About us
Let's Get Acquainted
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to feel complete peace and certainty in your leadership decisions?
... certain that you are making the right call ... consistent with your core beliefs in both words and deeds?
... true to your principles ... faithful to all that distinguishes who you are ... defines you ... all that makes you you?
True leadership is not easy ... it is not something to be taken lightly ... rather, it can often be a daily struggle to genuinely guide the progress and growth of others, and of the entity whose leadership has been entrusted to you, while remaining true to who you are ... who you really are at your very core. Consistency; in thought, word and deed, can be challenging and leading with integrity is often lonely.
This is precisely what prompted the establishment of the Excellence in Leadership Institute.
We firmly believe that lasting Transformation is the product of coupling information with application through the development of enabling mindset convictions and cultivated behaviors adopted through practice, application and habit formation.
We strive to come alongside leaders like you to accompany you in your quest to grow into the leader you long to be ... the one you know you want to be ... you need to be.
We work with leaders from across the board; all levels of leadership within any size company or organization from every sector imaginable. We come beside you and walk with you through all the ups and downs ... regularly celebrating your victories and accomplishments.
Our current Signature Program, Leading with Integrity, focuses primarily on top executive leaders and includes one-on-one coaching and mentoring. Leading with Integrity is custom designed for each participant and its success is anchored in trust, transparency, vulnerability and accountability. You will be paired with a seasoned coach, an established leader who will work very closely with you, in confidence, to support you in your growth as a better leader and help you navigate through all the specifics of your own particular situation.
Contact us today for a frank exploration of whether this is THE PROGRAM you have been longing for.
That said, we are thrilled that you are here. As a visitor here, you are part of a fantastic community and we sincerely encourage you to add your voice in sharing your experiences, questions, struggles, experiments, suggestions and ideas with the rest of us. We are all in this together, learning from one another and supporting each other along our journeys.
Thank you so much for being part of this community. There are plenty of ways that you can become more involved. Please take a moment to share a little about yourself with us and subscribe to our Newsletter and upcoming Excellence in Leadership blog.
We look forward to getting better acquainted along the way!
A Guiding Light in the Midst of the Storm
About our founderS
David R. F. Hajjar
After more than 40 years of leadership experience, domestically and around the globe, David undertook to formally establish the Excellence in Leadership Institute as his primary vehicle for investing in leaders of today and for generations to come.
David has led teams and enterprises in both the public and private sectors and has founded and launched several successful businesses. For many years, he has invested much of himself, his experience and his expertise in the personal and professional development of those around him. David's wealth of knowledge and impressive track record provide a rich repertoire from which we, as an Institute, and you, as his friends and clients, draw on every day as he accompanies each of us in our ongoing quest to grow, develop and learn how to invest more effectively and meaningfully in ourselves and in all those we come in contact with.
Darin Gerdes
Darin is a leadersmith. He has spent most of his professional life cultivating leadership in others.
Darin is a Professor of Management in the College of Business and the Director of Instructional Technology at Charleston Southern University.
In his previous role as the Director of Graduate Programs in the School of Business, he designed the Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership program and co-designed the Master of Science in Human Resource Management program, and took the lead role in creating the university’s minor in Leadership. He holds undergraduate degrees in Government and Psychology from Liberty University, and a MBA, a MA in Public Policy, and a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Regent University.
Darin serves as the Director of Education for Great Business Networking (GBN) and is the past president of the Southeast Case Research Association (SECRA), and South Carolina Home Educator’s Association (SCHEA).
He is a member of the Christian Business Faculty Association (CBFA) where he was the recipient of the 2018 Teaching Award.
He is the host of the Leadersmith Podcast and he is the cofounder of the Excellence in Leadership Institute.
Dr. Gerdes lives in North Charleston with his wife and six children.
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some of our featured offerings
Introduction To Our Services
50x Your Productivity Boot Camp
A 30 module series designed to help you easily maximize your productivity. Each module takes you step-by-step through a simple and clearly articulated process which is reinforced with very specific actionable applications.
Impact Leadership Challenge
A free five-day challenge, followed by a two-day LIVE event, designed to help you transform into the leader that you would choose to follow.
Get Promoted Challenge
A free five-day challenge, followed by a two-day LIVE event, specifically aimed at getting you positioned for promotion.
Taking The Journey Together
Small Group Coaching: Impact Leadership
Twelve (12) - week small group (4-6 people) coaching / mentoring package designed to help you significantly increase your impact and broaden your influence as a leader.
Small Group Coaching: Get Promoted
Twelve (12) - week small group (4-6 people) coaching / mentoring package specifically aimed at getting you positioned for promotion in under 90 days.
1:1 Coaching Calls
A package of ten (10) personal 60-minute 1:1 confidential coaching calls. May also be purchased, at a discount, as an 'add on' to any of our featured Small Group Coaching packages.
Executive Coaching And Problem-Solving
Exclusive Top-Level Platinum Service
Executive 1:1 Coaching And Problem-Solving Package
The ultimate in confidentiality and discretion, this package is tailor-made to accompany executive leaders as you navigate the difficult decisions of top-level leadership in your quest to be the leader you are called to be.
Executive Small Group Coaching And Problem-Solving Package
Be empowered to operate at the highest level of leading with integrity with a small group of like-minded peers striving for excellence. Transparency, vulnerability, honesty and accountability are this package's key ingredients.
WHERE LEADERSHIP AND INTEGRITY MEET