Manage HR Magazine: Specials Magazine

In the past 10 years alone over 10,000 books and 100,000 articles have been written about leadership. How does one navigate this mass amount of data and prepare themselves for how they can best lead? Effective leadership begins with leaders understanding themselves and the people they lead, a human-centered approach that remains an essential requirement even in data- and AI-driven environments. Organizations are run by people. That perspective has guided The Abelson Group since its founding in 1986. The firm delivers human-centered leadership development through training programs, consulting, and psychological assessments. It supports organizations across more than 20 industries with in-person and online learning, professional certifications, and integrated solutions spanning HR strategy, team development, and organizational planning. Michael Abelson, CEO and president, brings a practical approach grounded in academic rigor and real-world experience. Trained as a clinical psychologist (with an MA) and business (with an MBA and a PhD in business management), Abelson is a former practicing clinician and retired Professor Emeritus who spent more than 30 years at Texas A&M University, where he also served as the first director of the Master’s in Human Resource Management program. His work focuses on helping leaders understand their behavior, the people they lead, and how those dynamics shape judgment and decision-making. While data, systems, and AI increasingly influence outcomes, Abelson maintains that leadership judgment, self-awareness, and ethical responsibility still need the human element. That view reflects nearly 50 years of applied consulting experience and what he has heard via 100s of extensive professional certifications he has facilitated in behavioral science, motivation, and emotional intelligence. This experience is the foundation of the firm’s work on leadership, AI use in the workplace, and workforce decision-making.