About Us
Our People, Our Purpose, Our Passion
Who We Are
Marathon Leadership was founded to bring endurance, insight, and real transformation into leadership development.
Built on the metaphor of the marathon, this work is rooted in the idea that leadership isn’t a sprint – it’s a journey that requires persistence, pacing, and evolution. Drawing from the “26.2 lessons” model, Dr. David D. Knapp translates organizational and communication research into training, coaching, and consulting that leaders and teams can lean into.
Through strategic partnerships and a personalized approach, David works alongside organizations to cultivate clarity, strengthen connection, and build sustainable leadership capacity.
Our Mission
To equip leaders and teams with practical tools and insight that build clarity, resilience, and long-term success. We translate cutting-edge research into meaningful development experiences that help individuals and organizations thrive.
Our Vision
We envision a future where leadership is rooted in clarity, purpose, and genuine connection. By helping individuals grow with confidence and intention, we support organizations in building healthier, more adaptive workplaces.
Our Values
Our values are rooted in endurance, insight, and integrity. We build lasting impact through honest partnership, practical wisdom, and a deep understanding of real-world challenges. We adapt with purpose, lead with heart, and stay committed to helping others grow.
Trainers · Coaches · Consultants
Our Team
Each of our trainers, coaches, and consultants brings deep expertise in leadership, team dynamics, and change. Together, we combine our strengths to design programs, coaching, and consulting that support your growth journey from the inside out.
Why Marathon Leadership®?
Leadership isn’t a sprint. It’s a 26.2-mile journey
For years, this company was called Clear Ideas Consulting. During that time, Dr. David D. Knapp’s signature leadership class was entitled The 21st-Century Leader, because he believed the new century (and millennium) required a new approach to leadership – one grounded in self-awareness, adaptability, and shared power. And he still believes that wholeheartedly.
Then one cold, rainy morning during a long training run, David found himself tired, distracted, and questioning why he was out there. But he was in the middle of a marathon training cycle – and skipping the long run wasn’t an option. So he kept putting one foot in front of the other. That’s when it hit him: sometimes the only thing you can do is keep moving forward – whether you’re running a marathon, managing a small team, or leading an entire organization. By the time he returned to his desk, he had begun compiling a list of leadership lessons that mirrored the journey of marathon training. What started as a dozen ideas soon became 26 – and then 26.2.
That was the moment the company became Marathon Leadership®. Since then, the 26.2 Essential Lessons for Modern Leaders have formed the foundation of David’s work – lessons that resonate with seasoned runners and self-avowed couch potatoes alike. Because leadership, like a marathon, is a deeply personal and transformational journey. And the world’s greatest challenges won’t be solved through sprints, but by ordinary people becoming marathon leaders: those with the endurance and durability to go the distance.
The Philosophy of Marathon Leadership
In a world that demands instant results, too many leaders are burning out before they reach the finish line. In this video, Dr. David Knapp introduces the philosophy of Marathon Leadership — the idea that true success requires pacing, preparation, and the endurance to go the distance.