References

“Hands down, Michael is the best coach and consultant I've ever experienced. He listens better than anyone I've ever worked with. And he does so with grace and kindness, but also with direction while holding me to account to get goals done. He's so thoughtful and also very funny. We have a lot of fun together. But he always brings it back to getting the work done that I need to do to have better balance in my work life and personal life.”

—Chantal, Communications & Development Manager at Deschutes Public Library

“Working with Michael has been fantastic. He is empathetic; he really hears you out and sees you. And above all, he creates an action plan to get you out of whatever mental model or thinking pattern that you may be stuck in. The thing that surprised me the most in working with Michael is the realization that sometimes just talking about a problem and making one or two minor adjustments can make all the difference in the world.”

—Sunny Israni, Co-Founder at Lightswitch

“Michael was an exceptional coach to me as I navigated culture and organizational design shifts during COVID. The specific challenges we worked through were transparency, silo'ing, and org structure. His approach was based in deep listening and bringing out the best solutions that were already within the organization. He helped me articulate these solutions and provided tools to make these come to life.”

—Joann, Vice President of People Operations at Common Future

“Michael was great to partner with as a consultant for our Strategic Planning process. He pushed us and was able to frame great questions to have us come to the answers. He did an amazing job preparing us for meetings and recapping what we were accomplishing. His facilitation skills are excellent and he can be provocative to challenge you in a positive way. We appreciated his directness and always working to get to the "finish line." His ability to work 1:1, with the Task Force and various stakeholders demonstrated his ability to listen and adjust for the situation. He did what you hope a good consultant does—understands the deliverables, builds an inclusive process and asks great questions.”

—Roxie, President/CEO at Community Foundation of Sarasota County

​​”Michael is a fantastic coach who helped me align my vision and values with concrete action as I navigated a new role. He balances engaged listening, insightful questions, and clear accountability practices. I really appreciated how he weaves mindfulness into his coaching—a great reminder to be present and connect mind and body. Working with Michael felt like a buzzing creative partnership and provided a powerful boost for my confidence and work/life direction.”

—Jesse, Global Inclusion Lead at Arup

“Michael served as lead consultant on a structure redesign project for Sierra Club. He brought a rich set of tools and skills to the work, combined with a high level of professionalism and good humor. Throughout the project, Michael was always well-prepared, focused and flexible to meet the needs of the team.”

—Scott, Director for Volunteer & Leader Engagement at Sierra Club

“Michael has been an excellent resource for our managers and supervisors. His work has already sparked a noticeable difference in helping staff grow and thrive. I have worked with a lot of consultants over the years, and this has been the most rewarding, meaningful and useful connection I have seen. I expected to get a few tips and learn a couple of concepts. Michael gets right to the heart of critical communication and listening skills that go beyond a lesson you learn and forget within the week. I have experienced meaningful personal growth as a result of working with Michael. The improvements I have made are making my work life more rewarding, but even more important, it is adding true value and appreciation to my staff. Usually in a consultant I am looking for expertise and insight. I had grown to stop expecting radical change and improvement. Michael has upended those expectations!”

—Todd, Executive Director at Deschutes Public Library

“Michael has been a huge asset to my professional development. I left every session with new insight and something that felt actionable. As someone who has worked in the same organization for a long time, I also benefited from his fresh perspective on how to think and approach these issues differently. I would definitely take another opportunity to work with Michael again and highly recommend him to others!”

—Brian Mertens, Regional Program Director at Summer Search

“I really enjoyed working with Michael. He allowed me to expand on my true core values and how they show up at work, how they show up at home, and how I can be a better leader if I lean into them. I appreciated that the work together was so dope. The surprising thing is that it was transformational for me as a human, and so I so appreciate that. Michael sees the world in a similar point of view, very global minded, very open to change and transformation. It was a dope experience and I would recommend him to everybody.”

—Kama, Founder & Executive Director at Rootead

“It was a fantastic experience. Michael helped me establish my core values in my life, which were helpful for me to set directions and make better decisions at work. I loved that he always gave me practical tips and action items I could practice daily. I challenged myself by achieving small weekly goals and felt more confident! I recommend Michael to people who want to grow more by understanding themselves.”

—Eunsun, UX Designer at eero