you will get there
An executive coach with *plenty* of experience
Hi I’m Michael, and I’m glad you’re here. I’m a career coach and advisor that’s been working in tech, corporate, nonprofit, university and government organizations for over 22 years in roles that include Founder, Director of Brand and Communications and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO.) I’ve founded two companies, led teams large and small, am a Certified Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Trainer. I help my clients move through the joys and challenges of what we call work.
I lead, coach and live balancing head 🧠 and heart 💜 For me this means being both ambitious and authentic: Showing-up for my colleagues by working hard and inspiring others to do the same, and also practicing ease, patience, and a healthy work-life balance.
I have a certificate in Social Sector Leadership from Haas Business School, and was a Director of Career Development at University of California, Davis. I’m currently a business consultant and lead New Sincerity, a global consulting firm that builds high-performing, inclusive corporate cultures.
You may be thinking this is all well-and-good, but will you get results from our work together?
Yes, you’ll get results. 📈, 🤗
All of my clients grow. You and I will co-create a path, and you will reap the rewards. A new job or promotion? Inner calm? (Let’s aim for all three.)
Here are some results from my clients:
Clarified their growth-path, leading to a new leadership role
Developed influencing skills and boldness, resulting in a promotion
Charted a career path into new consulting contracts in social impact
Shifted her mindset to one of positivity and optimism, building new skills
Became an inclusive leader, discovering the value of diversity, equity and inclusion at work
My coaching is about your growth. Your impact, and your joy at work
Client Feedback
“As the Co-Founder of a growing startup I resisted asking for help. Michael shifted my fixed-mindset, and gave me smart and actionable ideas to inspire my team. 1,000% ROI on thhis coaching investment.”
“Transformational. Michael’s experience in the workplace and leadership is remarkable, and he’s a thoughtful listener that provides advice at just the right moment.”
What type of career coach is right for you? 🎯
That’s a big, wonderful and complex question. Think carefully about your goals and chat with close friends - friends that are also into personal growth. Then talk to a few coaches, trust your heart, and make the investment in yourself. You deserve it. 😊
All career coaches bring something unique to their work. My superpowers are deep leadership experience, and training in career development. My certification in DEI helps me advise and support leaders from all types of lived-experience.
I’m a connector that thrives on the growth of those around me. Still curious?
Schedule a no-fee convo with me 👆🏽
Onward together,
Michael
mindset
If you're not making mistakes, then you're not making decisions.
It’s a simple concept to understand ,but more challenging to embrace in our daily work. I empower my clients to be bold and make the big (and hard) decisions, and kind to themselves when things don't go as planned.
When one door closes, another opens.
“I feel seen and understood.”
career growth skills
Psychological safety will move your career forward
I share career growth and leadership development strategies with my clients that have worked for myself and my colleagues. Psychological safety is at the foundation of my process, because it’s a key indicator of folks at work that are the most trusted, sought-after and promoted. 🏁
I check my ego at the door (or zoom login-screen) and share the expertise of others with my clients. Sometimes it’s leaders and innovators like Satya Nadella, Henri Pierre-Jacques, Leanne Pittsford, Chris Do and Priya Parker. I follow folks that are embracing the changing nature of work, who understand that psychologically safe teams perform better, and make me smile.
😁 🙌🏾
Career growth comes when we expand our worldview, so I introduce my colleagues to fresh ideas. My clients are listening-to and reading novelists, spiritual leaders (and friends) like Jason Reynolds, Thich Nhat Hanh, Robin Wall Kimmerer and the tech startup CEO and Founder Chynna Morgan.
I engage with my brilliant (and eclectic) professional community often, and introduce my clients to my network. This generous approach is uncommon for coaches, in a workplace environment where competition and winner takes all is most common, but it brings growth and all forms of success.
Want to dig deeper? Here’s a short article I shared about psychologically safe cultures at work by the visionary travel entrepreneur Gabriela González Bux. It’s a quick read about what makes a positive experience - a vibe - that high-growth, highly empowered cultures share.
☕
Unsure if we’ll be a good fit? Let’s have coffee (on zoom) and find out : Schedule a no-fee 30-minute meeting.
“Michael is just so positive and engaged in the coaching work - his energy is contagious.”
Skills we develop
The skill of Influence is blend of active-listening, artful negotiation and assertiveness (and a *very valuable skill at work and everyday life.) Humans develop our influence by being earnest, and earning a reputation of being fair and also firm. Being a bully is not using influence effectively.
Embracing Change is a skill that transforms our work, relationships and career trajectory. Moving from discomfort and frustration to curiosity is the 🔑. Get curious and read more about how our work together can be an uplifting practice of growth and embracing change at work.
DEIB diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging is a rapidly growing movement in the workplace to recognize and value the differences employees have in their lived experiences, based on culture, gender or other expressions of identity.
Skill in DEIB includes being curious about our human differences. When companies adjust strategy and training across the organization, they develop a high-trust and diverse workforce that outperforms the competition.*
* Data from research by global consulting firms McKinsey, Deloitte, Gartner and others.
And now for some ideas, strategies and benefits of career coaching.
🎯
now isnt the time to be humble
Do I Know You? Developing a Personal Brand is 🔑 to Career Growth
Many of my clients are navigating career transitions, and the prospect of building a portfolio of work and crafting a compelling story of professional accomplishments is intimidating.
For career-focused folks seeking to embark on a new journey, executive coaching provides invaluable guidance and support. By harnessing a range of skills and strategies, I craft compelling professional brand stories and empower clients to embrace change and unlock their potential. Together we will project a compelling professional identity that resonates with the job market and your business goals and aspirations.
Career Transition Coaching: Embracing New Beginnings
Career transitions can be both exhilarating and daunting. Whether you are venturing into a new industry, assuming a different role, or starting your entrepreneurial journey, an experienced San Francisco Bay Area career coach offers a guiding light during this transformative phase. I’m here to provide a structured approach, assisting you in assessing your strengths, identifying transferable skills, and formulating a strategic plan to ensure a smooth transition. To help you redefine your professional identity, enabling you to embrace change with confidence and purpose.
Personal Branding: Unleashing Your Unique Voice
In the competitive business landscape, personal branding is crucial for standing out and leaving a lasting impression. Executive coaches recognize that each individual possesses a distinct set of qualities and experiences that can be harnessed to create a compelling personal brand. Through introspection and self-discovery, San Francisco executive coaches guide you in defining your core values, clarifying your unique value proposition, and crafting an authentic narrative that aligns with your career goals. Business career coaches help you to communicate your story effectively, building a personal brand that resonates with your target audience and sets you apart from the crowd.
Embracing Leadership: Development and Training
As you navigate your professional journey, developing strong leadership skills is paramount. Executive coaching provides tailored guidance to enhance your leadership capabilities, enabling you to inspire and motivate others. Coaches employ proven methodologies to strengthen your emotional intelligence and self-awareness, helping you understand your strengths, weaknesses, and blind spots. They facilitate the acquisition of effective communication and interpersonal skills, enabling you to build strong relationships, resolve conflicts, and negotiate with confidence. Through leadership development and training, executive coaches empower you to become an influential and respected leader in your field. 🏆
Mastering Productivity: Time Management and Goal Setting
Executive Coaching from a senior executive with leadership experience in tech and social impact organizations, certifications in career coaching and development, DEIB - diversity, equity and inclusion, and social sector leadership from Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley. Working with clients in the San Francisco Bay Area and around the world.
IT might seem pretty obvious, but building skills with online tools - like generative AI - is key to your career growth. An executive coach with leadership experience in social impact and tech in the Bay Area can assist in optimizing your time management strategies, helping you prioritize tasks, set realistic goals, and maintain focus amidst competing challenges. By identifying and eliminating productivity bottlenecks, bay area career coaches empower you to maximize your efficiency and make significant progress towards your objectives. They provide accountability and support, ensuring that you stay on track and achieve the milestones that pave the way to your ultimate success.
Navigating Change: Adapting and Thriving
Change is inevitable in any professional journey. Whether it's organizational restructuring, industry shifts, or technological advancements, executive coaching equips you with the skills to navigate change with resilience and agility. Coaches provide strategies for change management and organizational development, helping you embrace new paradigms, seize opportunities, and overcome challenges. They instill the confidence and adaptability needed to not only survive but thrive in a constantly evolving business landscape.
I get it, this work isn’t easy
Embarking on a career transition and establishing a powerful personal brand requires courage, self-reflection, and strategic planning. Through executive coaching, ambitious folks (like you!) are empowered to navigate these transformative phases with confidence and purpose. By embracing change, developing leadership skills, honing time management techniques, and cultivating an authentic personal brand, individuals unlock their true potential and position themselves for success. With the guidance and support of an career coach, you can embark on a journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and growth, ultimately achieving the career advancement and fulfillment you deserve.
Bay Area Business Coaching will inform and support 360 degree reviews in performance development.
engage the 360 review process fully and everyone wins
360-degree reviews are a powerful tool that can help individuals improve their performance in the workplace. Executive coaching is a process in which a coach works with an individual to help them identify their strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and develop strategies to improve their performance. 360-degree reviews, on the other hand, involve gathering feedback from a variety of sources, including peers, supervisors, and subordinates, to provide a comprehensive view of an individual's performance.
Going high-level: Definition of 360 performance reviews
Leadership coaching and 360-degree reviews are often used together to create a holistic approach to leadership development. By combining these two tools, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of their strengths and weaknesses and develop strategies to improve their performance in areas where they may be struggling.
One of the key benefits of executive coaching is that it provides a safe space for individuals to reflect on their performance and identify areas for improvement. Coaches can help individuals set goals, develop action plans, and provide feedback and support as they work to achieve those goals. By working with a coach, individuals can develop their skills and knowledge in a targeted way, which can lead to improved performance and better job satisfaction. In many cases a consulting engagement with an inclusive culture company in the San Francisco Bay Area or globally can help an organization build a 360 performance management strategy.
360-degree reviews, meanwhile, can provide individuals with valuable feedback from a range of perspectives. This feedback can help individuals understand how they are perceived by others, identify areas for improvement, and develop strategies to address those areas. By gathering feedback from a variety of sources, 360-degree reviews can provide a more comprehensive view of an individual's performance than traditional performance reviews, which often rely solely on the opinions of a supervisor.
The value of coaching and 360-degree reviews together
When used together, coaching and 360-degree reviews can be a powerful tool for leadership development. By combining the insights gained from both tools, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, develop targeted strategies for improvement, and receive ongoing support and feedback as they work to achieve their goals.
However, it is important to note that both executive coaching and 360-degree reviews require a high degree of trust and openness between the coach/reviewer and the individual being coached/reviewed. It is essential that individuals feel safe to share their thoughts and feelings openly in order to get the most out of these tools. Additionally, it is important that the feedback provided is constructive and focused on development, rather than criticism or blame.
Here’s the big idea: Life coaching and 360-degree reviews are two powerful tools that can help you improve their performance in the workplace. When used together, they can provide a holistic approach to leadership development, helping individuals gain a deeper understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, develop targeted strategies for improvement, and receive ongoing support and feedback as they work to achieve their goals. However, it is important to approach these tools with an open and constructive mindset in order to get the most out of them.
executive coaching strategies
Embrace your Authenticity to Navigate Difficult Personalities and Excel in Your Career
In today's evolving work environment we encounter a diverse mix of personalities, and some can be quite challenging to handle. However, amidst the hustle, there lies a powerful tool that often goes unnoticed – authenticity. Being authentic and true to ourselves not only helps us build stronger connections with our colleagues but also plays a significant role in advancing our careers.
💜 🚀 📈 🚀 💜
Discover the Power of Authenticity
Authenticity is about being genuine and not pretending to be someone you're not. When we are true to ourselves, it shows in our actions and words, and people can sense that honesty. Being authentic breaks down barriers and fosters trust, paving the way for better relationships with those around us.
Open Communication and Empathy
Difficult personalities at work can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts. However, by embracing authenticity, we create a space for open communication. Sharing our thoughts and feelings with an executive coach, colleague or even manager encourages others to do the same, promoting mutual understanding and resolving issues more effectively. Authenticity also helps us develop empathy, allowing us to understand others' perspectives and navigate challenging situations with compassion.
Fostering Positive Relationships
Being genuine attracts like-minded individuals who appreciate and respect us for who we are. These positive relationships serve as a support system during tough times, helping us handle conflicts and collaboratively work towards solutions. Authentic connections can lead to a more enjoyable and fulfilling work experience.
Gaining Confidence in Decision-Making
Embracing authenticity boosts our self-assurance. When we are true to ourselves, we gain the confidence to make decisions aligned with our values and beliefs, even when faced with opposition. This newfound self-assurance empowers us to take on new challenges and opportunities, driving our career growth. Invest in yourself: An empathetic and experienced career coach will inspire that confidence to find joy and success in your career.
Leveraging Authenticity for Career Advancement
Being authentic doesn't just impact our interpersonal relationships; it also propels our careers forward. Genuine individuals are often perceived as trustworthy leaders, inspiring loyalty and respect from their peers and superiors. This reputation can open doors to more significant responsibilities, promotions, and professional development opportunities.
Overcoming Obstacles
While authenticity is powerful, it doesn't mean being inflexible. There may still be conflicts at work, and that's normal. It's crucial to adapt our communication style or approach to effectively collaborate with different personalities. Authenticity doesn't give us a pass to be rude or disrespectful; rather, it forms a foundation for genuine and constructive interactions.
The Big Wrap Up
Embracing authenticity is a transformative journey that influences how we handle difficult personalities and drive our careers forward. By staying true to ourselves, fostering open communication, and developing empathy, we create a more positive and fulfilling work environment. Let authenticity guide you - while supported by friends, an executive coach or career coach - as you cultivate meaningful connections, experience personal growth, and achieve professional success. Your authentic self is your most powerful asset – embrace it, and watch your career soar to new heights.
