Bernard (Bernie) Banks is a noted expert on the subjects of leadership and organizational change. Currently, he is the Associate Dean for Leadership Development and Inclusion and a Clinical Professor of Management at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. As an Associate Dean, Bernie is accountable for leader development integration across the school's global portfolio of programs. He is also accountable for the generation, integration and implementation of Diversity/Equity/Inclusion initiatives for the institution.  

Bernie retired from the United States Army as a Brigadier General in 2016 after having successfully led West Point's Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership from 2012-2016. In addition to having studied leadership extensively, he has led multiple military units ranging in size from 10 to 3000+ people. In 1995, Bernie was selected from over 40,000 officers to receive the Army's top award for entry-level managers (General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award). In 2006, the Apache Helicopter unit he was leading in South Korea was designated as the top Apache Helicopter unit globally in the U.S. Army's annual best aviation unit competition.

A West Point graduate, Bernie is broadly educated. He holds graduates degrees from Northwestern, Columbia, and Harvard Universities. Additionally, he earned his Ph.D. in social-organizational psychology from Columbia University. Bernie's work has been published in a variety of outlets (e.g., Harvard Business Review, Military Psychology, New York Times). Furthermore, he has worked extensively with organizations across all sectors concerning their leader development efforts (e.g., Procter and Gamble, Mercedes Benz, General Electric, IBM, 7-Eleven, The US Forest Service, International Chiefs of Police).

Areas of Expertise

Leader Development
Organizational Change
Organizational Culture

Leader Development, Leadership, Organizational Change, Culture

• Doctor of Philosophy, 2012, Social-Organizational Psychology, Columbia University
• Master of Philosophy, 2011, Social-Organizational Psychology, Columbia University
• Master of Arts, 2009, Organizational Psychology, Columbia University
• Master of Business Administration, 2008, General Management, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
• Master of Business Administration, 2008, General Management, Schulich School Of Business, York University
• Master of Public Administration, 2002, Leadership, Kennedy School of Management, Harvard University
• Bachelor of Science, 1987, Political Science, United States Military Academy

• Instructor, Assistant Professor, and Department Executive Officer (Chief of Staff), Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership, United States Military Academy at West Point, 8/31/2004
• Academy Professor, Deputy Department Head and Department Head, Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership, United States Military Academy at West Point, 8/31/2016

• US Army Officer, 1987-2016

Leadership, Organizational Change

Private Equity

Participants in this highly interactive program, master the processes and tools required to unleash the potential in individuals, energize their teams, and empower people to achieve consistently higher levels of performance and deliver better bottom-line results.

The PHYSICIAN CEO™ Program

Leadership Development Models & Practices (LDEVX-930-0)
This is a foundational course in the leadership field that deals with a core competency and responsibility for managers: developing leaders. In short, it concentrates on how we (as leaders in organizations) can develop team members to realize their potential. Growing others' talents helps managers to accomplish the mission and improve their organizations. The course employs a variety of pedagogy techniques (e.g., lectures, discussion groups, guest speakers) and requires students to submit a final paper detailing how course material relates to a leader development activity that is germane to their life. The course integrates theories and frameworks associated with constructs related to organizations, leadership, and adult development in order to provide you a more complete understanding of how leaders are nurtured. By the end of the course, you will be able to more cogently analyze and address team members' developmental needs and situations.

Leadership Development Models and Practices (LDEVM-930-5)
This is a survey course that addresses the building block topics of leadership. LDEVM 930-5 is designed to provide course participants knowledge that will help them exercise effective leadership. The material upon which this course rests is drawn from the disciplines that study human behavior at the levels of the individual, group, organization, and society: individual psychology, social psychology, organizational psychology, management, and sociology. Consequently, KACIM 930-5 draws on readings, lectures, exercises, conversations, and your experiences to explore the foundations and techniques related to leading. The final course deliverable is a paper detailing the student's "Leadership Philosophy."

Leader Development Models and Practices (LDEV-930-5)
This is a foundational course in the leadership field that deals with a core competency and responsibility for managers: developing leaders. In short, it concentrates on how we (as leaders in organizations) can develop team members to realize their potential. Growing others' talents helps managers to accomplish the mission and improve their organizations. The course builds upon MORS 430-0 (which examined leadership in organizations from a variety of perspectives). KACI 930-5 employs a variety of pedagogy techniques (e.g., lectures, discussion groups, guest speakers) and requires students to submit a final paper detailing how course material relates to a leader development activity that is germane to their life. The course integrates theories and frameworks associated with constructs related to organizations, leadership, and adult development in order to provide you a more complete understanding of how leaders are nurtured. By the end of the course, you will be able to more cogently analyze and address team members' developmental needs and situations.