Douglas McEncroe’s career spans 29 years, during which he has been dedicated heart and soul to the development of leadership in organisations. This continues to be his passion.

Douglas approaches the development of leadership through consultancy, training and coaching; he believes that the combination of the three approaches produces the best results. He has carried out projects in prestigious multinationals and smaller companies in different parts of his adopted Spain during the 25 years he lived there, and in his native Australia and some 31 other countries. Douglas enjoys a high level of loyalty from his clients; they appreciate his sincerity and the excellent results he achieves.

Douglas prepared for this role over many years. In the 1970s he graduated BA, Dip Ed, from Macquarie University in Sydney, majoring in history, linguistics and psychology. In the 1980s Douglas attained an MAMLL (Master of Arts in Management Learning and Leadership) from Lancaster University in the UK. In the same decade, he continued specialist studies in leadership in the United States, firstly at the Covey Center of Leadership and later with the Center of Creative Leadership (CCL).

Douglas is accredited as a professional coach by Ashridge Management College, OPP [formerly Oxford Psychologists Press], CCL, the Newfield Network and EMCC. He is accredited by OPP to use all of the major 360° Feedback instruments and personality tests. In the 1990s he was a founding member of Spain’s first coaching association, AECOP, which today forms part of EMCC (European Coaching and Mentoring Council).  In 1997 he completed a Diploma in Organisational Psychology at the Tavistock Institute in London. In 2007 he was selected by Harvard University to attend the Program for senior leadership development educators called “The Art and Practice of Leadership Development.”

During the past 29 years Douglas has designed and implemented hundreds of projects in 150 Fortune 500 companies, including engagements with 50 senior management teams in 32 countries. Apart from working directly with his own clients in Spain through Douglas McEncroe Group, the company he founded in 1991, Douglas has also worked as a senior consultant and educator for Ashridge Management College (he delivered their Open Leadership Development Program for six years), CCL, Accenture, DDI and Mercer /Oliver Wyman. As a representative of these companies, Douglas carried out some 26 projects in 15 countries, in English, Italian, Spanish and French.

The experience Douglas has gained by working with various forms of leadership training has enriched his philosophy. He has developed an integrated approach that has been beneficial to his clients in Europe, Australia, Asia and the United States.

In Spain, Douglas is recognised as a pioneer in his field. He launched the first open-enrolment leadership development course 21 years ago and introduced 360° Feedback into this market. He was the first leadership professional in Spain to link personality questionnaires to 360° Feedback, introducing instruments like Myer- Briggs, FIROB, CPI and KAI.

Douglas has published dozens of articles in the financial press and professional journals. In 2010 he published his first book, Leadership: The Slow-Cooking Way, about his experiences in developing leadership in Europe. In 2011 he was invited by Spain’s leading financial newspaper, Expansión, to write their blog on leadership. In 2013 he translated his book into English and published it in Australia.

In 2012 Douglas returned to his native Australia and continued to manage his own company returning to Europe each year to work with clients and also carrying out projects for both Australian and multinational companies as well as carrying out interventions for Mercer and CCL in Australia and Asia. In 2014 Douglas was asked by CCL to represent them in Australia, he did this during a couple of years while continuing to operate his own company.

He lives in Sydney with his wife and twin girls.