Founder, Institute of Global Integrity & Leadership (IGIL)
Integrity must be the foundation of leadership; without it, you have nothing.
KEITH GROUNSELL
Founder’s Story
The Institute of Global Integrity & Leadership (IGIL) was founded after nearly three decades of service in law enforcement at the city, county, state, federal, and international levels. That journey included eight years of international command, working with national police forces from over 85 countries, advising up to presidential appointees, serving as Chief Investigator for the largest prosecutor’s office in South Carolina, leading a 36-county gang/drug/violent-crime task force, serving as a Special Agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), spending six years deep undercover in narcotics, and serving as a two-time Chief of Police.
Leadership at IGIL is not based on theory but on experience. These lessons were forged in the field, in moments where integrity came at a personal cost. Standing publicly against corruption meant losing a position for refusing to compromise principles, facing threats against life and career, and ultimately regaining that role with full back pay. From there, the pursuit of accountability led to indictments and convictions against politicians and high-ranking law enforcement officials for crimes ranging from public corruption to covering up murder and rape.
In the face of those battles, progress was still achieved. Under this leadership, two separate cities experienced measurable change. One community moved from the 28th safest in South Carolina to the number one safest city in the state. Another climbed more than 100 places in statewide safety rankings in less than a year. Although he was hired as an outside Chief of Police at both agencies—not promoted from within—he led each department from roughly 35% understaffed to fully staffed in less than six months. Despite the typical challenges faced by external chiefs, both agencies not only reached 100% staffing but maintained it throughout his entire tenure, with waiting lists of certified and non-certified officers seeking to join.
These outcomes were never about one individual’s greatness but about the principles of true leadership—surrounding oneself with strong leaders, empowering people, taking care of your team, providing mentorship, and building the motivation for teams to achieve more than they believed possible. These same principles are taught at the IGIL Academy.
In addition to this service, more than ten books have been authored on law enforcement, leadership, and integrity, and over 10,000 police officers and leaders around the world have been trained. IGIL was created as a single place for law enforcement professionals, leaders across industries, authors, and instructors to showcase training that is practical, interactive, and accessible. Its online courses are self-paced and leverage the latest technologies, allowing working professionals to strengthen their leadership and other critical skills while advancing their careers without stepping away from daily responsibilities.
My Leadership Philosophy
Great leaders are not afraid to surround themselves with people who are better than them in certain areas. They empower others, encourage them, and allow them to lead in their own ways. When you do this, you create an organization where everyone becomes the best version of themselves — and the organization rises to the top.
This is how success is achieved: not by one person, but by building and enabling a team of leaders.
Why IGIL?
Through my career as a law enforcement leader and as the author of nearly ten published books, I’ve seen a global gap in leadership training. Different groups teach leadership differently, but one truth has always remained: integrity must be the universal foundation.
I created IGIL to set the gold standard for law enforcement and leadership training worldwide. These are not academic theories — they are practical, real-world lessons tested under fire.
And beyond that, IGIL is a platform to showcase law enforcement professionals worldwide as intellectuals, mentors, and experts. Too often, officers are seen only as enforcers of the law, defined by physical strength. The truth is, effective policing and leadership require both brawn and brains — courage, character, and intellect working together.
With integrity, perseverance, and the courage to never compromise your values, the sky is the limit.
Keith Grounsell – Founder, Institute of Global Integrity & Leadership
Are you ready to grow into the leader your role demands?
Join IGIL today and access online, self-paced training that prepares you for the real world of law enforcement and leadership.