Jim Stroup is a management consultant specializing in
organizational leadership. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Jim
began his working career with stints in a diner, several gas stations,
a tool and die shop, and in an advertising agency mail room. During
this period, his academic career went into a long hiatus after two
years studying philosophy and history. After a few years, he moved
to North Dakota to take a job as a common laborer on a construction
site.
Later, Jim enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, and served as an
Infantry Marine in the United States and Japan, as well as on
deployments to the Mediterranean and the Western Pacific. After
several years, and promotion to the rank of sergeant, Jim was
selected for a commissioning program.
Major Jim Stroup, USMC (Ret.)
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As an Infantry Officer, he continued to serve as a commander and staff officer in the operating forces in
Hawaii, with further deployments to the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. Upon assignment to a
major training command on the West Coast, he was instrumental in the expansion and development of
three major specialty certification and professional development programs. Later, Jim served in the first
Gulf War, in 1990 and 1991. During his spare time in this period, Jim also completed his bachelor's
degree, magna cum laude, in international relations, and a masters degree with a dual concentration in
business and management.
Jim subsequently entered the Marine Corps Foreign Area Officer program, and went to the Defense
Language Institute in Monterey, California, where he learned Arabic. Next, he and his family moved to
Cairo, Egypt, where they lived for a year while Jim traveled throughout the Middle East, honing his skills
as a military expert for the area. During this time, he also managed to obtain certification as a foreign
area officer for Europe, with a specialty for Turkey. After serving a further tour as the operations advisor
for the Kuwait Ground Forces, Jim retired and turned to work in the civilian world, during which period he
also found time to complete a doctorate in business administration.
During and since his military career, Jim has had the opportunity to work with, observe, and advise
numerous military and civilian organizations, from many countries and cultures, on four continents. He
has developed substantial expertise in organizational leadership, and consults widely and writes on this
subject, as well as other related organizational and management topics.
Jim is married and lives in Istanbul, Turkey. While still in the United States, his wife, Emel, obtained her
doctorate in clinical psychology. She is also a certified cognitive therapist, and practices and teaches in
Istanbul. Jim and Emel have one son, Tarik, who is a graduate of the visual arts program at the
University of California, San Diego, and who lives and works in his field in Southern California.
© 2005 by the author. All rights reserved.
Managing Leadership
Toward a new and usable understanding of what leadership really is - and how to manage it
