote speakers agency and entertainment bureau bringing excitement to audiences, clients, and employees. We represent subject-matter experts in every possible field, so whether we’re your partner in creating a memorable meeting, or your meeting planner’s secret weapon in securing the perfect keynote speaker, we’re in this with you.

Biography

A Career Studying Success

Dr. Ruth Gotian is the Chief Learning Officer and Associate Professor of Education in Anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine. Her career has been defined by a singular pursuit: understanding what makes people thrive. That passion led her to study the world’s most accomplished individuals—Nobel Prize winners, astronauts, Olympians, and more—uncovering the four key traits that drive extraordinary achievement: intrinsic motivation, perseverance, a strong foundation, and continual informal learning.

Globally Recognized Leadership & Mentoring Expert

A semi-finalist for Forbes 50 Over 50 and a top 20 mentor globally, Ruth’s research has been featured by the Wall Street Journal, NBC News, Fast Company, Forbes, Nature, Psychology Today, and Harvard Business Review. In 2021, Thinkers50 named her the #1 emerging management thinker, and in 2024, she was ranked one of the world’s top 50 executive coaches. She is the only author whose research has inspired a theme song: “I’m Possible.”

Hire Ruth Gotian

Ruth is a highly sought-after speaker across many industries, including law, finance, tech, academia, and the military. She has delivered presentations at the National Institutes of Health, Accenture, EY, ATD, and seven of eight Ivy League universities. She’s inspired Oprah Winfrey Leadership Scholars, Brazilian scientists, and thousands of professionals seeking to reach the next level. Whether leading workshops or engaging in fireside chats, Ruth turns research into results with unforgettable energy and insight.

How to Hire Dr. Ruth Gotian

Find out how to hire Dr. Ruth Gotian to appear at your next event. Contact the Mollie Plotkin Group to inquire about Dr. Ruth Gotian’s availability and cost. When booking Dr. Ruth Gotian for an event, we need to know the type of venue and location the event will take place. Dr. Ruth Gotian is a popular choice for corporate events, private events, and virtual events. So, you can click the Check Availability button or contact us and an MPG Dr. Ruth Gotian booking agent will get back to you within 48 hours.

Dr. Ruth Gotian Booking Price

How much to book Dr. Ruth Gotian depends on the type of event. So, the cost to hire Dr. Ruth Gotian for corporate or private events is available by contacting a Mollie Plotkin Group Agent. Notably, Dr. Ruth Gotian is available for conferences, festivals, private parties and events. Just contact the Mollie Plotkin Group and tell the booking agent the proposed date, time, and location.

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Upcoming Engagements

Our speakers are in high demand! View their upcoming events.

Jul 10 2025

Pathmakers Spark Series 2025 – Keynote Speaker Daymond John – Metairie, LA

Jefferson Performing Arts Center
Jul 11 2025

UNITED Conference 2025 – Keynote Speaker Daymond John – Seattle, WA

Seattle Convention Center – Arch Center
Sep 22 2025

2025 IAAO Annual Conference – Keynote Speaker Jon Dorenbos – Orlando, FL

Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
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Key Audience Takeaways

The Success Factor

Developing the mindset and skillset for peak performance

Forget the ordinary – nobody wakes up aspiring to be average, and neither should you. Discover the proven path to success through riveting insights drawn from real-life interviews with astronauts, Nobel Prize winners, CEOs, and Olympic champions. Unveiling the methodology that sets high achievers apart, this presentation showcases the four intrinsic attributes crucial to reaching the pinnacle of success: intrinsic motivation, perseverance, a strong foundation, and a commitment to constant learning.

Buckle up for an exhilarating workshop experience, guided by the principles outlined in the groundbreaking book, The Success Factor. Explore the secrets of high achievers and supercharge your performance by identifying your passion, mastering the art of mentorship, building a dynamic mentoring team, cultivating a community of practice, fueling your interests through informal learning, and perfecting the delicate balance of time and energy.

And that’s not all – attendees have the exclusive opportunity to grab bulk copies of The Success Factor for a deeper dive into these transformative concepts. Customization options, from personalized forwards to unique book bands, ensure a tailored experience for your audience. Elevate your aspirations, unlock your potential, and join us on this thrilling quest for success!

 

Relationships Over Transactions

The Art of Authentic Networking

Embark on a transformative journey into the art of building lasting and impactful professional relationships, even in the absence of face-to-face encounters. This dynamic keynote, inspired by the acclaimed Harvard Business Review article, unveils the secrets to cultivating a diverse and robust network, an indispensable skill for success. Uncover the keys to standing out amidst the noise and maintaining meaningful connections in the modern work landscape. 

Participants will not only grasp the benefits of building professional relationships but also master the art of utilizing a minimum of three platforms for networking, both in-person and virtually. Elevate your introduction game, leave an indelible mark, and reduce networking anxiety with the strategic deployment of powerful “starter sentences.” Get ready to revolutionize your approach to professional connections and step into a world where meaningful relationships thrive.

 

Mentorship Mastery

Shaping Futures, Inspiring Success

Join us on this mentorship journey where success isn’t just a goal; it’s a guaranteed outcome! Remember, those with mentors not only outperform but also outearn the rest – let’s chart your path to success together! 

Uncover the secrets unveiled in Ruth’s latest book, Financial Times Guide to Mentoring, and top-tier articles from Forbes, Nature, and Harvard Business Review.

Be the mentor everyone dreams of, fostering success and propelling your mentees to new heights. Learn the art of creating a dynamic mentoring team, master networking strategies, amplify voices on the mentor-sponsor continuum, and unlock the keys to approaching your next mentor or mentee.

Explore the vital skill of identifying toxic mentors (tormentors) and discover why being both a mentor and a mentee, regardless of your rank, is crucial for a thriving career. Let’s redefine mentorship together!

Books

The Success Factor - Developing the Mindset and Skillset for Peak Business Performance Book Cover
The Success Factor: Developing the Mindset and Skillset for Peak Business Performance

WINNER: Book Excellence Awards 2024 - Leadership
WINNER: Independent Press Award 2022 - Business Motivational
FINALIST: Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2023 - Career
WINNER: International Book Awards 2023 - Business: Motivational

What do astronauts, Olympic champions, and Nobel laureates do differently that allows them to achieve at such a high level?

High achievers share the same four attributes: intrinsic motivation, perseverance, strong foundation, constantly learning through informal means. The key to their success is that they do all four of these things at the same time. Based on research and in-person interviews with astronauts, Nobel Prize winners, and Olympic champions, The Success Factor outlines the approach that individuals aspiring to improve their performance can adopt.

Using these four shared attributes as a guide, The Success Factor helps you reach your peak by applying the lessons of high achievers in your own life: identify your passion using a Passion Audit; learn how and where to find a mentor and how to build a mentoring team; develop your own community of practice; pursue your interests through informal learning; manage your time and energy. The Success Factor comes with online resources that feature a downloadable Passion Audit worksheet, Mentoring Team worksheet, and Goal Audit worksheet. The book offers scripts for approaching potential mentors and a list of uncommon places to find a mentor, such as webinars, airports, and social media.

The Success Factor features exclusive interviews with high achievers, including such people as Dr. Tony Fauci NIH/NIAID Institute Director; Dr Mike Brown, Nobel prize winner; Dr Peggy Whitson, Former NASA Chief Astronaut; Maxine Clark, founder and former CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop; and Steve Kerr, eight time NBA Champion and head coach of the Golden State Warriors.

The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring - A Complete Guide to Effective Mentoring Book Cover
The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring: A Complete Guide to Effective Mentoring

Runner Up - Leadership Book of The Year (The Leadership Awards 2024)

The research on mentoring is clear. Those who are mentored, out-earn and outperform those who are not. They make higher salaries, get promoted more often, have greater job and career satisfaction and lower rates of burnout. For organizations that invest in mentoring their employees, they benefit from higher productivity and greater loyalty. Mentoring works as a great retention tool.

But despite all this, only 76% of people understand the undisputed benefits of having a mentor, and only 37% of people actually have one. But how do you do mentoring well, both as a mentor and in building a mentoring program in your organization?

The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring gives you the tools you need to understand what mentoring is and its benefits, learn how to mentor effectively, and be mentored. By breaking down each stage of the process, this book will enable senior and aspiring executives to both give the support they need to act as a mentor to future talent in their organisation and seek mentoring for themselves that they had thought no longer relevant but which will stretch them and fast track their further career progress. While it's likely that they will have been mentored at some point in their career, in our experience many senior executives turn at some point from being mentored to mentoring others.

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