David Kantor
Encyclopedia
David Kantor, is an American systems psychologist, organizational consultant, and clinical research
er. He is the founder of three research and training institutes and the author of numerous books and articles, including Inside the Family co-Authored with William Lehr. His work has made a significant contribution to the fields of family systems and organizational consultation theory and practice.
He has taught and trained thousands of students at institutions including Harvard University
, Harvard Medical School
, Tufts University School of Medicine
, the Kantor Family Institute, and Northeastern University, and has also been the recipient of multiple grants from the National Institute of Mental Health
(NIMH). He is currently a Thought Leader and partner at Monitor Group, an international business strategy consulting group, where he directs Monitor Kantor Enterprises.
in 1950 and 1952, respectively, and received his Ph.D. from Brandeis University
in 1963.
Beginning in 1956, he was a Lecturer at Harvard University’s Department of Social Relations. Kantor's innovative research methods while at Harvard included creating halfway houses where students lived with and studied patients full-time, and placing healthy students in mental hospitals (disguised as patients) to directly study treatment of patients and the condition of mental hospitals. His work on the negative effects of institutionalizing patients was instrumental in the movement to shift psychological and psychiatric care toward more effective and beneficial treatment methods where appropriate.
After Harvard, Kantor was an Assistant Professor of Clinical psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine from 1965–1975, during which time he also served as first Director of Psychological Research (1966–1969), Director, Center for Training in Family Therapy (1968–1975), and Chief Psychologist (1969–1975) at Boston State Hospital. He also founded the Boston Family Institute in 1967 and the Family Institute of Cambridge in 1974. During this time, David’s research was highlighted on the Chicago Channel 11 WTTW.
In 1980 David founded the Kantor Family Institute, a postgraduate training center for therapists and organizational consultants and served as its Director for twenty years. During this time David expanded his focus on systems theory to include businesses and other organizations, and also developed his “Theory of Theories.” He worked with Monitor Group
(then Monitor Company) as a special consultant and project consultant during 1991–1993. He also acted as a research consultant to the Dialogue Project at the Organizational Learning Center of the MIT Sloan School of Management
.
to develop a new model and theory of leadership to facilitate the evolution of leaders at Monitor and for Monitor’s clients. One of his key developments is the Leadership Model Building (LMB) program utilized by both Monitor’s senior leadership and Monitor’s most important clients. Within Monitor, David is the Head of Monitor Kantor Enterprises (MKE), a business unit whose products help clients develop the necessary organizational leadership and team dynamics capabilities to execute their organizations’ strategies. Clients have cited MKE’s products and approach as highly influential and essential in helping them make critical decisions and successfully navigate some of their business’s most extreme challenges.
in the 1960s that was pulled behind a donkey.
Clinical research
Clinical research is a branch of medical science that determines the safety and effectiveness of medications, devices, diagnostic products and treatment regimens intended for human use...
er. He is the founder of three research and training institutes and the author of numerous books and articles, including Inside the Family co-Authored with William Lehr. His work has made a significant contribution to the fields of family systems and organizational consultation theory and practice.
He has taught and trained thousands of students at institutions including Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
, Tufts University School of Medicine
Tufts University School of Medicine
The Tufts University School of Medicine is one of the eight schools that constitute Tufts University. Located on the university's health sciences campus in the Chinatown district of Boston, Massachusetts, the medical school has clinical affiliations with thousands of doctors and researchers in the...
, the Kantor Family Institute, and Northeastern University, and has also been the recipient of multiple grants from the National Institute of Mental Health
National Institute of Mental Health
The National Institute of Mental Health is one of 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health...
(NIMH). He is currently a Thought Leader and partner at Monitor Group, an international business strategy consulting group, where he directs Monitor Kantor Enterprises.
Early career
David Kantor received his B.A. and M.A. from Brooklyn CollegeBrooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
in 1950 and 1952, respectively, and received his Ph.D. from Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
in 1963.
Beginning in 1956, he was a Lecturer at Harvard University’s Department of Social Relations. Kantor's innovative research methods while at Harvard included creating halfway houses where students lived with and studied patients full-time, and placing healthy students in mental hospitals (disguised as patients) to directly study treatment of patients and the condition of mental hospitals. His work on the negative effects of institutionalizing patients was instrumental in the movement to shift psychological and psychiatric care toward more effective and beneficial treatment methods where appropriate.
After Harvard, Kantor was an Assistant Professor of Clinical psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine from 1965–1975, during which time he also served as first Director of Psychological Research (1966–1969), Director, Center for Training in Family Therapy (1968–1975), and Chief Psychologist (1969–1975) at Boston State Hospital. He also founded the Boston Family Institute in 1967 and the Family Institute of Cambridge in 1974. During this time, David’s research was highlighted on the Chicago Channel 11 WTTW.
In 1980 David founded the Kantor Family Institute, a postgraduate training center for therapists and organizational consultants and served as its Director for twenty years. During this time David expanded his focus on systems theory to include businesses and other organizations, and also developed his “Theory of Theories.” He worked with Monitor Group
Monitor Group
Monitor Group is a global management consulting firm headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States and with 27 offices in 26 major cities around the world. It provides strategy consultation services to the senior management of organizations and governments...
(then Monitor Company) as a special consultant and project consultant during 1991–1993. He also acted as a research consultant to the Dialogue Project at the Organizational Learning Center of the MIT Sloan School of Management
MIT Sloan School of Management
The MIT Sloan School of Management is the business school of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in Cambridge, Massachusetts....
.
Current work
In 2001, Kantor joined Monitor GroupMonitor Group
Monitor Group is a global management consulting firm headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States and with 27 offices in 26 major cities around the world. It provides strategy consultation services to the senior management of organizations and governments...
to develop a new model and theory of leadership to facilitate the evolution of leaders at Monitor and for Monitor’s clients. One of his key developments is the Leadership Model Building (LMB) program utilized by both Monitor’s senior leadership and Monitor’s most important clients. Within Monitor, David is the Head of Monitor Kantor Enterprises (MKE), a business unit whose products help clients develop the necessary organizational leadership and team dynamics capabilities to execute their organizations’ strategies. Clients have cited MKE’s products and approach as highly influential and essential in helping them make critical decisions and successfully navigate some of their business’s most extreme challenges.
Personal life
Kantor is married to Meredith Winter and is the father of five children. He lives in Cambridge, MA. He owned a bookstand in Harvard SquareHarvard Square
Harvard Square is a large triangular area in the center of Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue, Brattle Street, and John F. Kennedy Street. It is the historic center of Cambridge...
in the 1960s that was pulled behind a donkey.
Books
- Inside the Family, with William Lehr (1st ed.: Josey Bass, 1975)
- My Lover, My Self (Riverhead Trade, 2000)
- Love by Labor Lost
- Alive in Time
Articles
- “Managing Structural Traps, A Critical Element in Leading Successful Organization Change,” with Steven Ober, Innovation Associates, Inc.
- “Behavioral Archetypes,” Innovation Associates, Inc. v. 11.96, 1996
- "The Systems Thinker," with Joel Yanowitz and Steven Ober, 6:5 (June/July 1995):
- “Reframing Team Relationship:, How the Principles of “Structural Dynamics" Can Help Teams Come to Terms with Their Dark Side”, with Nancy Heaton Lonstein, in Fifth Discipline Fieldbook, Doubleday, 1994.
- “Principles for Human Systems Consulting and a Framework for Human Systems Consulting,” with Steven Ober, 1988
- “Couples Therapy, Crisis Induction, and Change,” pp. 21–71, Casebook of Marital Therapy, Guilford Press, 1985.
- “The Structural-Analytic Approach to the Treatment of Family Developmental Crisis,” Development Theory and Structural Analysis, pp. 12–34, Clinical Implications of the Family Life Cycle, Aspen, 1983.
- “Critical Identity Image: A Concept Linking Individual, Couple, and Family Development,” pp. 137–167, Family Therapy: Combining Psychodynamic and Family Systems Approaches, Grune & Strattion, 1980.
- “Integrative Shifts for the Theory and Practice of Family Systems Therapy,” with John H. Neal, in Family Process 24:1, 13-30. 1985