Scott A. Snook

Scott A. Snook

Keynote Speaker: Executive Fellow at the Harvard Business School & Bestselling Author

Scott A. Snook Biography

Scott Snook is an Executive Fellow at the Harvard Business School.

He graduated with honors from West Point earning the Royal Society of Arts Award for the most outstanding overall cadet in his class. Following graduation, he was commissioned in the US Army Corps of Engineers where he served in various command and staff positions for over 22 years, earning the rank of Colonel before retiring in 2002. He has led soldiers in combat. Among his military decorations are the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Master Parachutist badge. He has an MBA from the Harvard Business School, where he graduated with High Distinction as a Baker Scholar. Dr. Snook earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University in Organizational Behavior winning the Sage-Louis Pondy Best Dissertation Award from the Academy of Management for his study of the Friendly Fire Shootdown in Northern Iraq.

Until July of 2002, Colonel Snook served as an Academy Professor in the Behavioral Sciences and Leadership Department at the United States Military Academy. He also directed West Point's Center for Leadership and Organizations Research as well as its joint Master's Program in Leader Development.

Snook’s passion is to help others live more "meaning-full" lives. More specifically, he is interested in unpacking and understanding transformational leader (human) development experiences --how to make the most out of life's curriculum, as well as how to create high-leverage/high-impact interventions to accelerate the growth of leaders.

Professor Snook's book, "Friendly Fire" was selected by the Academy of Management to receive the 2002 Terry Award as the most influential book on managerial thinking published during the past two years. He has also co-authored a book that explores the role of "common sense" in leadership titled, "Practical Intelligence in Everyday Life" (2000) and co-edited "The Handbook for Teaching Leadership: Knowing, Doing, and Being" (2011). Most recently, he co-authored "The Discover Your True North Fieldbook" (2015/2023), which is the primary text for “Authentic Leader Development,” the popular MBA elective he has taught for over ten years. Professor Snook has shared his leadership insights in formal executive education programs at Harvard and with numerous corporate audiences around the world.

Snook currently lives in Concord, Massachusetts with his wife Kathleen.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Scott A. Snook and other top speakers and celebrities.

Scott A. Snook Speaking Topics

What it Takes to BE(come) a World Class Leader: Authentic Leader(ship) Development

This session is an interactive discussion that draws on Snook’s thirty-plus years of experience as a leader, teacher and researcher. It is designed specifically to help participants discover “What it Takes to BE(come) a World Class Leader.”

The format for this developmental experience is multi-media interactive. Using a series of short video vignettes and personal stories, Snook argues that success is as much about “who you are|” as it is about “what you know” and “what you can do”.

Drawing from the emerging fields of positive psychology and authentic leader development, Snook demonstrates the potential of this novel approach by introducing participants to a wide range of interesting characters from “The Happy Greeter” to General Schwarzkopf, and from Simon Cowell to Coach K.

Based on his experience teaching the highly popular Harvard Business School course titled “Authentic Leadership Development|” Snook concludes the session with an inspirational story that pulls everything together by demonstrating the potential of being part of something bigger than self. Executive audiences around the world have found this experience to be both moving and useful as they struggle with the challenges of developing more authentic and effective leaders.

A Tale of Two Coaches

This is a fast-paced, highly interactive session. Based on two short written cases, a series of powerful video clips and heavy audience participation, ‘A Tale of Two Coaches’ encourages participants to explore their most basic assumptions about human nature, motivation and leadership style. As participants compare, contrast and react to Bobby Knight and Mike Krzyzewski – mentor and mentee – they discover for themselves the fundamentals of effective leadership and development. Drawing from the latest research in the field of positive psychology and leader development, this session ends by challenging participants deeply held, but often unconscious beliefs about what really drives performance and development.

By comparing two successful coaches with dramatically different leadership styles, the participants are encouraged to confront their basic assumptions about human nature and how these theories influence their approach to leading and following.

Jan Carlzon: A Case Study in Leading Change

Anchored by the classic case study of Jan Carlzon at Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), this session is a tour de force in the fundamentals of leading change. Don’t let the date fool you, when it comes to leadership, what Carlzon did at SAS in the 1980s still contains everything you need to know about vision, alignment and motivation. How do you get 20|000 employees on the same sheet of music, moving the same direction? Supplemented by a series of powerful video clips, participants are encouraged to struggle with the central question: What kind of person does it take to do what he did?

Comparing Jan Carlzon at SAS with Frank Borman at Eastern Airlines adds a layer of depth to the puzzle: How is it that during challenging times, why do some companies in the same industry thrive and survive, while others crash and burn?

Leading Complex Organizations: The Friendly Fire Shootdown Over Northern Iraq

Scott Snook’s presentation is centered around the tragic friendly fire shootdown that took place in Northern Iraq on 14 April 1994. It is a compelling case study of a complex organization where both leading and organizing failed in a big way, resulting in the unfortunate deaths of 26 peacekeepers. While the case emphasizes leadership and accountability, it does so while covering a wide range of important topics such as: coordination, cross-functional teams, human machine interface, risk, systems leadership, causality, training, inter-group conflict, culture, and integration. In the end, it’s all about alignment – getting everyone on the same sheet of music, moving in the same direction, every day – and, what can happen when leaders fail to recognize the enormity of this challenge.

The format for this developmental experience is multi-media interactive. By using a sequence of short video clips, I present the case real-time, gradually revealing a string of causal factors contributing to the shootdown – each one revealing a different leadership challenge in its own right. Audience members participate actively throughout as they struggle to make sense of this tragedy. In the end, I ask folks to tell me whom they would hold accountable and then reveal how the case actually played out.

Executive audiences around the world have found this experience to be both moving and useful as they struggle with the challenges of leading in complex organizations.

Scott A. Snook Videos

Scott Snook | The intersection of performance, support, and challenge
Scott A. Snook, Ph.D. | How to develop authentic leaders
Scott Snook - Leadership & Authenticity Expert

How do I book Scott A. Snook to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Scott A. Snook for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Scott A. Snook, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Scott A. Snook or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Scott A. Snook for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Scott A. Snook, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Scott A. Snook are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Scott A. Snook, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Scott A. Snook speak about?

Scott A. Snook is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Personal Growth, Happiness, Business Leadership, Human Resources, Ethics & Integrity, Change Management, Marketing, Science, Professors, Education, Leadership and Psychology.

Where does Scott A. Snook travel from?

Scott A. Snook generally travels from Concord, MA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Scott A. Snook?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Scott A. Snook for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Scott A. Snook for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Scott A. Snook or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Scott A. Snook is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Personal Growth, Happiness and Business Leadership. The estimated speaking fee range to book Scott A. Snook for live events is $20,000 - $30,000, and for virtual events $10,000 - $20,000. Scott A. Snook generally travels from Concord, MA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Adrian Gostick, Thomas DeLong and Shawn Achor. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Scott A. Snook for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 05/11/2024.

Scott A. Snook Speaking Topics

  • What it Takes to BE(come) a World Class Leader: Authentic Leader(ship) Development

    This session is an interactive discussion that draws on Snook’s thirty-plus years of experience as a leader, teacher and researcher. It is designed specifically to help participants discover “What it Takes to BE(come) a World Class Leader.”

    The format for this developmental experience is multi-media interactive. Using a series of short video vignettes and personal stories, Snook argues that success is as much about “who you are|” as it is about “what you know” and “what you can do”.

    Drawing from the emerging fields of positive psychology and authentic leader development, Snook demonstrates the potential of this novel approach by introducing participants to a wide range of interesting characters from “The Happy Greeter” to General Schwarzkopf, and from Simon Cowell to Coach K.

    Based on his experience teaching the highly popular Harvard Business School course titled “Authentic Leadership Development|” Snook concludes the session with an inspirational story that pulls everything together by demonstrating the potential of being part of something bigger than self. Executive audiences around the world have found this experience to be both moving and useful as they struggle with the challenges of developing more authentic and effective leaders.

  • A Tale of Two Coaches

    This is a fast-paced, highly interactive session. Based on two short written cases, a series of powerful video clips and heavy audience participation, ‘A Tale of Two Coaches’ encourages participants to explore their most basic assumptions about human nature, motivation and leadership style. As participants compare, contrast and react to Bobby Knight and Mike Krzyzewski – mentor and mentee – they discover for themselves the fundamentals of effective leadership and development. Drawing from the latest research in the field of positive psychology and leader development, this session ends by challenging participants deeply held, but often unconscious beliefs about what really drives performance and development.

    By comparing two successful coaches with dramatically different leadership styles, the participants are encouraged to confront their basic assumptions about human nature and how these theories influence their approach to leading and following.

  • Jan Carlzon: A Case Study in Leading Change

    Anchored by the classic case study of Jan Carlzon at Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), this session is a tour de force in the fundamentals of leading change. Don’t let the date fool you, when it comes to leadership, what Carlzon did at SAS in the 1980s still contains everything you need to know about vision, alignment and motivation. How do you get 20|000 employees on the same sheet of music, moving the same direction? Supplemented by a series of powerful video clips, participants are encouraged to struggle with the central question: What kind of person does it take to do what he did?

    Comparing Jan Carlzon at SAS with Frank Borman at Eastern Airlines adds a layer of depth to the puzzle: How is it that during challenging times, why do some companies in the same industry thrive and survive, while others crash and burn?

  • Leading Complex Organizations: The Friendly Fire Shootdown Over Northern Iraq

    Scott Snook’s presentation is centered around the tragic friendly fire shootdown that took place in Northern Iraq on 14 April 1994. It is a compelling case study of a complex organization where both leading and organizing failed in a big way, resulting in the unfortunate deaths of 26 peacekeepers. While the case emphasizes leadership and accountability, it does so while covering a wide range of important topics such as: coordination, cross-functional teams, human machine interface, risk, systems leadership, causality, training, inter-group conflict, culture, and integration. In the end, it’s all about alignment – getting everyone on the same sheet of music, moving in the same direction, every day – and, what can happen when leaders fail to recognize the enormity of this challenge.

    The format for this developmental experience is multi-media interactive. By using a sequence of short video clips, I present the case real-time, gradually revealing a string of causal factors contributing to the shootdown – each one revealing a different leadership challenge in its own right. Audience members participate actively throughout as they struggle to make sense of this tragedy. In the end, I ask folks to tell me whom they would hold accountable and then reveal how the case actually played out.

    Executive audiences around the world have found this experience to be both moving and useful as they struggle with the challenges of leading in complex organizations.

Scott A. Snook Videos

Scott Snook | The intersection of performance, support, and challenge
Scott A. Snook, Ph.D. | How to develop authentic leaders
Scott Snook - Leadership & Authenticity Expert

Scott A. Snook Reviews

  • The Shyft Group - Sep 27 2024

  • How do I book Scott A. Snook to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Scott A. Snook for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Scott A. Snook, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Scott A. Snook or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Scott A. Snook for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Scott A. Snook, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Scott A. Snook are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Scott A. Snook, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Scott A. Snook speak about?

    Scott A. Snook is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Personal Growth, Happiness, Business Leadership, Human Resources, Ethics & Integrity, Change Management, Marketing, Science, Professors, Education, Leadership and Psychology.
  • Where does Scott A. Snook travel from?

    Scott A. Snook generally travels from Concord, MA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Scott A. Snook?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Scott A. Snook for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Scott A. Snook for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Scott A. Snook or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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