Skipton Leonard, Ph.D.
Master Action Learning Coach
Principal, Learning Thru Action, LLC
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 Co-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 an Emeritus board member 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 part of 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.
Dr. Leonard 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. His 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, special commendation for leadership and commitment to the Society of Consulting Psychology and, Action Learning Research Excellence, Awarded by the World Institute for Action Learning, and the Leadership Worth Following Award for Excellence in Developing Consulting Psychologists. Dr. Leonard has over 100 books, book chapters, articles, and professional presentations to his credit. Selected books, and book chapters include:
Leonard, S. (2017). A teachable approach to leadership. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 69, 4, 243-266.
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
Leonard, H.S. & Lang, F. (2010), Leadership Development via Action Learning. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 12(2), 1–16.
What clients and colleagues have said about Dr. Skip Leonard on LinkedIn
Cori Hill, MA, SPHR
Co-Principal, Learning Thru Action, LLC
Cori works with executives, senior leaders, and high potential mid-level leaders to develop their skills, increase their impact in current roles and readiness for future roles. Often, this work involves helping them face new challenges and build high performing teams and organizations. In addition to her role as an executive coach, she successfully facilitates leadership teams to align, leverage strengths, and establish effective relationships.
Cori has been a recognized leader in High Potential Leadership Development since 2000 in her role as Director, High Potential Development at PDI and Global Lead, High Potential and Enterprise Leadership Development for Korn Ferry Consulting. In that role she has delivered hundreds of high potential leadership programs for clients around the globe. Cori has worked with thousands of leaders, created unique and innovative talent development programs while mentoring a global network of consultants. She is an expert and thought leader in the design and delivery of integrated leadership development programs that include action learning, coaching, and simulation-based workshops. She has developed over a dozen multi-day organizational simulations that have been delivered around the world. She currently is a Co-Principal of Learning Thru Action leading and delivering action-based leadership development programs around the globe.
Cori has a MA degree in Human Resource Development from the University of Minnesota where she is also a doctoral candidate. She is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences and has over a dozen publications to her credit.
Selected publications include:
Hill, C. (2013). Scaffolding reflection. In McCauley, S. DeRue, P. Yost, & S. Taylor, Experience Driven Leadership Development. New York: Wiley.
Hill, C. (2013). Strategies for facilitating learning from experience. In C. McCauley, S. DeRue, P. Yost, & S. Taylor, Experience Driven Leadership Development. New York: Wiley.
Leonard, S. Freedman, A., Hill, C., Choon,S., Warrier, J. & Chu,P. (2019). Consulting in international contexts: Examining and testing assumptions. Consulting Psychology Journal, 15-28.
Hill, C. (2013). Together everyone achieves more. Chief Learning Officer, 26-29.
Hill, C. (2012). Developing high potentials. Human Resource Executive
Hill, C. (2011). Sharpening talent-building skills at the top. Human Resource Executive.
Hill, C., Leonard, S., & Sokol, M. (2006). Action learning guide. Minneapolis: PDI Press.
Marquardt, M., Leonard, S., Freedman, A., Kaiser, R., & Hill, C. (2006). Developing leaders and organizations through action learning. Washington: American Psychological Association.
