Rick Bommelje, EdD, EdS
Professor Emeritus of Communication
My work focuses on listening as a leadership discipline and how leaders, teams, and organizations use strategic listening to strengthen performance. Drawing on decades of teaching, research, and consulting, I developed the Strategic Listening System, a practical framework that helps organizations turn listening into coordinated action and measurable results. I also created the Listening Behavior Perception Inventory (LBPI), an assessment instrument used to evaluate listening behavior and support leadership development.
Education
BS, Rollins College
MSM, Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College
EdS, University of Central Florida
EdD, University of Central Florida
Courses Taught
Undergraduate
Listening (COM 230)
Leadership and Effective Communication (COM 319)
Conflict and Communication (COM 311)
Graduate
Organizational Leadership (SCOM 555)
Awards and Honors
Outstanding Leadership Circle of Excellence Award, Rollins College, 2023
Listening in the Business Sector Award, International Listening Association, 2013
The Best 300 Professors, The Princeton Review and RateMyProfessors.com, 2012
Listening Hall of Fame, International Listening Association, 2011
Certified Listening Professional (CLP), International Listening Association, 2003–present (recertified annually)
Recent Publications
Bommelje, Rick, and Christine Wethman (2018). Be Quick to Listen: Practice the Spiritual Discipline of Christian Listening.
Bommelje, Rick (2013). Listening Pays: Achieve Significance through the Power of Listening.
Bommelje, Rick, and Lyman K. Steil (2004). Listening Leaders: The Ten Golden Rules to Listen, Lead & Succeed.
News & Features
March 31, 2025
Rollins Inducts 24 New Members of Phi Beta Kappa
A select group of Rollins students has joined the nation’s most prestigious academic honor society, Phi Beta Kappa, placing them among the top 1 percent of college scholars in the U.S.
August 02, 2023
Bommelje Honored with Outstanding Leadership Circle of Excellence Award
Created in honor of communication professor Rick Bommelje, this new award recognizes a Rollins faculty or staff member for embodying the College’s values of service excellence.
May 18, 2023
The Power of Persistence
Daniebeth Martinez Negron ’23 faced several setbacks on her journey to becoming the first person in her family to earn a college degree. But with her resolve and the flexibility of Rollins’ program for working adults, she graduates this year at the top of her class.
August 19, 2022
Rollins Announces Minor in Leadership at Hamilton Holt School
Anchored in Rollins’ liberal arts ethos, the new leadership minor is designed to help students actively understand and address ever-evolving, multidimensional issues across disciplines and organizations.
July 15, 2022
Rollins Announces New Master’s in Strategic Communication
Drawing on Rollins’ strengths in community engagement and leadership, this new graduate program is committed to giving students the practical skills they need to be effective storytellers, thought leaders, and strategists.
June 30, 2021
A Light in the Dark
As the president and CEO of Lighthouse Central Florida and Lighthouse Works, Kyle Johnson ’07 says he’s found his place in the world.