Richard Strozzi-Heckler

Richard Strozzi-Heckler (born 1944) is an American author, coach, and psychologist who integrates somatics and aikido into leadership development. He is the founder of the Strozzi Institute and holds a seventh-degree black belt in aikido.

Biography

Early life and education Strozzi-Heckler spent his early life in a military family, periodically moving to different naval bases. In early adolescence, he began studying martial arts, beginning with judo, then karate, and jiujitsu.

Aikido training Strozzi-Heckler studied aikido under Robert Nadeau Shihan. He holds a seventh-degree black belt in aikido. In January 2020, he was awarded Shihan by the International Aikido Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.

Career Strozzi-Heckler co-founded the Lomi School in 1970 with Robert K. Hall, Alyssa Hall, and Catherine Flaxman, integrating aikido His early thinking on the relationship between aikido, somatics, and human potential is reflected in his edited collection Aikido and the New Warrior.

In 1976, Strozzi-Heckler, together with George Leonard and Wendy Palmer, established the Aikido of Tamalpais dojo in Mill Valley, California.

In 1986, he moved to rural Sonoma County, California outside of Petaluma,

Strozzi-Heckler helped design and implement the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program.

Philosophy Strozzi-Heckler argues that a person's thoughts and mood are reflected in observable physical attributes such as posture, facial expression, and tone of voice, and that congruency between these elements and a person's words is a primary characteristic of effective leadership. The methodology has been applied in corporate and military leadership contexts as well as law enforcement, corrections, athletics, education, politics, social justice, and health.

Books