Douglas Lindsay

About Douglas Lindsay

I help leaders and organizations perform when it matters most. As the Founder of Next Mission Leadership, I work with senior leaders, teams, and organizations to navigate high-stakes decisions, lead through uncertainty, and execute when the pressure is highest. My work sits at the intersection of leadership science and real-world application, translating decades of military leadership experience into practical strategies that drive performance in complex environments. Over a 22-year career as a U.S. Air Force officer, I served as a behavioral scientist, professor, and director of research at the U.S. Air Force Academy, where I focused on leadership, decision-making, and human performance. I later built and led a graduate program in the Psychology of Leadership at Penn State, scaling it to more than 250 students worldwide. Today, through Next Mission Leadership, I advise organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to veteran-focused institutions—helping them develop leaders who can think clearly, take ownership, and act decisively when it counts. My approach is grounded in both research and experience, shaped by over 1,500 hours of executive coaching and years of working alongside senior military leaders at the highest levels. I also serve as Deputy Editor at Military.com, where I write and shape stories focused on the intersection of military service, leadership, and national security—bringing visibility to the issues that impact those who serve. I am the co-author of In Your Moment, a book focused on how leaders navigate critical decision points that define outcomes and consequences. If your organization is preparing leaders for what comes next, especially when the stakes are high, we should talk.

Experience

1. Deputy Editor

   Military.Com

   Aug 2025 — Present · Colorado Springs, CO, US

   Lead editorial strategy and thought leadership focused on leadership, national security, and the military community.• Produce widely read reporting and analysis on leadership, military culture, and national security issues• Conduct interviews with senior military leaders, policymakers, and subject-matter experts• Shape editorial coverage that informs millions of service members, veterans, and defense stakeholders• Translate complex leadership and national security topics into accessible insights for a broad audience

Education

• United States Air Force Academy

  Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Behavioral Sciences

  1988 — 1992

• Penn State University

  Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Industrial and Organizational Psychology

• The University of Texas at San Antonio

  Master's degree, Experimental Psychology

  2003 — 2004

• Penn State University

  PhD, Industrial/Organizational Psychology

  2005 — 2008