Claus Elmholdt is the CEO of LEAD and helps leaders, leadership teams, and organizations achieve better results and drive sustainable change. He is one of the most prominent voices in Denmark on the debate about how to develop strong leadership and what Danish leadership still needs to take seriously.
As an organizational psychologist with a PhD, he works at the intersection of research and practice. For more than 20 years, he has focused on understanding what it takes for leadership to be effective – whether in leadership teams that are stuck, executive boards under pressure, or organizations in the midst of a crisis. He brings this knowledge directly into his advisory work.
Claus specializes in:
- Leadership teams and executive boards – what it takes for them to collaborate effectively and execute close to strategy
- Strategic executive advisory – in situations where the stakes are highest and the questions most complex
- Crisis leadership and strategic resilience – prevention, management, and pathways forward
His approach is rooted in the belief that leadership is a human practice: relationships, power, emotions, and trust are not “soft” factors, but the very core that determines whether an organization succeeds or not.
Claus is the author of some of the most widely used leadership books in Denmark, including Leadership Psychology, Effective Leadership Teams, Emotions in Leadership, Power in Organizations, and Help, We’re Missing Colleagues. He has also contributed to more than 100 research publications in leadership psychology and organizational development.
Claus co-founded LEAD in 2013 and, as CEO, is responsible for the organization’s overall strategy and direction.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Claus.
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References
A collaboration between LEAD and Nykredit (Danish Bank) has exposed 400 leaders to simulation-based leadership training at various times. Training where you virtually manage employees and collaborate across organizations, and where the goal is to increase both revenue and employee motivation.
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CV
| 2026 | CEO & founder, LEAD - enter next level |
| 2013 – 2026 | Founder & Academic Director of LEAD - enter next level |
| 2012 | Lecturer, Leadership psychology at Aalborg University |
| 2010 – 2012 | Professor MSO at Aalborg University |
| 2007 – 2012 | Chief Consultant & partner at Udviklingskonsulenterne A/S |
| 2009 – 2012 | Leader of The development consultants research unit |
| 2009 – 2010 | Dynamic executive coaching training by Patricia Coughlin Delle Selva |
| 2009 | Authorized psychologist at Psykolognævnet |
| 2006 | Appointed Censor, Danish Censor Corps in Psychology |
| 2004 – 2007 | Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Aarhus University |
| 2000 – 2004 | PhD Fellow, Department of Psychology, Aarhus University |
| 2000 | MSc in Psychology, Aarhus University |
Areas of Expertise
- Effective Leadership Teams
- Leadership Team Development
- Leadership Pipeline
- Change Management and Organizational Learning
- Cross-Boundary Leadership and Relational Coordination
- Motivation and Self-Leadership
- Transition Coaching
- Innovation Psychology
- Emotions and Authentic Leadership