Sophie Leroy

Professor

Dean, School of Business

Sophie Leroy

Professor

Dean, School of Business

Dr. Sophie Leroy is a Professor of Management and Dean of the School of Business at the University of Washington Bothell. She received her Ph.D. from NYU, Stern School of Business. Prior to joining UW Bothell, she was a faculty member at the University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management.

Dr. Leroy is an accomplished and internationally recognized scholar, having published her research in the top scientific journals in her field. She was the recipient of 2024 University-wide Distinguished Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Award, from the University of Washington Bothell and was on many prestigious editorial boards (i.e. Organization Science, Academy of Management Journal, etc.).

In her research, Dr. Leroy studies the effects of interruptions on the ability to have focused attention and reach high performance at work. Her results help understand how to manage task transitions and interruptions to enhance focus and performance, how to manage distractions, and more generally, how to regulate attention. She also studies how people manage and allocate time among their responsibilities and how people differ in their preference for synchrony with others.

She developed and coined the term Attention Residue. Attention residue reflects situations in which people find it hard to focus fully on the task at hand and instead find their attention shifting to other, unrelated tasks. Dr. Leroy’s research explores when and why attention residue occurs, how it affects performance, and how to prevent it when the effects are detrimental. She has appeared in many news outlets Click here to learn more about attention residue and click here to view her media appearances.

Dr. Leroy teaches courses in Leadership, Managing High Performance Teams, Managing Globally, Ethical Decision Making.

Since joining UW Bothell in 2014, Dr. Leroy received 8 teaching awards spanning from six times recipient of the MBA Faculty of the Year Award (often across both cohorts), the Undergraduate Program Teaching Award, and the Executive Education Distinguished Professor of the Year Award.

Education

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY/STERN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS 2001 – 2007
Ph.D. in Management/Organizational Behavior

Dissertation: Being present but not fully there: The effect of switching work tasks on subsequent task engagement and performance. Committee: Sally Blount (Chair), Lee Sproull, Batia Wiesenfeld, and Peter Gollwitzer.

HEC SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT (Paris, France) 1997-1998
Master’s degree in Management (MBA equivalent)
– Fall 1997 Selected to Exchange Scholar at COLUMBIA BUSINESS SCHOOL, MBA PROGRAM

BBA with concentrations in Management and International Business 1993-1996

Courses

University of Washington Bothell – School of Business

  • Advanced Leadership – MBA part-time program. Core course.
  • Leadership, team process and decision making . MBA (BBUS 501) part-time program. Core Condensed Course.
  • Global Business & Study Tour in France – MBA part-time program
  • Leadership and Social Responsibility – MBA part-time program. Core condensed course.
  • Leading and Managing High Impact Teams – Master in Nursing. Core Course.
  • Managing Employees – Undergraduate program. Core Course for mgmt. major.
  • Organizational Behavior – Undergraduate program. Core Course.
  • Managing Work Teams – Undergraduate program. Elective course.

Research and Scholarship Interests

Self-regulation of attention, ethical behaviors, and temporal behaviors. Interruptions and Task performance. Leadership. Artificial Intelligence in Business.

Academic Appointments

University of Washington Bothell School of Business

Management and Organizations – Full Professor, 2023 to Present

Management and Organizations – Associate Professor, 2018 to 2023

Management and Organizations – Assistant Professor, 2014 to 2018

School of Nursing and Health Studies

Adjunct Professor, 2023 to 2026

Adjunct Associate Professor, 2018 to 2023

University of Minnesota/Carlson School of Management

Department of Work and Organizations – Assistant Professor, 2007 to 2014

Administrative Appointment and Key Leadership Positions

University of Washington Bothell School of Business

Dean, 2025 to present

Associate Dean of Administration, 2023 to 2025

Area Coordinator, Management and Organizations, 2018 to 2023

Elected Faculty Council Chair, 2019, 2022-2023

Elected representative Executive Council (GFO), 2021-2023

Professional Experience

Interbrand (New York, NY), 1999-2001
Director – Brand Consulting and
Corporate Identity

Pricewaterhouse Coopers (New York, NY), 1998-1999
Associate – Shareholder Value Management and Financial Analysis Services

Societe Generale – Socgen (Paris, France / New York, NY), 1996-1998
Analyst/Sr. Analyst – US Equity Research and Mergers and Acquisitions Departments

Publications

Manchester, C., Leroy, S., Dahm, P., Glomb, T. (2023). Amplifying the gender gap in academia: The Covid-19 pandemic and differences in career success by gender. Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society.

Leroy, S., Schmidt, M.A., Madjar,N. (2021). Working from home during COVID-19: A study of the interruption landscape. Journal of Applied Psychology. 106 (10), 1448–1465. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000972

Leroy, S., Schmidt, M.A., Madjar,N. (2020) Interruptions and task transitions: Understanding their characteristics, processes, and consequences. Academy of Management Annals.14(2), 661-694. https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2017.0146

         Finalist for the Best Paper of the Year (one in five), 2021 Publication Award, Academy of Management Annals.

Leroy, S.  and Glomb, T.M. (2018) Task Interrupted: Anticipating time pressure upon return leads to attention residue and performance decrements on interrupting tasks, but a “Ready-to-Resume” plan mitigate those effects. Organization Science. 29(3), 380-397. doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2017.1184

Leroy, S. and Schmidt, A. (2016). The effect of regulatory focus on attention residue following interruptions. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 137, 218-235. doi:10.1016/j.obhdp.2016.07.006

Leroy, S., Shipp, A., Blount, S., Licht, J.G. (2015). Why some people go with the flow and some don’t: Identification and measurement of the synchrony preference. Personnel Psychology. 68(4), 759-809. doi:10.1111/peps.12093

Dahm, P., Glomb, T., Manchester, C., and Leroy, S., (2015).Work-Family Conflict, Ego Depletion, and Self-Discrepant Time Allocation at Work. Journal of Applied Psychology. 100(3), 767-792. doi:10.1037/a0038542

Leroy, S. (2009) Why is it so hard to do my work? The challenge of attention residue when switching between work tasks.  Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. 109(2), 168-181. doi:10.1016/j.obhdp.2009.04.002

Best Paper Award, Academy of Management, MOC division.

Blount, S. and Leroy, S. (2007). Individual temporality in the workplace: How individuals perceive and value time at work. Research in the Sociology of Work (Vol. 17) – Work Place Temporalities, 147-177.

 

Book Chapters

Blount, S., Waller, M., and Leroy, S. (2005). Coping with temporal uncertainty: When rigid, ambitious deadlines don’t make sense. In Starbuck, W. and Farjoun, M. (Eds.). Organization at the Limit (pp. 122-139). Blackwell publishing. Oxford, UK.

 

Practitioner Oriented Publications

Leroy, S. and Glomb, T. (2020). Managing constant interruptions. Harvard Business Review.

Blount, S. and Leroy, S. Management is all in the timing. (2016) Strategy + Business –Issue 85.

 

Radio/TV Interviews, Podcasts, Invited Panelist:

https://www.king5.com/article/entertainment/television/programs/new-day-northwest/stay-on-task-with-a-plan-for-productivity/281-517827538

  • Radio interview: CBC/Radio-Canada, February 25, 2018

http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1169033283645/

  • Radio interview: KOMO News, Seattle, February 22, 2018

http://komonews.com/news/newsradio/a-simple-way-to-deal-with-lifes-constant-interruptions

  • TV interview: Kare11, Minneapolis, March 2, 2016

http://www.kare11.com/entertainment/television/programs/breaking-the-news/multitasking-may-be-doing-a-number-on-our-brains/65046124

  • Research Interview/Podcast– Digital Mindfulness UK

http://digitalmindfulness.net/60-attention-deficit-sophie-leroy/

Media Program Mentions:

  • NPR- Hidden Brain: July 24, 2017 – you 2.0: Deep Work

Example of recent press articles for which I was interviewed:

https://magazine.washington.edu/theres-no-such-thing-as-multitasking-according-to-business-expert-sophie-leroy/

  • The Daily:

https://www.dailyuw.com/article/does-multitasking-make-students-more-productive-20260128

  • UWB News

https://www.uwb.edu/business/news/2024/05/21/an-ongoing-study-on-the-success-of-staying-focused-sophie-leroy

  • The New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/06/style/punctuality-is-having-a-moment.html

  • Dropbox (2021; 2022)

https://blog.dropbox.com/topics/work-culture/what-experts-are-predicting-about-work-in-2022

https://blog.dropbox.com/topics/work-culture/the-magic-of-my-analog-notebook-in-a-world-of-virtual-work

  • Secure Futures (UK)

https://www.kaspersky.com/blog/secure-futures-magazine/collaboration-tool-intrusion-focus/40195/

  • The Office Group. Doing Deep Work.

https://www.theofficegroup.com/stories/future-of-work/doing-deep-work

  • UW Bothell

https://www.uwb.edu/news/february-2021/pandemic-interruptions-multitasking

  • HRM (The news site of the Australian HR Institute). (2020) How to combat attention residue.

https://www.hrmonline.com.au/section/strategic-hr/how-to-combat-attention-residue/

  • LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/a-life-hack-to-enjoy-downtime-4048625/

  • BBC, January 31, 2020

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200130-the-life-hack-to-reduce-admin-and-carve-out-downtime

  • Thrive Global, April 5, 2019

https://thriveglobal.com/stories/prioritization-mindfulness-time-attention-management-productivity/

  • Chief Learning Office, March 2, 2018

https://www.chieflearningofficer.com/2018/03/02/conquering-attention-residue/

  • GEO Germany print version, 2018

Selected Press Articles and other press mentions (among others):

http://blogs.deloitte.co.uk/mondaybriefing/2017/03/in-praise-of-prosaic-innovation.html

  • NYTimes, March 2019:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/26/smarter-living/stop-letting-modern-distractions-steal-your-attention.html

  • HBR

https://hbr.org/2019/01/how-to-spend-way-less-time-on-email-every-day

  • Seattle Times, May 11, 2018

https://www.seattletimes.com/sponsored/multitasking-the-science-of-the-interrupted-brain-explained/

  • NBC News, February 21, 2018

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/better-way-deal-those-constant-interruptions-ncna849736

  • Time Magazine, June 14, 2017

http://time.com/4817946/brain-games-distraction-attention/

  • The New York Observer, April 6, 2017

http://observer.com/2017/04/multitasking-is-ruining-your-life-productivity-personal-development/

  • World Economic Forum

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/06/is-the-internet-too-distracting

  • The BBC News, February 19, 2016:

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160218-why-multi-tasking-might-not-be-such-a-bad-idea

  • Harvard business review, February 18, 2016:

https://hbr.org/2016/02/a-modest-proposal-eliminate-email

  • Business Insider, February 6, 2016:

http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-keep-your-computer-from-destroying-your-productivity-2016-2

  • Psychology Today, February 6, 2016:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/intrinsic-motivation-and-magical-unicorns/201602/is-how-you-can-finally-get-something-done

  • Business Insider: February 4, 2016:

http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-why-its-so-hard-to-get-your-work-done-and-how-to-fix-it-2016-1

  • Huffpost Business/HuffingtonPost, February 1, 2016:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nir-eyal/how-to-clear-your-compute_b_9116698.html

  • TIME Magazine, January 29, 2016

http://time.com/4199863/computer-clean-up/?xid=homepage

  • The Sidney Morning Herald. January 27, 2016

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life/attention-residue-why-focusing-on-multiple-tasks-can-kill-your-work-performance-20160127-gmet34.html

  • The Economist, January 23, 2016:

http://www.economist.com/news/business/21688872-fashion-making-employees-collaborate-has-gone-too-far-collaboration-curse

  • TIME Magazine, January 21, 2016

http://time.com/4166333/focus-is-the-new-iq/?xid=homepage

  • New York Magazine, January 21, 2016

http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2016/01/attention-residue-is-ruining-your-concentration.html

  • Business Insider, November 27. 2015

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/how-to-stay-focused-2015-11#/#meditate-1

  • World Economic Forum, November 10, 2015:

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/11/15-ways-to-stay-focused-all-day/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+world-economic-forum-blog+%28Forum%3ABlog%29

  • Strategy+Business September 17, 2009

https://www.strategy-business.com/article/re00088?gko=a9efd

  • Research Digest, July, 29, 2009

http://digest.bps.org.uk/2009/07/surprising-benefits-of-time-pressure-at.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+BpsResearchDigest+(BPS+Research+Digest)

 

Fellowships, Grants, and Honors

2025               MBA faculty of the Year Teaching Award

2024               MBA faculty of the Year Teaching Award

Recipient of University-wide Distinguished Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Award, University of Washington Bothell

2023               MBA faculty of the Year Teaching Award

2022               Distinguished Professor of the Year Award, Executive Education, Mini-MBA Program

Senior Faculty Excellence Award

Nominated for the University-wide Distinguished Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Award, University of Washington Bothell

Finalist for the MBA faculty of the Year teaching Award, University of Washington Bothell

2021               Finalist for Best Paper of the Year (One in Five) – 2021 Academy of Management Annals Publication Award

Senior Faculty Excellence Award

Nominated for the University-wide Distinguished Teaching Award,

University of Washington Bothell

Finalist for the MBA faculty of the Year teaching Award, University of Washington Bothell

SRCP Seed Grant Award ($22,983) – UW Bothell competitive seed grant program

 

2020               MBA faculty of the Year teaching Award, University of Washington Bothell

 

Nominated for University-wide Distinguished Teaching Award, University of Washington Bothell

 

Senior Faculty Excellence Award

 

2019               MBA faculty of the Year Teaching Award, University of Washington Bothell

 

2018               MBA Faculty of the Year Teaching Award, University of Washington Bothell

 

2017               Undergraduate Program Teaching Award, University of Washington Bothell

 

Finalist MBA Faculty of the Year Teaching Award, University of Washington Bothell

 

2016               MBA Faculty of the Year Teaching Award, University of Washington Bothell

 

Finalist for Undergraduate Program Teaching Award, University of Washington Bothell

 

2014               Finalist for the Best Student-led Paper Award (one of four) – Managerial and Organizational Cognition division of the Academy of Management. (paper co-authored with Ph.D. student J-G. Licht).

 

2011               Finalist for the Best Paper Award (one of four) – Managerial and Organizational Cognition division of the Academy of Management.

2008-2012       Awarded Dean’s Small Research Grant –received five times. University of Minnesota 2008               Winner of the Best Paper Award – Managerial and Organizational Cognition division of the Academy of Management.                        One of six finalists for the Academy of Management Newman Award granted to the best paper based on a dissertation. Nominated by the Managerial and Organizational Cognition division.

2006               One of five nominees for Best Student Paper Award – Managerial and Organizational Cognition Division, Academy of Management 2006 meetings

2005               Recipient of Nadler Fellowship and other competitively-awarded research           funding,            NYU/Stern School of Business

2005               Teaching Excellence Award, NYU/Stern School of Business

Editorial Board Membership

Bellevue Chamber of Commerce – 2025 – Current

Organization Science- 2021 to 2023

Journal of Business and Psychology – 2016 to 2026

Academy of Management Journal – 2016-2019

Editorial Board Membership

  • Organization Science- 2021 to 2023
  • Journal of Business and Psychology – 2016 to 2026
  • Academy of Management Journal – 2016-2019

Editorial Role for the Academy of Management Conference

  • Editor, Managerial and Organizational Cognitive Division, 2020, 2021
Dr. Leroy’s Words About Her Research on Attention Residue

I am passionate about the study of attention.

What allows us to have focused attention and what makes it so hard to do so in today’s world of interruptions, distractions, decentralized decision making and information overload?

 

What is Attention Residue?

“I’ve spent the last 17 years studying the brain and how we deal with having to constantly switch focus. What research shows is that, generally, the brain finds it difficult to switch between tasks. In particular, my research reveals that, as we switch between tasks (for example from a Task A to a Task B), part of our attention often stays with the prior task (Task A) instead of fully transferring to the next one (Task B). This is what I call Attention Residue, when part of our attention is focused on another task instead of being fully devoted to the current task that needs to be performed.”

 

When am I more at risk of experiencing attention residue?

“Attention residue easily occurs when we leave tasks unfinished, when we get interrupted, or when we anticipate that once we have a chance to get to the unfinished or pending work we will have to rush to get it done. Our brain finds it hard to let go of these tasks, and instead keeps them active in the back of our mind, even when are trying to focus on and perform other tasks.”

 

What does it mean for you?

“Going back to the analogy of a Task A and a Task B, when you experience attention residue and keep thinking about Task A while working on Task B, it means you have fewer cognitive resources available to perform Task B. The impact? Your performance on Task B is likely to suffer, especially if Task B is cognitively demanding.”