Write for Profiles in Leadership Journal™
Contribute Your Leadership Insights
Profiles in Leadership Journal welcomes thoughtful articles from leaders, practitioners, and professionals who are actively shaping today’s workplaces.
Our readers are busy professionals. They are looking for ideas they can trust, lessons they can apply, and perspectives grounded in real leadership experience.
If you have learned something valuable through leading people, building organizations, or solving difficult workplace challenges, we invite you to share those insights with our community.
About Profiles in Leadership Journal
Profiles in Leadership Journal was founded in 1999 to highlight leadership that makes a difference.
For more than two decades, we have recognized and shared the voices of senior executives, rising leaders, and organizational innovators working across corporations, nonprofits, educational institutions, the military, and government.
Our mission is simple:
To spotlight leadership thinking that strengthens organizations and helps leaders succeed in complex environments.
We publish articles that offer practical insights, thoughtful reflection, and real-world leadership lessons.
Our Audience
Our readership includes:
- Emerging leaders preparing for larger responsibilities
- Senior executives navigating complex organizational challenges
- Human resources and talent development professionals
- Organizational decision-makers responsible for culture and performance
Readers turn to Profiles in Leadership Journal for ideas that are practical, credible, and grounded in real experience.
What We Publish
We seek articles that explore meaningful leadership challenges and offer insights that other professionals can apply in their own organizations.
Strong submissions typically:
- Address a real leadership challenge or opportunity
- Describe actions taken or strategies implemented
- Share measurable outcomes or meaningful observations
- Offer lessons that can benefit other leaders
The most successful articles are written by leaders who have experienced the issue firsthand and can share what they learned.
We welcome thoughtful perspectives from across industries and leadership roles.
Topics of Interest
Articles may explore topics such as:
- Leadership development
- Organizational culture
- Talent development and mentoring
- Succession planning
- Leading through change
- Building effective teams
- Communication and trust in leadership
- Innovation and organizational growth
- Career development and emerging leadership
Articles should focus on leadership practice rather than theory alone.
Writing Guidelines
Write with clarity and respect
Use a tone that is professional, thoughtful, and conversational. Write peer-to-peer, as one leader sharing insights with another.
Avoid jargon and overly academic language.
Define acronyms when first used.
Be concise and purposeful
Busy leaders appreciate writing that respects their time.
Introduce the central idea early and focus on insights that matter most.
Remove unnecessary background information.
Favor active voice
Active writing is clearer and more engaging.
Example:
Weak:
“Strategies were implemented to improve communication.”
Stronger:
“Our leadership team implemented three new communication practices.”
Focus on real experience
Readers value authenticity.
Whenever possible, describe:
- the challenge you faced
- the decisions made
- the actions taken
- the results observed
Articles grounded in experience are far more valuable than abstract commentary.
Provide practical insights
Consider addressing questions such as:
- What leadership challenge did you encounter?
- What specific actions did you take?
- What worked well and what did not?
- What lessons did you learn?
- What advice would you offer other leaders facing similar challenges?
Use structure to improve readability
Effective articles are easy to navigate.
We encourage the use of:
- subheadings
- short paragraphs
- bullet points where appropriate
These elements help busy readers absorb key ideas quickly.
Support your ideas when possible
Authors may strengthen their articles by including:
- examples from their organization
- case illustrations
- relevant research or data
- quotations from leaders or team members
Evidence adds credibility and depth to your insights.
Avoid promotional content
Profiles in Leadership Journal is an editorial publication, not a marketing platform.
Articles should focus on ideas and lessons, not product or service promotion.
Submissions that read primarily as advertising will not be accepted.
Article Length and Originality
Articles should be 500 to 1,500 words.
Submissions must be original and unpublished.
We do not publish articles that have previously appeared in other publications, blogs, or company websites.
Style and Formatting
Please follow the Chicago Manual of Style for grammar, punctuation, and formatting.
Submit articles in Microsoft Word format when possible.
Optional Visuals
Charts, graphics, or infographics may be included when they help clarify ideas or illustrate results.
Visual elements should support the article’s message rather than serve as promotional materials.
What We Do Not Publish
To maintain editorial integrity, we do not accept:
- previously published articles
- academic research papers written for scholarly journals
- product or service promotions
- ghostwritten marketing content
Our goal is to publish authentic leadership insights from real practitioners.
Author Information
Please include the following with your submission:
- Author name
- Professional title and organization
- A short author bio (2–3 sentences)
- A professional headshot (optional but encouraged)
- Complete contact information
Submission Process
Please submit articles, commentary, or leadership perspectives to:
James R. Rector
Publisher
publisher@leadershipjournal.com
Our editorial team reviews all submissions and will contact authors if their article is selected for publication.
Due to the number of submissions we receive, we may not be able to respond to every inquiry.
Copyright
Upon publication, copyright of the article is held by Profiles in Leadership Journal.
Thank You
We appreciate your interest in contributing to Profiles in Leadership Journal.
Leadership grows stronger when experienced leaders share what they have learned. Your voice may help another leader navigate a challenge, solve a problem, or see a situation differently.
We look forward to reading your work.