Faculty

Douglas Crissman, ME, BS

Major General (Retired, U.S. Army)
U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Class of 1988
Areas of Expertise

Transformational leadership, leader development, team building & culture development, mission command, keynote speaker, leadership coaching 

Experience

A career infantryman and third-generation graduate of West Point, Doug led organizations from the platoon through the two-star level during over 33 years of service. Command and staff assignments around the world provided uncommon breadth and unique challenges building and leading teams to prevail in complex environments.   

Doug’s key military positions included commanding during combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan; Executive Officer & Senior Military Advisor to the Secretary of the Army; and Deputy Commanding General of both an 18,000-Soldier U.S. Army Division as well as a Division in the British Army.   

As a general officer, Doug led the Army’s Mission Command Center of Excellence where he helped refine the Army’s “Mission Command” approach which seeks to empower subordinate decision-making and decentralized execution through building competence, mutual trust, and shared understanding. 

In addition to his work with Thayer Leadership, Doug serves as a consultant and strategic advisor to several companies, helping them navigate various leadership and business challenges. As a leadership mentor, he has contributed to continuous growth and development of leaders across a variety of corporate teams. Doug has also been retained by the Army as a senior advisor for several senior leadership programs including mentoring the Army’s newly selected Brigadier Generals each year. 

Education
  • U.S. Army Senior Service College Fellowship; Leadership and National Security Policy, University of Texas
  • ME, Systems Engineering, University of Virginia
  • BS, Environmental Engineering, U.S. Military Academy at West Point
Publications/Awards
  • Doug’s passion for leader development inspired him to focus on the topics of transformational leadership and effective leader communication. His article, “Improving the Leader Development Experience in Army Units,” Military Review, describes the pivotal role mid-level leaders play in raising the next generation of leaders through deliberate and connected efforts. Doug’s Thayer article, “I Don’t Know What I’ve Said Until You Tell Me What You’ve Heard,” CEO Magazine, describes the military’s use of leader tools to provide clarity to their teams while encouraging feedback and initiative.
Organizations
  • Doug serves as a Board Member for Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation (WWIA) which provides world-class outdoor experiences to our Nation’s combat-wounded and for the American Battle Monuments Foundation (ABMF) which helps ensure sufficient funding for our American cemeteries and monuments overseas.
Personal

Doug fuels his passion for the great outdoors by section-hiking the Appalachian Trail and by working part-time at an outdoor gear store.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.