speaker
Audiences don't need to be told that empathy matters. They need to be shown what it's made of and handed something they can use on Monday.
I work with leaders responsible for culture, identity, and results. My work sits at the intersection of leadership development, organizational design, and brand strategy, offering guidance at moments of consequence.
The Talks
Organizations are told to find their North Star and follow it. But a single fixed point flattens everything else into noise. The leaders navigating this decade well are reading a whole constellation: many points, in relationship, shifting.
Participants learn: Ways to see competing priorities as an evolving system Methods for holding direction amidst change Language for aligning ambition with purpose Momentum without false certainty
Based on Constellation Thinking (Authors Equity, 2027)
Constellation Thinking
Why the North Star is the wrong metaphor
The Braided Business
Creating cohesion amidst complexityVolatility, rapid change, and heightened scrutiny are the operating conditions of today's leaders, not the exception. Cohesion under those conditions takes real effort, but when done correctly it becomes a strategic advantage.
Participants learn: Ways to navigate polarized conversations with rigor Approaches to integrating teams with emerging tech Methods for building trust while accelerating execution
Empathy gets treated as a personality trait, something you either have or don't. It isn't. It's a practice with a structure, and it can be taught, measured, and deployed against the hardest problems an organization has.
Participants learn: Methods to reduce friction without lowering standards Archetypes that dimensionalize the practice of empathy Perspectives on self-development through understanding Practices that scale from individuals to teams
Based on Applied Empathy (Simon & Schuster, 2018)
Applied Empathy
Empathy is a discipline, not a dispositionThese programs are designed to be delivered in a variety of ways. From keynotes and workshops to full-day trainings and ongoing programs, the goal is to give people the knowledge and tools they need.
Keynote.
Half-day and full-day workshop.
Executive offsite facilitation.
Fireside and moderated conversation.
Multi-session immersions for intact teams.Michael has spoken at Adobe's 99U, BrandWeek, SXSW, The TED Conference, and corporate events around the world, and has taught at Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, the Esalen Institute, and the United States Military Academy at West Point.
His work has been featured in Ad Age, Adweek, BrandWeek, Business Insider, Fast Company, Forbes, GQ, PBS NewsHour, The New York Times, and WIRED.
Inquiries
Tell me about the room, the date, and what you want people carrying out of it.
Professional insights, personal musings, and internet ephemera found on my journey to better understand ourselves and the world around us.