I help leaders pivot
Whether you're a senior leader navigating organizational minefields or an experienced professional asking "what's next?" I can help you move forward without losing your credibility, your sense of self … or your marbles.
I help leaders pivot
I've worked for over 25 years with CEOs, board chairs, university administrators, and senior executives who are stuck, stretched, or stepping into something new.
That's my day job. And I love it. But I've also kept a toe or two — definitely not a whole foot — in academia.
I'm a Senior Fellow at George Washington University's Graduate School of Education and Human Development, where I study belief systems; specifically, how cultures and identities shape the ways we think. My current research investigates how people's cultural identities affect how they assess the credibility of claims they encounter on social media.
I find this combination of consulting, coaching, and research deeply satisfying and highly useful. It gives me practical insight into what makes people tick, organizations struggle, and ingrained patterns change.
I hold a PhD in psychology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and degrees in philosophy and psychology from Cambridge University. I don't lead with this because I don't think credentials alone make a good consultant. But since some people want to know: Now you do.
For a more standard, chronological account of things I've done and accreditations I've picked up along the way, see my LinkedIn profile.
Oh, and you can call me Eli. (Rhymes with jelly.)
The Problem You Feel
A new role with challenges you didn't anticipate. A leadership team that says "yes" in meetings and then does the opposite. A board that chose you for your vision and now seems terrified of it.
Most consultants offer platitudes and templates. I give you a cultural psychologist's read of what's really going on and a seasoned CEO's strategies for navigating it.
What I Do
I don't do quick fixes or off-the-shelf solutions. I do the kind of work that requires trust, discretion, and tolerance for complexity.
For Organizations
Confidential 360s
Your senior team tells me what they won't tell you. I bring back themes, not names. Then we work on what matters.
Diagnostics & Re-Orgs
I interview key stakeholders, map what's broken, and help leadership restructure without blowing up the culture.
Strategic Clarity
I bring leadership teams together to refine shared vision, define priorities, and translate them into year-by-year plans with clear accountabilities and measurable impact.
Leadership Workshops & Retreats
Strategy, feedback, delegation, accountability, managing up, team building. Engaging, research-based, practical learning experiences tailored to your team.
For Individuals
Executive coaching for senior managers
New role, new politics, new pressure. I help you survive the first year, or reboot after politics have pushed you off course, without losing your credibility or your mind.
Mid-Career Pivots
Stuck? Overwhelmed? Not sure what's next? I help experienced professionals imagine their next chapter and then get them there. Everything from figuring out what you want to be when you grow up, to negotiating a contract, to planning your first hundred days.
How Am I Different?
I've run things. For 15 years, I directed the Mandel Leadership Institute in Jerusalem – a 100-employee organization with a $15M annual budget, and one of Israel's most prestigious executive training organizations. I know what it's like to be the one in the hot seat.
I do the work others skip. Stakeholder interviews. Confidential 360s. Org chart analysis. I don't opine. I collect relevant data and analyze it thoroughly before proposing any course of action. But I don't stop there. I provide implementation support for changes I recommend; not just a report you file away.
I don't do jargon, buzzwords, or bandwagons. I use my analytical chops to understand what's really happening and tell it to you straight. That's why you'll find my writing in newspapers and magazines, like The Independent, Psychology Today, and Inside Higher Ed, and not just in academic journals. I believe good ideas should be useful. And to be useful, they have to be clear, uncluttered, and on point.
I stay through the hard part. Most consultants disappear after the presentation. I help you implement the changes, navigate the resistance, and adapt as you go.
I aim to make myself superfluous as soon as possible. That's why my coaching is pay-as-you-go and my projects are phased and transparent. My goal is for you to take control and move yourself and your team forward with new clarity and confidence, not to tie you up in endless process.
What Clients Say
(Real leaders. Anonymized. Because that's how this works.)
Working with you, I felt like a Formula One driver at a pit stop. You helped me reimagine my career, retool, and set me on a new path, refueled and raring to go.
COO, National Nonprofit
Without you, we wouldn't have had the courage to fire senior staff and promote new leadership from within. Nor the sensitivity to do it respectfully. I hope we never need to do that again. But if we do, I know who to call.
Board Member
If it wasn't for Eli, I simply could not have founded this Institute. He helped me face my fears, navigate the politics, and build systems that enabled me to focus on what I'm best at and delegate what was driving me crazy.
University Dean
I marvel at your ability to take in so much information and cut through the noise to get at the heart of the matter. Your diagnoses are always accompanied by concrete recommendations. And somehow, you even make it fun!
Head of School
Eli is one of the clearest thinkers I know. He asks sharp questions that enable new thinking and new ways of working. More than once, Eli helped me get to the next level professionally.
Start-Up Founder
The 360 feedback was hard to read. But it was the first honest mirror anyone had held up. Eli helped me rebuild trust with my team.
Executive Director, International Nonprofit
Recent Clients
My Services
Organizational Projects
My work with boards and leadership teams is tailored to each client's situation. After an initial conversation to understand your needs, I provide a custom proposal with clear phases, deliverables, and pricing.
Recent projects have ranged from $25,000 to $50,000, depending on scope and duration.
Workshops & Retreats
For leadership teams, boards, or cohorts. Formats available:
- In-person full day
- In-person half-day
- Online workshop
- Multi-day retreat
Executive Coaching (For Individuals)
For senior executives and experienced professionals. Billed hourly or as a prepaid package.
I offer a limited number of reduced-rate slots for individuals paying out of pocket who are between roles or at small nonprofits. If that describes you, just ask.
Smaller Engagements
Not ready for a full diagnostic or multi-phase project? Here are two common entry points:
- Confidential 360 review for a single leader – Up to 15 interviews, thematic analysis, anonymized report, and two feedback sessions, starting at $7,500
- Half-day strategic clarity session – A focused discussion to untangle a specific challenge or decision, starting at $3,700
A Good Fit?
I'm especially well-equipped to help:
- Board presidents who need to work more effectively with their trustees and CEO
- University presidents, deans or department heads navigating institutional politics
- CEOs leading through founder transitions or strategic pivots
- Experienced professionals at mid-career who feel stuck or overwhelmed
I also work with business leaders who are tired of consultants who give generic advice. I have the tools and the patience to learn your organization's culture and help you change it while preserving its identity.
How I Work
We talk. A 30-minute conversation (no charge) to understand your situation and whether I can help.
I propose. A custom proposal with clear phases, deliverables, and pricing tailored to your situation.
You decide. No pressure. No hard sell. You in the driver’s seat and me helping you get where you need to go.
Let's Talk
If the organization you lead is at a strategic crossroads and the politics seem overwhelming, or if you're an experienced professional wondering what's next: Let's start a conversation.
No templates. No jargon. No obligation. Just a free introductory consultation to discuss what you need and to see if I'm the right fit.