The ILI Partner Ecosystem

James Madison University’s School of Strategic Leadership Studies is ILI’s primary research partner. The Innovative Leadership Think-Tank and JMU SSLS are collaborating on original research at the intersection of decision velocity and AI-integrated leadership—investigating how leaders sense change, make meaning, give direction, make decisions, activate execution, and learn and adapt in AI-era environments, and what skills, mindsets, and behaviors enable leaders to govern and activate AI affordances effectively across each of those six leadership work areas.

JMU SSLS co-sponsors ILI’s podcast on WMRA, the JMU public radio station and NPR affiliate, bringing ILI’s leadership research to a public radio audience. ILI Founder & CEO Maureen Metcalf serves as Board Chair of the JMU School of Strategic Leadership Studies Advisory Board.

Coming soon

Hire Direction is ILI’s preferred partner for behavioral assessment, talent acquisition, and talent optimization analytics. Together, ILI and Hire Direction cover the full talent lifecycle — from identifying and acquiring the right people to developing and retaining exceptional leaders. ILI uses a tailored Position Success Indicator (PSI) in its cohort-based leadership programs—both to give participants insight into their own operational strengths and to match learning partners deliberately, so cohort pairings strengthen the learning environment rather than leaving it to chance. ILI also uses Work Force Success profiles to help organizations understand how their collective composition shapes the way work gets done. 

Hire Direction co-founder Mark Palmer is a behavioral science expert with 20+ years of experience and co-author of the Innovative Leadership Fieldbook. Mark serves as ILI’s Assessment and Talent Optimization Partner, bridging behavioral science and leadership development for ILI clients who need both. He is co-creator of the Position Success Indicator (PSI) and DEV:Q (Development Quotient) organizational performance metrics. ILI and Mark have collaborated for nearly two decades —ILI Founder & CEO Maureen Metcalf served on the board of Mark’s previous company before the Hire Direction partnership began. 

Based in Columbus, Ohio, Hire Direction serves local and international clients across planning, acquisition, development, retention, succession, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Hire Direction was named to Forbes America’s Best Management Consulting Firms in 2022. 

Franklin University’s Mason Leadership Center is ILI’s academic certification partner. ILI’s Innovative Leadership IT Leaders™ program is backed by Franklin University’s academic infrastructure, giving ILI’s certification program institutional credibility recognized by organizations nationwide.

Christopher Washington, Ph.D., President of The Innovative Leadership Think-Tank, served as Provost Emeritus of Franklin University, served as Provost Emeritus of Franklin University, deepening the intellectual bond between the two institutions. ILI Founder & CEO Maureen Metcalf is a recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from Franklin University.