Episode 17: Listen in as Dr. Lars U. Johnson shares his journey and insights on how one can achieve a mindset for success. Learn more about Lars below.
Dr. Lars U. Johnson is a tenure-track assistant professor of industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology at Wayne State University. He earned a MA and Ph.D. in IO psychology at the University of Houston, a M.Ed. in Educational Administration at Lamar University, and a B.A. in psychology at Tougaloo College. Prior to starting his doctoral studies, he worked in the North Texas area as a public school teacher, trainer, and department chair for several years. Currently, he teaches doctoral seminars in industrial and organizational psychology, occupational health psychology, and undergraduate courses in personality. During the 2019-2020 school year, Dr. Johnson will also begin teaching statistics at the university. His research primarily focuses on leadership, climate, and culture, diversity + inclusion, individual differences (e.g., personality), performance, well-being, safety, decision-making, and human resources. His Leadership, Productivity, and Well-being Lab is currently focusing on studies involving hostile work environments, decision-making in human resources, leadership and personality interactions and correlates, and leadership scale validation. He currently mentors two doctoral students and will add at least one more doctoral student to his lab next year.
Lars is also the managing principal of Emrik Consulting, LLC. Emrik specializes in 360-degree feedback processes, survey design and delivery, and workgroup archival data review. Consulting services focus on leadership analysis and review, performance management review, selection review and development, and general organizational development. Lars has consulting experience with several organizations including ExxonMobil, Campbell-Ewald, Ally Financial, The City of Houston, and Workforce Indiana.
Dr. Johnson balances work with the best family anyone could ask for. He is married to the best woman that he ever met and they have two handsome sons and a beautiful daughter. The Johnson family attends Hope City Church in Macomb, MI. Dr. Johnson is a leader in the church and serves on the church’s finance and strategic planning committees. As a unit, the Johnsons enjoy outdoor activities, ice cream and hotdog stands, and family trips to the gym and the boys’ athletic events. Lars is also a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He crossed at the Prestigious Rho Epsilon Chapter at Tougaloo College and is currently a member of the Tau Mu Nu Chapter in Macomb County, MI. He and his fraternity brothers are currently planning several community-focused events that will increase the presence of Omega via professional black men in the area. Their hope is to build bridges between the community, the chapter, and underrepresented black families in the county.
