DR. SKIP LEONARD

Director Emeritus

Trained as a social and organizational psychologist, Dr. Leonard has devoted his career to helping individuals, teams, and organizations achieve their goals and accomplish their missions by learning how to be more adaptive, creative, and innovative. A noted authority on leadership development, he has coached and trained thousands of executives, managers, and professionals. Dr. Leonard is currently Principal and Managing Director for Learning Thru Action, LLC, a consulting firm that provides action-based solutions for developing organizations and people.

He is also a Director Emeritus of the World Institute for Action Learning. Prior to helping found the World Institute for Action Learning (WIAL), Dr. Leonard was a Vice President and Executive Consultant with Personnel Decisions International (now PDI-Korn Ferry). Dr. Leonard has consulted with numerous Fortune 500 and Global 1000 companies such as Pfizer, Microsoft, Target, Wells Fargo, American Express, AstraZeneca, Boeing, Bechtel, Daimler Chrysler, Dell, NCS-Pearson, and SAIC. He also has experience with NGO’s such as the IMF and World Bank as well as US government organizations such as NIH, the US Army, the United States Postal Service, GSA, USDA, and GAO.

Dr. Leonard has been a faculty member at a number of top universities including the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University, the Department of Human and Organizational Learning at the George Washington University, the School of Public Policy at American University, the graduate department of Psychology George Mason University, and the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. He received his doctoral and undergraduate degrees in Psychology from New York University and Middlebury College respectively. He is a licensed psychologist in the state of Virginia and served his country as an officer in the US Army. A leader in his profession, Dr. Leonard is a Fellow in the American Psychological Association and Past-President of the Society of Consulting Psychology. He was also the founding editor of a peer-reviewed journal, Consulting Psychology Journal.

Over the years, Dr. Leonard has received many awards including the Chairman’s Award for Innovation (PDI), The Founders Award by NYU, and a special commendation for leadership and commitment to the Society of Consulting Psychology.

Dr. Leonard has over 100 books, book chapters, articles, and professional presentations to his credit. Selected books and book chapters include Leonard, S. (2014). Understanding the causal path between action, learning, and solutions: Maximizing the power of action learning to achieve great results. Action Learning: Research and Practice. 11, 4, 1-15. Leonard, S., & Freedman, A. (2013). Great solutions through action learning: success every time. Reston, VA: Learning Thru Action Publications. Freedman, A., & Leonard, S. (2013). Leading, planning, and managing action learning projects. Reston, VA: Learning Thru Action Publications. Leonard, S., Lewis, R., Freeman, A. & Passmore. J. (Eds.) (2013). The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of the Psychology of Leadership, Change & OD. Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.

Marquardt, M., Leonard, H.S., Freedman, A.M., Hill, C. (2009). Action learning for developing leaders and organizations: principles, strategies, and cases. Washington: American Psychological Association Press. Leonard, H.S. (2005). When leadership development fails managers: addressing the right gaps in leadership development. In Kaiser, R.B. & Craig, S.B. (eds.) Filling the pipe: studies and best practices in organization-wide management development. Greensboro, N.C.: Center for Creative Leadership Press