University of North Texas Adopts Bestselling Author Jim Carlough's Leadership Framework Into Business School Curriculum

The Six Pillars of Effective Leadership: A Roadmap to Success

The Six Pillars of Effective Leadership has been adopted into UNT's Sales and Marketing Leadership curriculum via a signed agreement with four faculty members

DALLAS, TX, UNITED STATES, September 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Jim Carlough, author, keynote speaker, and executive coach known as “The Leadership Identity Architect,” has signed a Permission and Release Agreement with the University of North Texas (UNT) authorizing use of his Amazon bestselling, International Impact Book Award-winning title, The Six Pillars of Effective Leadership: A Roadmap to Success, as a recommended resource within UNT's College of Business Sales and Marketing Leadership curriculum.

The agreement, signed by four UNT faculty members — including an Adjunct Professor, Principal Lecturer, Lecturer, and Clinical Associate Professor — grants non-exclusive educational rights to assign, distribute, and incorporate Carlough's work into coursework, lectures, presentations, and the University's learning management system within the Sales and Marketing Leadership program. UNT is one of the largest universities in the United States, and this curriculum adoption within its College of Business marks one of the most significant milestones of Carlough's debut as an author.

For a first-time author, this is a rare distinction. Plenty of well-known names in the leadership space have written books. Very few can point to a university this size formally weaving their work into its academic curriculum.

“When I wrote The Six Pillars of Effective Leadership, I believed it had the power to change how the next generation of leaders sees themselves and leads others. Having UNT formally adopt it into their Sales and Marketing Leadership curriculum is beyond anything I imagined for a first book. Leadership isn't a title. It's an identity. And now that message will be built into the foundation of future leaders while they're still learning who they are.”
— Jim Carlough, Author & Keynote Speaker, The Leadership Identity Architect

The framework at the center of Carlough's work identifies six core pillars that define effective leadership: Integrity, Focus, Compassion, Stability, Empathy, and Humor. The book challenges the widespread belief that leadership failure is a skills problem, arguing instead that it is fundamentally an identity problem — a concept Carlough has named the Leadership Identity Gap. His thesis is that most leaders don't need more tools; they need a stronger sense of who they are as leaders.

“We are always looking for guest speakers and authors of material that can bridge the gap between academic theory and the practical realities our students will face in the workplace. Jim Carlough's personal leadership experience speaks directly to what has made him successful in the business world. The Six Pillars gives our students a values-based framework for what to expect from a successful leader, and how to incorporate those expectations when setting career goals with their managers. It offers practical guidance on what a great leader looks like, and how students should model themselves for success as they move up through management ranks throughout their career.”
— Timothy Smith, Adjunct Professor, University of North Texas

Carlough, who formerly served as Chief Sales Officer of mPulse and brings over 30 years of C-suite experience to his keynotes and coaching, was named IAOTP Chief Sales Officer of the Year for 2025. He is a Forbes Business Council contributor and has appeared on more than 70 podcasts. His keynote, From Manager to Leader: Closing the Identity Gap, is available for conferences, corporate events, and academic institutions.

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ABOUT JIM CARLOUGH
Jim Carlough is a keynote speaker, executive coach, Forbes Business Council contributor, and author of The Six Pillars of Effective Leadership: A Roadmap to Success. A recipient of the International Impact Book Award and Amazon bestseller, his work and speaking are centered on the Leadership Identity Gap — the idea that leadership failures stem from an identity problem, not a skills gap. He speaks to CHROs, HR directors, and leadership teams across healthcare, technology, education, and government sectors. Learn more at jimcarlough.com.

Lead Boldly, Inspire Boundlessly.
jim@jimcarlough.com • 972.838.0060 • jimcarlough.com

Jim Carlough
Jim Carlough, The Leadership Identity Architect
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