Professor Nicola M. Pless, listed by Stanford University among the top 2% scientists in the world, is a former Vice President Leadership Development, holds the Chair of Positive Business at the University of South Australia. She was awarded both her Dr. oec. (PhD) and the Habilitation (Higher Doctorate) from the University of St. Gallen. She holds qualifications and degrees from other prestigious institutions such as Berkeley, Cornell University, INSEAD. She received the Faculty Pioneer Award for Teaching Innovation and Excellence by the Aspen Institute, dubbed the “Oscars of the business school world” by the The Financial Times.
She has held professorships at the University of St. Gallen and ESADE Business School (No 8 Global ... Read more
About me
Professor Nicola M. Pless, listed by Stanford University among the top 2% scientists in the world, is a former Vice President Leadership Development, holds the Chair of Positive Business at the University of South Australia. She was awarded both her Dr. oec. (PhD) and the Habilitation (Higher Doctorate) from the University of St. Gallen. She holds qualifications and degrees from other prestigious institutions such as Berkeley, Cornell University, INSEAD. She received the Faculty Pioneer Award for Teaching Innovation and Excellence by the Aspen Institute, dubbed the “Oscars of the business school world” by the The Financial Times.
She has held professorships at the University of St. Gallen and ESADE Business School (No 8 Global FT MBA ranking 2025) and served on the faculty of INSEAD (No 4 Global FT MBA ranking 2025) . She held the Honorary Jef van Gerwen Chair at the University of Antwerp (2010-11) and is Distinguished Visiting Professor at EBS University in Germany. She is an elected permanent faculty member of Switzerland's University of St. Gallen (No 63 Global FT MBA ranking).
She has lived in seven countries on three continents and combines her multicultural background with mulitsector business experiences, which she translates into her academic work. She worked for the World Bank Group, is a former Vice President Leadership Development at Credit Suisse and Managing Director of a consulting firm. Through consulting and executive coaching, she has helped individuals and organizations to develop effective and responsible strategies for navigating successfully in a VUCA world and to unleash their leadership potential for positive change in business and society.
She is internationally recognized as a founder of and authority in responsible leadership research and teaching. According to ScholarGPS she ranks high both in Leadership (#135 in the world and #10 in Australia) and in Business Ethics (#58 globally and #3 in Australia). Her award-winning research in the field of leadership, responsibility and neuroscience has been published in leading academic A* and FT50 journals (e.g. Journal of Management Studies (FT50, A*), Human Resource Management (FT50, A*), Journal of Business Ethics (FT50, A), Academy of Management Learning and Education (A*), Organizational Research Methods (A*), and featured by Harvard Business School and in the international media: Business Week, Forbes, Management Today, El Mundo, La Vanguardia, CEO Magazine, UN PRME etc. Research impact according to: Web of Science (WoS) citations: 2440, h-index: 17, Google Scholar citations 9350, h-index: 30. And nearly 100 publications, more than 106.000 reads and 60 recommendations on ResearchGate.
Professor Pless' current research focuses on (1) ethics, sustainability & governance (ESG), (2) purpose in business, (3) social and responsible innovation, (4) mindfulness and (5) responsible leadership (multi-level and contextual research) and its development. This includes responsible decision making in multicultural and top management teams, and micro foundations of strategy, CSR and sustainability. She specifically investigates the relationship between RL and social and economic value creation and the roles of values, empathy, compassion and mindfulness within this process. She is also a Principle Investigator in the international research group, ‘The Neuroscience of Leadership’. Her work often occurs in collaboration with business practice and is substantially informed by her senior executive experience.
Her research received seven international awards, including the prestigious Academy of Management Carolyn Dexter Finalist Award (2010), two Best Paper Awards from the Academy of Management, one from the Neuroscience interest Group (2022) and another from the Management Education Division (2011). For her service, she also received the Academy of Management Best Reviewer Award (2023).
She teaches ESG and responsible leadership at MBA and executive levels. She also taught courses at BA, MSc, MBA, and PhD level and has been involved in executive programs, such as the Georgetown ESADE Global Executive MBA and Stanford ESADE CSR program. Her innovative "Business in Society" core course was part of ESADE's Master of International Management, which took first place worldwide for CSR and ethics in the Financial Times rankings 2013.
She serves as a Guardian to the Council of the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI). GRLI is a foundation of public interest and an AACSB International and EFMD strategic partnership established with the founding support of EFMD and United Nations Global Compact.
She is a former Editor of the Journal of Business Ethics (FT50, A ABDC list) and sits on the editorial review boards of Academy of Management Collections and Academy of Management Perspectives (A, ABDC list, 4 ABS list)
Over the past twenty years she has worked with for-profit companies (Credit Suisse, Deutsche Telekom, Dong Energy, Mercedes, PwC, SAP-N, Swarovski, UBS, Volkswagen) and with for-purpose organizations such as Gram Vikas (India), Jurlique, The Body Shop, The World Bank.
Her mission is to advance the practice of inclusive, resonant and responsible-global-leadership and its development through research and teaching innovation.
About me
Member, Academy of Management
Member, EURAM
Member, EGOS
Member, Swiss Institute of Directors
Member, Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative
Member, Institute of Coaching
About me
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 24/04/2025 |
There are four types of leader. Which one are you? in Brain Circuits, https://www.imd.org/beta-ibyimd/uncategorized/there-are-four-types-of-responsible-leader-which-one-are-you/ |
| 18/02/2025 |
Set your leadership Compass and embark on a journey of self-discovery. I by IMD, https://www.imd.org/ibyimd/leadership/set-your-leadership-compass-for-a-journey-of-self-discovery/ |
| 15/01/2025 |
Responsible Leadership, https://www.accaglobal.com/an/en/student/exam-support-resources/professional-exams-study-resources/strategic-business-leader/technical-articles/responsible-leadership.html |
| 01/12/2024 |
Queensland Human Rights Commission (2024). Strengthening the Service: Independent review of workplace equality in the Queensland Police Service., https://www.qhrc.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/51431/QHRC-Strengthening-the-Service-report-full.pdf |
| 07/05/2024 |
Responsible Leadership and Purpose: The four orientations that determine philosophy, strategy, and value creation, https://www.tcd.ie/business/research/the-trinity-centre-for-social-innovation/events/trinity-business-ethics-speaker-series/ |
| 06/05/2024 |
Responsible Leadership and Purpose, https://cob.sfsu.edu/event/responsible-leadership |
| 05/09/2023 |
Societal Challenges and Business Leadership for Social Innovation, https://faculti.net/societal-challenges-and-business-leadership-for-social-innovation/ |
| 14/07/2023 |
Startups Magazine. Employer’s guide to inclusion and diversity principles. , https://startupsmagazine.co.uk/article-employers-guide-diversity-and-inclusion-principles. |
| 01/06/2023 |
International Leadership Association: Globally responsible leadership collaboratory, https://ilaglobalnetwork.org/2023-globally-responsible-leadership-collaboratory/ |
| 31/10/2022 |
https://employernews.co.uk/news/international-womens-day-how-to-create-a-workforce-where-everyone-can-thrive-all-year-round/, http://Employer News: International Women's Day: How to create a workforce where everyone can thrive all year round |
| 27/09/2022 |
Responsible Leadership Dialogue (No. 2) with Dr. Joe Madiath (Founder of Gram Vikas) and Prof. Dr. Nicola Pless , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wN7i7zTyNU |
| 26/07/2022 |
Australian Leadership Index. The common good – good for whom: A look at public institutions and ideas in a divided world. , https://www.australianleadershipindex.org/the-common-good-good-for-whom-a-look-at-public-institutions-and-ideas-in-a-divided-world/ |
| 08/07/2022 |
Psychology Today: The Common Good: Good for Whom?, https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/leadership-the-common-good/202207/the-common-good-good-whom |
| 20/06/2022 |
The HR Director: Guide to diversity and inclusion principles, https://www.thehrdirector.com/features/diversity-and-equality/guide-diversity-inclusion-principles/ |
| 31/05/2022 |
The evolution of the responsible leadership discourse. , https://www.globalfocusmagazine.com/the-evolution-of-the-responsible-leadership-discourse/ |
| 27/05/2022 |
Extreme situations and responsible leadership. , https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/2022-05-27-mark-smith-extreme-situations-and-responsible-leadership/ |
| 06/04/2022 |
How to be a responsible leader?, https://www.wbs.ac.uk/news/how-to-be-a-responsible-leader/ |
| 06/04/2022 |
How to be a responsible leader, https://wbs.ac.uk. /news/how-to-be-a-responsible-leader/ |
| 01/03/2022 |
Mail & Guardian: Vaccination mandates: It's time for responsible leadership., https://mg.co.za/opinion/2022-03-01-vaccination-mandates-its-time-for-responsible-leadership/ |
| 27/01/2022 |
Teaching Responsible Leadership, Moral Imagination and Stakeholder Dilemma Reconciliation: Case of Hindalco Industries’ UAIL Refinery in Odisha, India. , https://responsibility.global/teaching-responsible-leadership-moral-imagination-and-stakeholder-dilemma-reconciliation-d66fe328e7c |
| 08/01/2022 |
India CSR: Embedding CSR Mandate into Corporate Business Strategy (by Colin Coulson-Thomas), https://indiacsr.in/embedding-csr-mandate-into-corporate-business-strategy/ |
| 25/11/2021 |
Teaching Responsible Leadership and Inclusion: Gram Vikas. A Teaching Package for the GRLI Community, https://responsibility.global/teaching-responsible-leadership-and-inclusion-gram-vikas-2eab71af3f90 |
| 08/07/2021 |
Professor Nicola Pless was interviewed by GRLI Executive Director John North on the "Fault lines of leadership: Lessons from the Global Covid-19 crisis", https://responsibility.global/the-fault-lines-of-leadership-lessons-from-the-global-covid-19-crisis-cff68e3eb01f |
| 13/06/2021 |
Nature Public Health Emergency Collection (US Government): Responsible Leadership and the Reflective CEO, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8219517/ |
| 04/05/2020 |
Prof. Nicola Pless to visit EBS Business School as Distinguished Visiting Professor., https://www.ebs.edu/en/news/prof-nicola-pless-distinguished-visiting-professor |
| 23/03/2020 |
Mindfulness at the Executive Level - University of South Australia, https://primetime.unprme.org/?s=mindfulness |
| 21/09/2018 |
Sustainable Business Examples from Around the World – Australia, Malaysia and Ukraine, https://primetime.unprme.org/2018/09/21/sustainable-business-examples-from-around-the-world-australia-malaysia-and-ukraine/ |
| 24/05/2018 |
GRLI Feature on Nicola Pless , https://grli.org/network/nicola-pless/ |
| 02/05/2018 |
Mindfulness at the Executive Level - UN PRME Interview with Nicola Pless, https://primetime.unprme.org/2018/05/02/mindfulness-at-the-executive-level-university-of-south-australia/ |
| 05/03/2018 |
New approaches to business ethics – University of South Australia, https://primetime.unprme.org/2018/03/05/new-approaches-to-business-ethics-university-of-south-australia/ |
| 16/06/2016 |
Youtube Video Responsible Leadership: What leaders think abut doing the right thing., https://media.unisa.edu.au/Play/14710 |
| 12/06/2015 |
Tapping Brain Waves to Measure Business Sense, http://fortune.com/2015/06/12/brainwaves-abm-neuroscience/ |
| 14/05/2015 |
Live Sciences: Brain waves can identify who the leader of a group is. , https://mashable.com/2015/05/14/leader-brain-waves/ |
| 22/01/2015 |
https://www.hrci.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/the-rise-of-hr-wisdom-from-73-thought-leaders.pdf?sfvrsn=d4ecf1e3_1, http://HRCI (Human Resource Certification Institute). The rise of HR: Wisdom from 37 Though Leaders. Edited by Dave Ulrich et al. |
| 18/11/2014 |
BBC: Brain training moves from battlefield to boardroom., https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20121024-from-battlefield-to-boardroom |
| 18/11/2014 |
BBC: Brain training moves from battlefield to boardroom. , https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20121024-from-battlefield-to-boardroom |
| 07/10/2013 |
Recognition of Aspen Faculty Pioneer Award Winners and Finalists. Aspen Institute’s Award Ceremony, New York City. , https://www.aspeninstitute.org/videos/recognition-aspen-faculty-pioneer-award-winners-finalists/ |
| 19/09/2013 |
ESADE professor Nicola Pless wins Aspen Institute's Faculty Pioneer Award, http://www.esade.edu/web/eng/about-esade/today/news/viewelement/292381/1/esade-professor-nicola-pless-wins-aspen-institutes-faculty-pioneer-award |
| 19/09/2013 |
Poets & Quants 2013. Profs at Wharton & ESADE win Aspen’s Faculty Pioneer Awards. , https://poetsandquants.com/2013/09/19/profs-at-wharton-esade-win-aspens-faculty-pioneer-awards/?pq-category=business-school-news |
| 18/09/2013 |
Wharton ESADE professors honored with Aspen institute's Faculty Pioneer Award for teaching innovation and excellence, http://www.aspeninstitute.org/news/2013/09/18/wharton-esade-professors-honored-aspen-institute-business-society-program-faculty |
| 03/06/2013 |
The Four Orientations of Responsible Leaders, https://www.ideasforleaders.com/ideas/the-four-orientations-of-responsible-leaders |
| 04/02/2013 |
Gram Vikas: Protecting the right to live with dignity, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EnjpT1ZQNs&list=UU4uUbibFXYv9iRRMRWuIZmQ&index=7 |
| 28/05/2012 |
EL Pais: ESADE busca las cualidades del buen líder a través de la neurociencia, https://blogs.elpais.com/idearium/2012/05/esade-busca-las-cualidades-del-buen-l%C3%ADder-a-trav%C3%A9s-de-la-neurociencia-.html |
| 24/05/2012 |
The Neuroscience of Leadership, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z8VjkkSHc8 |
| 17/05/2012 |
ESADE TV: The Neuroscience of Leadership Project – NEURO Conference. , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOLO-9DufIg |
| 16/05/2012 |
ESADE launches pioneering new research using neuroscience. , https://sciencebusiness.net/news/75740/ESADE-launches-pioneering-research-using-neuroscience |
| 11/05/2012 |
La Vanguardia reports on the first MBA Neuroscience of Leadership project, http://www.lavanguardia.com/ciencia/20120511/54292187489/escaneado-cerebro-estudiantes-mba-para-hallar-atributos-buen-lider.html |
| 02/01/2012 |
El Mundo: La solidaridad incrementa la inteligencia emocional de los directivos., http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2012/01/02/solidaridad/1325504090.html |
| 08/12/2008 |
About me
Doctor of Economics The University of St Gallen
Swiss Institute of Directors, 2022-present
Member Editorial Boards: Academy of Management Collections, Academy of Management PerspectivesFormer Editor Journal of Business Ethics (2012-2024), responsible for section International Management
Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative, since 2017; 2020-2025: Guardain, since 2025: Advisor
Professor of Management, Chair of Positive Business, School of Management, University of South Australia, 2015-present
Member Management Board, Academy of Business in Society, Brussels, 2010-2014
Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, ESADE Business School, Ramon Llull University, 2009-2015
Visiting Senior Research Fellow and Co-Director: Research Stream "Developing Responsible Leadership in High Performance Organizations" (PwC-INSEAD Initiative), INSEAD, France, 2004-2009
Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Corporate Responsibility, University of St. Gallen, 2005-2009
Research Director, HSG-INSEAD Initiatitve on Responsible Leadership, University of St. Gallen, 2005-2009
Vice President,Credit Suisse, Zurich, 2001-2004
HR Client Services Generalist, World Bank Group, USA, 2000-2001
Global Assessment and Development Manager, UBS AG, Basel & New York, 1998-2000
University research feature: Shaping the modern view of responsible leadership
http://www.unisa.edu.au/research/research-themes/transforming-societies/shaping-the-modern-view-of-responsible-leadership/
Leadership
Leadership in a global stakeholder context
Responsible leadership mindset and styles
Responsible leadership and trust
Executive education and leadership development
Neuroscience of leadership
Organizational Behaviour
Decision making and moral imagination
Diversity, Ethics, and Inclusion
Empathy, mindfulness, and well-being
Building a diversity culture of inclusion
Strategy, CSR and Sustainability
Micro-foundations of strategy, CSR and sustainability
Global governance
Stakeholder engagement and conflict resolution
... Read moreResearch
Excludes commercial-in-confidence projects.
Neuroscience of Leadership (Principal Investigator)
Mindfulness, Responsible Leadership, and Decision Making (Principal Investigator)
Research
Research outputs for the last seven years are shown below. Some long-standing staff members may have older outputs included. To see earlier years visit ORCID, ResearcherID or Scopus
Open access indicates that an output is open access.
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2021 |
Open access
6
7
4
|
| 2016 |
Open access
236
186
1
|
| 2012 |
197
165
|
| 2011 |
328
260
|
| 2009 |
Open access
152
113
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2022 |
1
3
|
| 2022 |
Pless, NM & Maak, T 2022, Responsible Leadership, Routledge, US.
3
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2024 |
|
| 2023 |
1
|
| 2022 |
|
| 2022 |
|
| 2022 |
|
| 2022 |
|
| 2022 |
|
| 2022 |
|
| 2021 |
|
| 2020 |
Open access
|
| 2020 |
|
| 2020 |
Open access
|
| 2019 |
Open access
|
| 2019 |
Open access
4
|
| 2017 |
|
| 2017 |
Open access
1
|
| 2017 |
Open access
|
| 2014 |
|
| 2014 |
16
3
|
| 2013 |
37
|
| 2012 |
|
| 2011 |
4
1
|
| 2009 |
5
|
| 2009 |
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2025 |
Open access
|
| 2024 |
3
2
2
|
| 2024 |
|
| 2023 |
Open access
|
| 2023 |
Open access
3
3
|
| 2023 |
Open access
8
3
|
| 2022 |
Open access
|
| 2022 |
Open access
46
43
2
|
| 2021 |
Open access
69
41
6
|
| 2021 |
Open access
13
10
1
|
| 2021 |
Open access
6
7
4
|
| 2017 |
Open access
8
6
|
| 2017 |
40
26
|
| 2016 |
Open access
236
186
1
|
| 2014 |
12
|
| 2014 |
102
85
|
| 2012 |
56
47
|
| 2012 |
Open access
102
77
|
| 2012 |
Open access
97
80
|
| 2012 |
197
165
|
| 2011 |
Open access
192
187
|
| 2011 |
328
260
|
| 2010 |
Open access
2
|
| 2009 |
Open access
152
113
|
| 2009 |
51
46
|
| 2008 |
|
| 2008 |
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2013 |
2
|
| 2013 |
2
|
| 2012 |
|
| 2011 |
|
Peer-reviewed Conference Presentations
Milstein, N., Ashkanasy, N. M., Berson, Y., Andrus, J., Wang, D., Balthazard, P. A., Berka, C., Blader, S., Goldstein, A., Gordon, I., Hannah, S., Maak, T., Maja, M., Pless, N., Richardson, T. & Sullivan, D. W. (2020). A biological perspective to leadership and team processes. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2020(1), 17684. https://journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/AMBPP.2020.17684symposium
Maak, T., & Pless, N.M. 2019. Reflective sense and sensibility: How the philosophy of shared agency may enlighten organizational research. EGOS Conference, Edinburgh, Scotland, July 4-6.
Maak, T., Pless, N.M. & Voegtlin C. 2018. Not Taken by Surprise: How Integrative Responsible Leaders Manage the Contradictions of Political CSR. EGOS Conference, Tallinn, Estonia, July.
Pless, N. M. & Maak, T. 2017. Responsible global leadership development that makes a difference – A study on four leadership development programs. Presented at 33th EGOS Colloquium in Copenhagen, July 6-8, 2017.
Pless, N. M., Maak, T. & Borecka, M. 2017. The call for responsible leadership and new approaches to developing resonant and responsible leaders. Presented at the 24th Annual AAPAE conference (Australian Association of Professional and Applied Ethics), Sydney, June 21-23, 2017.
Pless, N.M., Maak, T. & Murphy, M. B. 2017. Entrepreneurial leadership for social innovation. Presented at the 24th Annual AAPAE conference, Sydney, June 21-23, 2017.
Maak, T. & Pless, N.M. 2016. Leader mindfulness and ethical decision-making. Pesented at the Annual AAPAE conference (Australian Association of Professional and Applied Ethics), Adelaide, June 17, 2016.
Maak, T., Pless, N.M. & Voegtlin C. 2015. CEO Responsible Leadership Styles & the Micro-foundations of Political CSR. Presented at Academy of Management, Vancouver, August 7-11.
Maak, T., Pless, N. M. & Borecka, M. 2014. Developing Responsible Global Leaders: The Rise and Methodology of International Service-Learning Programs. Presented at the Academy of International Business Conference, Vancouver, June 24-27, 2014.
Pless, N. M., Maak, T., Waldman, D. E. & Wang, D. 2014. Responsible Leadership Scale: Construct Development and Testing. Presented at to the 74th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Philadelphia, Aug. 01-05, 2014.
Eisenbeiss, S., Maak, T. & Pless, N. M. 2013. The role of mindfulness in responsible leader decision making. Presented at Vincentian Conference, DePaul University, Chicago, October 17-19, 2013.
Maak, T., Pless, N. M. & Voegtlin, C. 2014. A Multilevel Contingency Model of Responsible CEO Leadership Styles in a Global World. Presented at the 73th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Philadelphia, Aug. 01-05, 2014.
Stikic, M., Berka, C., Waldman, D., Balthazard, P., Pless, N. & Maak, T. 2014. Operational Neuroscience: Enabling Real-World Applications in Team Settings. Proceedings of the 1st Brain Awareness Week 2014 conference: Brain-Computer Interface from Student-to-Student Interface: BCI from SSI, University of Belgrade, Serbia, March 14.
Waldman, D.E. , Wang, D., Stikic, M. Berka, C., Balthazard, P., Richardson, T., Pless, N. & Maak, T. 2013. Emergent Leadership and Team Engagement: An Application of Neuroscience Technology and Methods. Presented at the 73th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Lake Buena Vista, FL, Aug. 09-13, 2013. Included in the Best Paper Proceedings (OB division)
Johnson, R., Berka, C., Waldman, D., Balthazard, P., Tan, V., Giby, R., Pless N., & Maak, T. 2013. Neurophysiological predictors of Team performance. HCI International 2013, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 21-26, 2013.
Maja Stikic, Chris Berka, David Waldman, Pierre Balthazard, Pless Nicola, Thomas Maak 2013. Neurophysiological Estimation of Team Psychological Metrics. HCI International 2013, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July 21-26, 2013.
Maak, T., Pless, N.M., & Murphy, M. 2012. Social Innovation at the Bottom of the Pyramid - The Role of Boundary Spanners in a Novel Global Game. Presented at Strategic Management Society, Singapore, June 7-9, 2012.
Pless, N.M. & Maak, T. 2012. Thinking about Doing the Right Thing – Mapping the Responsibility Mindsets of Leaders. Presented at the 72th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Boston, MA, Aug. 03-07, 2012. Included in the Best Paper Proceedings (SIM division)
Pless, N. M., Murphy, M., & Maak, T. 2012. Leadership, Stakeholder Culture, and Social Innovation. Presented at the 72th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Boston, MA, Aug. 03-07, 2012.
Maak, T. & Pless, N.M. 2012. Can wisdom be learned? Presented at international conference on „Wise management in times of complexity“. CEIBS, China Europe International Business School, Shanghai, May 23-24.
Pless, N.M., Maak, T. & Stahl, G. 2011. Promoting CSR and Sustainable Development Through Service Learning Programs. Presented at the 71th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, San Antonio, Texas, Aug. 12-16, 2011. Winner of the Sage/Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies Best Paper Award for the most significant contribution to advance leadership and organizational studies (MED division)
Pless, N.M, Maak, T. & Stahl, G. 2010. Developing Responsible Global Leaders through Integrated Service Learning – The Ulysses Experience at PricewaterhouseCoopers, paper presentation at the 70th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Montréal, Canada, Aug. 4-11, 2010. Best International Paper Finalist for Carolyn Dexter Award (MED division)
Research
University research feature: Shaping the modern view of responsible leadership
http://www.unisa.edu.au/research/research-themes/transforming-societies/shaping-the-modern-view-of-responsible-leadership/
Leadership
Leadership in a global stakeholder context
Responsible leadership mindset and styles
Responsible leadership and trust
Executive education and leadership development
Neuroscience of leadership
Organizational Behaviour
Decision making and moral imagination
Diversity, Ethics, and Inclusion
Empathy, mindfulness, and well-being
Building a diversity culture of inclusion
Strategy, CSR and Sustainability
Micro-foundations of strategy, CSR and sustainability
Global governance
Stakeholder engagement and conflict resolution
Sustainable value creation, UNSDG
Social innovation and entrepeneurship
Organizational legitimacy and trust
BOARDS
Guardian, Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (partnership of EFMD, AACSB and UN Global Compact)
Section Editor / Editorial Board (since 2012), Journal of Business Ethics (FT 50, IF 8,1)
Editorial Board Member, Academy of Management Collections
Editorial Board Member, Academy of Management Perspectives
Editorial Board Member, Emerald, Advances in Global Leadership
Board Member, Management Board (2011-2014), Academic Network Board (since 2015), Academy of Business in Society, Brussels
HONORARY POSITIONS
Honorary Professor, University of Queensland
Distinguished Visiting Professor, EBS University, Oestrich-Winkel, Germany (2019-2022)
Honorary Jef Van Gerwen Chair, University of Antwerp (2010-2011)
AWARDS (Research, Teaching, Reviewer)
Academy of Management Divisional Best Reviewer Award (2023)
Academy of Management Divisional Best Paper Award Finalist (2023)
Emerald Literati Award for Outstanding Paper (2022)
Academy of Management Divisional Best Paper Award (2022)
Emerald Literati Award for Outstanding Author Contribution (2021)
Winner of the Aspen Institute's Faculty Pioneer Award (2013) for teaching innovation and excellence (featured by Poets&Quants)
GLAC Research Award, San Jose State University (2012)
Sage Best Paper Award (2011) for the most significant contribution to advance leadership and organizational studies
AOM Best Paper Award (2011), Academy of Management
AOM, Carolyn Dexter Award Finalist (2010), Academy of Management
External engagement & recognition
| Organisation | Country |
|---|---|
| Advanced Brain Monitoring | UNITED STATES |
| Ankara University | TURKEY |
| Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University | TURKEY |
| Arizona State University | UNITED STATES |
| Better Business (2B) | UNITED KINGDOM |
| California State University | UNITED STATES |
| Dialogarchitekt® | GERMANY |
| Esade Business School | SPAIN |
| Indian Institute Of Management Bangalore | INDIA |
| Indian Institute of Management Sambalpur | INDIA |
| INSEAD | FRANCE |
| International University of Rabat | MOROCCO |
| Istanbul Medeniyet University | TURKEY |
| Microsoft Corporation | UNITED STATES |
| Private Individual | UNITED KINGDOM |
| Ramon Llull University | SPAIN |
| Rutgers University | UNITED STATES |
| San Jose State University | UNITED STATES |
| St. Bonaventure University | UNITED STATES |
| Stellenbosch University | SOUTH AFRICA |
| Swinburne University of Technology | AUSTRALIA |
| University College Cork | IRELAND |
| University of Barcelona | SPAIN |
| University of Melbourne | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Navarra | SPAIN |
| University of Oxford | UNITED KINGDOM |
| University of Queensland | AUSTRALIA |
| University of South Australia | AUSTRALIA |
| University of St Gallen | SWITZERLAND |
| University of Sydney | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Tennessee | UNITED STATES |
| University of Tubingen | GERMANY |
| University of Victoria | CANADA |
| University of Zurich | SWITZERLAND |
| Vienna University of Economics and Business | AUSTRIA |
| Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City | VIET NAM |
| Western University | CANADA |
| Zurich University of Applied Sciences | SWITZERLAND |
External engagement & recognition
| Engagement/recognition | Year |
|---|---|
Editorial Board MemberJournal of Business Ethics |
2024 |
Best Reviewer AwardAcademy of Management Collections |
2023 |
Editorial Board MemberJournal of Business Ethics |
2023 |
Editorial Review BoardAcademy of Management Collections |
2023 |
Fellow at the Institute of CoachingMcClean Hospital / Harvard Medical School Affiliate |
2023 |
Finalist for the MED evidence-based leadership development awardAcademy of Management |
2023 |
Keynote AddressInternational Leadership Association |
2023 |
AOM Best Published Article AwardAcademy of Management |
2022 |
Award for Outstanding PaperEmerald Literati Awards |
2022 |
Best Published Paper AwardAcademy of Management |
2022 |
Editorial Board MemberJournal of Business Ethics |
2022 |
Editorial Review BoardAcademy of Management Collections |
2022 |
Invited Lecture to an established lecture programTOPOS Distinguished Speaker Seminar Series, University of Oxford / Saïd Business School |
2022 |
Award for Outstanding Author ContributionEmerald Literati Awards |
2021 |
Distinguished Visiting ProfessorEBS University, Oestrich-Winkel, Germany |
2021 |
EditorThe Routledge Companion to Corporate Social Responsibility |
2021 |
Editorial Board MemberJournal of Business Ethics |
2021 |
Editorial Review BoardAcademy of Management Collections |
2021 |
Selected for special JMS Thematic Collection as one of 10 most-cited papers, Paper title: Business Statesman or Shareholder Advocate?Journal of Management Studies |
2021 |
Selected for the Nature Public Health Emergency Collection of the US government, Paper title: Responsible leadership and the reflective CEO: Resolving stakeholder conflict by imagining what could be done.US National Library of Medicine |
2021 |
Associate editorJournal of Business Ethics |
2020 |
Distinguished Visiting ProfessorEBS University, Oestrich-Winkel, Germany |
2020 |
Editorial Review BoardAcademy of Management Collections |
2020 |
Paper title: Responsible leadership and the reflective CEO: Resolving stakeholder conflict by imagining what could be doneRecommended by Springer Nature as a resource in the COVID-19 crisis to the World Health Organization |
2020 |
Associate editorJournal of Business Ethics |
2019 |
Editorial Board MemberAdvances in Global Leadership |
2018 |
Editorial Board MemberAdvances in Global Leadership |
2017 |
MemberAcademy of International Business (AIB) |
2017 |
MemberAcademy of Management (AOM) |
2017 |
Board MemberBoard of Academic Affairs of the MSc in Management, ESADE |
2016 |
Editorial Board MemberAdvances in Global Leadership |
2016 |
Section EditorJournal of Business Ethics, Springer |
2016 |
Board MemberBoard of Academic Affairs of the MSc in Management, ESADE |
2015 |
Editorial Board MemberBusiness and Professional Ethics Journal |
2015 |
Keynote speakerSummer Leadership Symposium on Responsible Leadership, Cass Business School |
2015 |
Section EditorJournal of Business Ethics, Springer |
2015 |
Board MemberBoard of Academic Affairs of the MSc in Management, ESADE |
2014 |
Editorial Board MemberBusiness and Professional Ethics Journal |
2014 |
Management Board MemberAcademy of Business in Society (ABIS) |
2014 |
Section EditorJournal of Business Ethics, Springer |
2014 |
Track Chair on Responsible LeadershipEGOS Conference |
2014 |
Aspen Faculty Pioneer Award, teaching innovation and excellence for the Business-in-SocietyThe Aspen Institute |
2013 |
Best Paper, Emergent Leadership and Team Engagement, An Application of Neuroscience Technology and MethodsAcademy of Management (AOM) |
2013 |
Board MemberBoard of Academic Affairs of the MSc in Management, ESADE |
2013 |
Editorial Board MemberBusiness and Professional Ethics Journal |
2013 |
Keynote speakerGerman Association of University Professors and Lecturers |
2013 |
Management Board MemberAcademy of Business in Society (ABIS) |
2013 |
Section EditorJournal of Business Ethics, Springer |
2013 |
Best Paper, Thinking about doing the right thing, Mapping the responsibility mindsets of leaders.Academy of Management (AOM) |
2012 |
Board MemberBoard of Academic Affairs of the MSc in Management, ESADE |
2012 |
Editorial Board MemberBusiness and Professional Ethics Journal |
2012 |
GLAC award of Global Leadership Advancement CenterSan Jose State University |
2012 |
Keynote speakerEABIS Service Learning Congress, ESSEC Paris |
2012 |
Management Board MemberAcademy of Business in Society (ABIS) |
2012 |
Section EditorJournal of Business Ethics, Springer |
2012 |
Best Paper Award - Promoting CSR and sustainable development through service learning programsAcademy of Management (AOM) |
2011 |
Board MemberBoard of Academic Affairs of the MSc in Management, ESADE |
2011 |
Editorial Board MemberBusiness and Professional Ethics Journal |
2011 |
Honorary Professorship - Jef Van Gerwen SJ ChairUniversity of Antwerp |
2011 |
Management Board MemberAcademy of Business in Society (ABIS) |
2011 |
Sage Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies Best Paper Award for the most significant contribution to advance leadership and organizational studiesAcademy of Management (AOM) |
2011 |
Editorial Board MemberBusiness and Professional Ethics Journal |
2010 |
Speaker Series (recent)
Responsible Leadership and Purpose: The four orientations that determine philosophy, strategy, and value creation, Trinity College, 2024, https://ti.to/trinity-business-school/business-ethics-seminar-nicola-pless
Responsible Leadership and Purpose. San Francisco State University, 2024, https://cob.sfsu.edu/event/responsible-leadership
Globally Responsible Leadership Collaboratory, International Leadership Association in collaboration with GRLI, 2023
TOPOS Distinguished Speaker Seminar Series, University of Oxford Saïd, 2022
Winner of the Aspen Institute's Faculty Pioneer Award for Teaching Innovation and Excellence
Certified executive coach INSEAD
Taught on executive programs, such as
- Georgetown ESADE Global Executive MBA
- Stanford ESADE CSR program
- INSEAD's Coaching Consulting for Change
Her innovative "Business in Society" core course on ESADE's Master of International Management took first place worldwide for CSR and Ethics in the Financial Times rankings 2013.
Member of faculty and design team of PwC's award-winning global leadership development program "Ulysses"
Supervised 14 Honours and PhD students at ESADE Business School (#21 Global FT MBA ranking) and University of St. Gallen (#1 Global FT Master of Management ranking)
Teaching & student supervision
Teaching & student supervision
Supervisions from 2010 shown
| Thesis title | Student status |
|---|---|
| A multi-level study of competitiveness, comparative advantage and intermediary functions: a case study of the South Australian medical devices industry sector | Completed |
| Corporate social responsibility, employee engagement and the effect on employee dignity | Completed |
| The person-environment fit approach to employee resilience: the role of leadership and co-worker support | Completed |
