Biography

Adair was born in Luton, England, and attended St Paul's School, London, before being conscripted into National Service. On his return to civilian life he qualified from Hull Nautical College as an Arctic trawler deckhand.

By 1959 his work as a tutor in leadership was under way with a BA from Cambridge. His doctorate came in 1966 from King's College London, followed by a B.Litt from Oxford in 1971. During this period of study he was a senior lecturer at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst from 1961-67.

During his career he has had ongoing executive roles with the Windsor Leadership Trust, Chinese Executive Leadership Academy, and the United Nations Leadership Staff College. 

Adair's leadership model is easy to remember and to adapt for your own situation. Under the name of Action Centred Leadership, it is described in three interlocking circles: achieving the task, managing the team and managing individuals – with good leader managers having control of all three. The aim is to build morale, provide balance, improve quality, develop teams and productivity and get results.

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