Throughout my career, my main objective has been to help others from all walks of life, roles, and types of organizations around the world. I’ve pursued that goal through coaching, consulting, speaking, training, writing, and creating practical resources for use by others. It is my intent that my legacy includes contributing resources that truly assist others and their organizations to be more successful and satisfied going forward.
The past thirty years of my research has translated into several best-selling books, including Managing By Values, People Smart, The Platinum Rule, and The Leader Within, along with many other published articles and blogs on leadership, management, and high performing organizations. This same research and practical expertise has enabled me and others to coach and advise businesses, leaders, and managers globally. Our clients have spanned more than 22 industries and have included:
“Dr. O’Connor is extremely skilled. He has been able to turn difficult situations into productive actions that benefited everyone involved. His integrity and persistence enable him to ear the complete confidence and respect of all. Dr. O’Connor is extraordinarily hard-working and conscientious. He is always willing to go the extra mile to help people solve their problems.”
“Your insights, straight-forward, no-nonsense approach to identifying and tackling complex organizational issues has been critical to our success. Thanks for making a difference.”
“I want to thank you for the role you have played in realizing our company’s success. Your involvement with our senior management was key for the establishment and commitment to our values. Your personal involvement in the development of our entire Sale and Sales Management teams helped transform our team into a very effective sales organization that is becoming a competitive advantage for us in the marketplace. I genuinely see how you are able to pull so many things together. And, I want to let you know that I am forever grateful that you somehow ended-up in my life.”
“Your customized consulting use of your Hiring & Developing Winners® process has led to a monumental change in how our department and faculty now think about and approach selecting residents. This speaks of the quality of information and expertise you provided. The response has been clear that the faculty has been sold on it and saw the value. I cannot thank you and your colleague, Leigh Quinn, enough. It has also changed how we know approach selection of all job applicants, including faculty. The tone and expectations are different. Having done all this in just eight months is quite impressive. I cannot thank you both enough.”
“I have worked with Dr. Michael O’Connor to implement his Managing By Values® process in two organizations—Avery Dennison Corporation and Airlines Reporting Corporation. We pursued ‘MBV’ to pull the corporation together and develop a central culture across all our locations. By doing so, we have been able to establish a sound foundation to grow. His knowledge and experience on assessing an organization and then guiding you to your destination is intentional, methodical, and delivered with confidence to provide the tools and resources for changing any company.”
“I am so grateful for your guidance and support. In a very short amount of time you have become a single source for mentorship in my life. I wish I had met you many, many years ago. You are an inspiration in so many areas. I often reflect on how would ‘Dr. O’ handle this situation before doing so and, as I walk through that process, do so with much more clarity and success than I would have on my own. You are truly one of a kind and I have never met anyone remotely close to you in my life. I feel extremely honored to know you and work with you in efforts to improve both my own life and others.”
“I appreciate all the knowledge that you have shared with me, especially in the early stages of my career when most needed. It has been invaluable for me. Having been a client for close to 30 years, I have made good use of a significant number of the tools that you created. These have been immeasurably helpful in my development as a leader during my career. Your latest Pro-daptive® leadership model provides a terrific process for potential leaders to become significantly more effective. It is a simple, easy to follow guide that all leaders should use as a guide.”
“Dr. Michael O’Connor is without a doubt a key influencer in the areas of leadership and management throughout business and academia. He has been pivotal in my development as a performance coach and consultant, guiding me in my growth and learning performance coaching methods and resources. Dr O’Connor provided me with clear and detailed examples and knowledge to help me understand the key concepts for performance coaching and put them immediately to use in real life business situations. Dr O’Connor is constantly looking for ways to add value to everyone he meets.”
“I know you are very busy all the time but you always make time for me/us. I admire you so much as a coach that I consider a friend and wonderful human being. You have been one of the most impactful people in my life and for my soul. Every day I use the tools you have taught us, ahnd I am grateful for you and your life. It has made my life much more effective, less stressful, and more satisfying in many ways.”
“Dr. O validated the strength of, and our focus on, our culture. And, he guided us to amplify it with current and prospective employees and managers at Frost. He also developed our values-based Performance Management System to align with our great culture as exactly what we needed at Frost. His framework, support, and guidance helped us get there! Dr. O’s decades as a pioneer in the values-based leadership space and servant leadership approach have been instrumental in supporting my own professional development in becoming a more effective leader.”
”This program was the most comprehensive I’ve experienced. It integrated all the others we’ve had and connected the principles, models, and theories. Dr. O’Connor’s knowledge of the field is remarkably helpful…He is an excellent researcher and consultant as well as a delightful person.. Superior to other experiences and it applied consistently to greater effectiveness in our work environment…Very good taking negative energy and putting it into useful actions. It is a turning point for our group in getting rid of some very old spurs.”
“Dr. O’Connor’s professional is contagious, as is his creative development of resources…Michael is an inspiration for competent instruction, support, and coaching…You represent the quality control needed…It is your work that is responsible for the high quality or revised and new products that has grown my business and relationship with Performax/Carlson through your professionalism and credibility…I would not be in business today as a consultant with Dr. O’Connor’s materials…Your research, knowledge, and consulting brilliance saved Performax…”