Dr. Curtis Odom is an Associate Teaching Professor of Management and Organizational Development at Northeastern University's D'Amore-McKim School of Business. An award-winning management consultant, seven-time author, ICF Professional Certified Coach, Harvard Business Review Advisory Council member, and former Fortune 100 executive, Professor Odom consults and coaches from a career built on delivering measurable results. Educated as a scholar-practitioner at Pepperdine University, he brings decades of management consulting experience into both his research and his classroom. His teaching philosophy is experiential and participant-centered, drawing on case analyses, group discussions, podcasts, immersive simulations, generative AI, gamification, and competitive play to create learning environments that are as dynamic as the workplaces his students are preparing to enter. Professor Odom believes students should own their learning journey, and his teaching style reflects that conviction. Through candid dialogue and real-world application, he helps students navigate workforce culture with confidence and compete to win. His ability to connect academic theory to organizational practice is grounded in a 25-year career spanning corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, management consulting, and executive coaching. Before his career in industry and academia, Professor Odom served for a decade on active duty in the United States Navy, including a combat deployment during Operation Desert Storm.
Education
- EdD Organizational Change, Pepperdine University
- MEd Instructional Design, Wayne State University
- BS Computer Information Systems, Strayer University
Selected Publications
- Odom, C. L., Boulous, E. Things I Heard My Professor Say: Insights From My Favorite Business School Class. Jacksonville, Florida: Booknology / Adducent, Inc. Publisher
- Odom, C. L. From Campus To Corner Office: How Co-Ops And Internships Can Help You Win In The Workplace. Jacksonville, Florida: Booknology / Adducent, Inc. Publisher
- Odom, C. L. Mind The Gap: Getting Business Results In Multigenerational Organizations. Jacksonville, Florida: Booknology / Adducent, Inc. Publisher
- Odom, C. L. Generation X Approved: Top 20 Keys to Effective Leadership. Jacksonville, Florida: Booknology / Adducent, Inc. Publisher
- Odom, C. L. Stuck In The Middle: A Generation X View of Talent Management. Jacksonville, Florida: Booknology / Adducent, Inc. Publisher
- Odom, C. L. (2024). Avoid The ‘If You Only Had …' Paradox. Forbes Magazine. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2024/11/20/avoid-the-if-you-only-had–paradox/
- Odom, C. L. (2024). Benefits Of A Not-Like-Me Network. Forbes Magazine. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2024/10/22/benefits-of-a-not-like-me-network/
- Odom, C. L. (2024). 3 Reasons To Say Yes For Career Success. Forbes Magazine. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2024/10/01/3-reasons-to-say-yes-for-career-success/
- Odom, C. L. (2024). Your Relationship With Your Boss Matters. Forbes Magazine. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2024/08/30/your-relationship-with-your-boss-matters/
- McAllister, C. P., Odom, C. L. (2023). Job, Career, or Purpose? MIT Sloan Management Review. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/job-career-or-purpose/
- Gallagher, S. R., Odom, C. L., Borgida, M. (2023). Human Capital Measurement and Reporting: The New Frontier in Talent Strategy and ESG. (pp. 55). Boston, Massachusetts: Northeastern University. https://cps.northeastern.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Human-Capital-Measurement-and-Reporting.pdf#_ga=2.143576694.2124391123.1675258875-6818026.1675095926
- Odom, C. L., McAllister, C. P. (2022). Equity in the Hybrid Office. MIT Sloan Management Review. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/equity-in-the-hybrid-office/
- Odom, C. L. (2022). Upskilling And Reskilling To Future-Proof Your Organization. Forbes Magazine. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2022/01/25/upskilling-and-reskilling-to-future-proof-your-organization/?sh=5dba72324cee
- Odom, C. L., McAllister, C. P. (2021). Getting Representative Sponsorship Right in Your Organization. MIT Sloan Management Review. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/getting-representative-sponsorship-right-in-your-organization/
- Odom, C. L., McAllister, C. P. (2021). Why Pivoting People Is a Strategic Priority. MIT Sloan Management Review. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/why-pivoting-people-is-a-strategic-priority/isher
Selected Presentations
- Odom, C. L., ” Managing & Leading The Gig Economy Workforce”, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Leadership Forum, Cambridge, MA., June 2018
- Odom, C. L., “The Role of Cultural Fit In Attracting, Engaging, and Retaining Top Talent”, NAAAHR National Conference, Philadelphia, PA., October 2014
- Odom, C. L., “Bold Leadership: Creating a Culture Of Innovation”, ADP, Inc., AVS Division Annual Leadership Meeting and Customer Conference, Pomona, CA., July, 2014
- Odom, C. L., “The 5Rs of Talent Management for University Leaders”, MOR Associates Annual Leadership Summit and Conference, Chicago, IL., June, 2013
Research & Teaching Interests
Odom has over 20 years of international experience with Fortune 100 companies in aerospace and defense, software engineering, insurance and financial services, telecommunications, and healthcare. His focus areas are M&A post-merger integration, management consulting, enterprise change management, and organizational effectiveness as a practitioner, researcher, author, and keynote speaker.
Industry & Academic Experience
Odom is an experienced business transformation interim executive and acclaimed management consultant who provides pragmatic advice, coaching, support, and guidance to company executives, senior leaders, and management teams. He gets results for his clients by quickly connecting the dots of organizational culture to unlock employees' potential, harness intellectual property, and proprietary technology, and streamline internal processes to maximize company potential efficiently. Odom is often called on internationally to lead targeted business transformations to help iconic organizations compete more effectively and efficiently or make a strategic pivot. He partners with his clients often during bold, seismic shifts that an organization must make to accelerate and execute change and strategic growth beyond typical measures or incremental advancements.
Services to the Profession
Odom is an active member of the Association for Corporate Growth, Alliance of Mergers & Acquisition Advisors, American Mensa, Academy of Management, Association of Change Management Professionals, Strategic Management Society, and Management and Organizational Behavior Teaching Society. Odom's additional academic accomplishments include certification as a diversity practitioner from Cornell University and completing an Executive Certificate In Strategy and Innovation at The Sloan School of Management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Awards & Recognition
- Management Consulting Firm of The Year (USA), Corporate LiveWire, June 2024
- Management Consulting Firm of The Year (USA), Corporate LiveWire, June 2023
- Management Consulting Firm of The Year (USA), Corporate LiveWire, June 2020
- Best Teacher Of The Year Finalist, D'Amore-McKim School Of Business, May 2020
- Best Teacher Of The Year Finalist, D'Amore-McKim School Of Business, May 2019
