Jeff DeGraff
# Jeff DeGraff

Jeffrey Thomas DeGraff (born 1958) is an American professor, professional speaker, author, and consultant. He is known for his contribution and development work on the Competing Values Framework, a model about understanding how to appreciate conflicting values and integrate them successfully so that an organization is open to collaboration and growth. He is a consultant to executive teams at Fortune 500 companies, assessing the company's capabilities around innovation and their prospects of growing the business. DeGraff is also a professor at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

## Early life

DeGraff was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States, the second of five children. He holds a B. S. in Communication Arts and Sciences and a teaching certificate from Western Michigan University (1980), an M.A. in Communication and Information Studies from the University of Michigan (1982, Lloyd Hall Fellowship), and a Ph.D. in Educational Technology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1985).

## Career

Rejoining the faculty at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, DeGraff was the Vice President of Communications and New Ventures for Domino's Pizza (1985-1990).

After five years at Domino's Pizza, Professor Robert Quinn recruited DeGraff to join the faculty at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan to develop and teach a series of graduate courses on leading creativity and innovation. Today he is a top rated Professor of Management and Organizations for the school, having received the University of Michigan's 2011 Voices of the Staff award.

In June 2011, DeGraff hosted a national PBS television show about leading innovation, called Innovation You.

