Our Purpose: Rise of the NLA

08 Dec 2025 | Dr. David M Robertson, VL2

The modern world is marked by uncertainty. Automation, artificial intelligence, economic volatility, geopolitical tension, and rapid cultural change all demand expertise that can navigate complexity with precision and clarity. This is the domain of leadership-educated professionals. Their training equips them to diagnose problems, reduce uncertainty, integrate competing priorities, and guide individuals and organizations toward stable and effective outcomes.

Yet the public cannot easily distinguish between non-leadership-educated coaches and highly trained leaderologists. The result is a saturated marketplace where pseudo-leadership ideas circulate freely and where organizations often invest in the wrong guidance without realizing the cost.

The National Leaderology Association (NLA) exists to change that.

The NLA’s mission is to elevate the importance of leadership education, help leaderologists differentiate themselves in the market, build a strong community of leadership professionals, and strengthen the discipline itself. By doing so, the NLA seeks to create a more informed public and business community capable of making accurate choices when hiring leadership expertise.

Many leadership-educated professionals work in isolation, unaware of how essential they are or how much value they bring to their communities. The NLA is committed to finding these professionals, connecting them, and advocating for their role so that organizations can benefit from legitimate leadership science rather than surface-level alternatives.

Our vision is to establish and promote Leaderology as a respected discipline grounded in scientific rigor. By advancing this discipline, we help individuals and organizations navigate the complexities of the modern world with clarity and competence. Our mission is to support and develop exceptional, leadership-educated practitioners and to serve as a trusted authority in leadership education and research.

We uphold core values that reflect a deep commitment to the science of leadership. We recognize and respect formal leadership education, the work of those who research and develop leadership theory, and the professionals who apply this knowledge responsibly. These values ensure that our members meet high academic and ethical standards.

The NLA’s goals are to establish a credible authority in the leadership discipline, build a strong community of leadership-educated professionals, create a trusted repository of leadership research and development resources, refine and promote leadership education standards that protect the public, raise awareness about the true value of the discipline, and help businesses better utilize those with leadership degrees.

To achieve these aims, the NLA verifies and recommends qualified leaderologists and leadership practitioners with proven academic training. We work to strengthen leadership development through continued education, ethical standards, and innovation rooted in leadership science. We advocate for the industry by educating the public and organizations about the importance of choosing leadership-educated professionals. We collaborate with universities to refine leadership curricula and elevate academic standards.

The National Leaderology Association is committed to advancing leadership as a rigorous discipline and helping society make better, more informed choices about leadership expertise. By building a strong community, promoting accurate education, and advocating for leadership science, we equip individuals and organizations to navigate uncertainty with confidence and competence. The future of leadership depends on those willing to champion its integrity, and the NLA is here to lead that effort.