Marcus Buckingham spent 17 years at the Gallup Organization, where he conducted research into the world's best leaders, managers, and workplaces. The Gallup research later became the basis for the bestselling books First, Break All the Rules and Now, Discover Your Strengths, both co-authored by Buckingham. He has been the subject of in-depth profiles in The New York Times, Fortune, Business Week, and Fast Company. He now has his own company, providing strengths-based consulting, training, and e-learning. He lives in Southern California with his wife, Jane, and their two children, Jackson and Lilia.