About

6X0A3181.JPGWilliam A. (Bill) Gentry Ph.D. is currently the Director of Leadership Insights and Analytics and a Senior Research Scientist at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL). He is also an adjunct assistant professor in the Psychology department at Guilford College and an associate member of the graduate faculty in the Organizational Sciences doctoral program at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. William has also taught in the Leadership Studies doctoral program at North Carolina A&T State University and in the Business School at Wake Forest University.

What William Researches

In applying his research into practice, William’s current focus is on helping new leaders who are managing for the first time in their lives, particularly those on the frontlines in entry- and first-level positions in organizations. William has more than 70 academic presentations and has published more than 40 articles in leading management and psychology journals. He serves on the editorial review boards of the Journal of Business and Psychology, the Journal of Organizational Behavior and The Leadership Quarterly.

Where William’s Work is Found

William has been a contributor to businessweek.com on the nonverbal behaviors of candidates in the 2008 presidential and vice presidential debates and of President Obama’s inaugural address. In addition, his research in the areas of political skill and derailment in the workplace, leader character and integrity, and first-time managers have been featured in more than 50 internet and newspaper outlets including Chief Learning Officer, ChiefExecutive.Net, TrainingIndustry.Com, Forbes.com, Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal online At Work, and CNN.com. Aside from his research, William also trains CCL’s Assessment Certification Workshop and Maximizing your Leadership Potential programs.

Where WIlliam Went to School

William graduated summa cum laude from Emory University in 2000 and received his M.S. in 2002 and his Ph.D. in 2005 in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the University of Georgia.

Some of William’s Biggest Achievements

  • In 2011, William was inducted into the inaugural class of the University of Georgia’s 40 under 40, as one of the top 40 graduates of the University of Georgia under the age of 40 to have made an impact in business, leadership, community, educational and/or philanthropic endeavors, demonstrating dedication to the University of Georgia and its mission of teaching, research and service; and representing the very best of UGA graduates.
  • In 2012, William co-authored the paper, “The value of virtue in the upper echelons: A multisource examination of executive character strengths and performance” which was voted as one of the top five papers of 2012 by the journal The Leadership Quarterly.
  • In 2013, William was Elon University’s “Isabella Cannon Leadership Visiting Scholar” providing lectures and talks about leadership to classes and campus groups.
  • In 2013, William’s paper, “A 30-country multilevel test of cultural convergence or divergence of three managerial skillsets” was voted as the Elliott Jaques Memorial Publication Award for Best Article for 2013 for the journal Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research.
  • In 2016, William’s first book, Be the Boss Everyone Wants to Work For: A Guide for New Leaders, published by Berrett-Koehler Publishers, is released to wide acclaim.