Paul Kaak, PhD

Paul Kaak, Ph.D. has been a professor or guest instructor at 10+ universities/graduate schools, and he served as a faculty member at Azusa Pacific University for 17 years. While there, he was a Professor of Leadership (and designer of the Leadership Minor), a Fellow in the Honors College, a Faculty Development director, and a leader in the Noel Academy for Strengths-Based Leadership and Education. Paul has multiple publications, has been a co-author/contributor in a dozen book projects, and has presented papers at numerous conferences, including the International Leadership Association.

​

Prior to his years in the academic world, Paul was a mentor-trainer with The Leadership Institute and LeafLine Initiatives. During this time, he focused on mentoring emerging leaders (especially in non-profit contexts), developing training curriculum, and co-presenting for two national programs focused on mobilizing global-local volunteer teams.

​

Paul has more than 30 years of experience as an insightful coach, leadership developer, and adult learning specialist. In his work, he aims to honor the wisdom of his clients while incorporating his broad knowledge of both proven theory and best practices in areas such as organizational change, innovative project development, succession planning, and professional development. Whether working with individual leaders, groups, teams, or boards, Paul blends challenge with encouragement, and – as as a seasoned helper – he makes a commitment to providing usable, goal-oriented, and creative resources.

​

While Paul’s style is highly interpersonal, relational, and collaborative, he also is appreciated as an inspiring speaker. A sampling of topics he presents include:

 

• Professional Hospitality: Creating a Culture of Welcome and Warmth

• Everything I Know About Organizational Life, I Learned from the Farm: Seeing Organizations through an Agrarian Lens

• The Alluring Myth of Solla Sollew: Lessons for Professionals from Dr. Seuss

• Risks, Rewards, and Recommendations for Good Followership

• The Reflective Professional: A Model for Improvement-Practices in Organizational Life

• Leveraging Privilege: The Authentic Blend of Humility and Confidence

• Things Fall Apart: The Urgency of Organizational Alignment

• Becoming a Team of Strategic Thinkers (who also get stuff done!)

• Speaking topics can also be tailor-made to the needs of the audience.

​

Currently, Paul is Senior Consultant and Lead Trainer for TheoMetrics, an organization he founded in 2022. Paul is grateful to be presently affiliated with the powerful history and the strategic future of The Genysys Group.