Mike H.

Mike H.

5.0

Ex-Director of Stanford's Center for Leadership Development and Research

Stanford Graduate School of Business Logo

Studied at Stanford Graduate School of Business

Stanford University Graduate School of Business Logo

Worked at Stanford University Graduate School of Business

Available Friday at 1:30 AM UTC

Usually responds within 16 hours

I would be glad to meet. When we arrange an intro call, please share your resume or LinkedIn profile in advance, as well as a short summary of your background, goals or MBA plans, (e.g. where you hope to apply, how far along you are, etc.). I look forward to chatting.

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Mike’s Leadership Development Qualifications

Coaches professionally

Experience level: Executive

50+ people coached for Leadership Development

Mike has helped clients get into these companies:

I specialize in developing structured leadership development plans for individuals, teams and organizations, with years spent in management and leadership development roles. At Stanford, I ran the Center for Leadership Development and Research at the Graduate School of Business (GSB), and later oversaw the Stanford MSx Program, the GSB's mid-career business degree. I had responsibilities for implementing the leadership curriculum in both the Stanford MBA and MSx programs, managed the school's first in-house leadership coaching staff, taught a Stanford GSB course ('Leading with Agility'), and co-developed the 'Stanford LEAP 360' leadership assessment tool that is used in Stanford Executive Education programs. I co-founded the LOWkeynotes program, the premier public speaking program at Stanford, to help MBA students develop executive presence, influence and communication skills. I launched the first diversity-focused GSB Executive Education program, the Advanced Leadership Program for Asian-American Executives (ALP). And I was responsible for recruiting, admitting and advising roughly 80 Stanford Sloan Fellows each year--global leaders who would spend a year at Stanford to study business and leadership in preparation for senior leadership roles. Prior to Stanford, I oversaw the Fellows and Senior Fellows Program at the American Leadership Forum, where I worked with C-level executives from corporate, government and nonprofit organizations in Silicon Valley to develop a dynamic regional community leadership network. This included executives from Netflix, HP, Applied Materials, Mayfield Fund, Adobe, Etrade, Agilent, Cisco, as well as mayors, judges, museum directors and other civic leaders. And in other roles, primarily as a consultant or entrepreneur, I've had to not only influence strategy, but also assure that my clients and partners got the support and coaching required to be successful, at varying levels within their organizations. I cannot say I've always been successful at each step. I've had my stumbles, which has been an important part of my own education. While I've taught leadership, I tend to think of myself as a student first, leading with curiosity rather than conviction. I've found that such an approach, avoiding judgment, is more likely to yield insights quickly, especially when working with clients.

Mike can help with:

Conflict Resolution

Change Management

Ethical Leadership

Problem Solving

Emotional Intelligence

Coaching and Mentoring

Innovation and Creativity

View all of Mike’s categories

About Mike

Because I've been an educator (lecturer, coach, consultant, facilitator, program and admissions director) on the topic of leadership', I primarily think of myself as a student. I recognize great leadership takes many forms, and I believe leadership development starts with who you are, what you have to offer, and where you want to go, rather than an abstract idea of what a leader should look or sound like. As we said at the Stanford GSB, it begins not by asking, "what makes a great leader?," but by asking, "why would anybody follow me?" Keep this in mind when applying to school. Maybe there's an archetype of what the perfect applicant looks like, and there are obvious elements that strengthen any application, but the best schools want to recruit people of diverse backgrounds, talents, and perspectives. Rather than trying to fit a particular mold, show how much you would add to the overall mix--intellectually, socially, personally and professionally. In your application, you need to demonstrate why the faculty would value your unique input, why your classmates would learn from your unique experiences, and why the school would be uniquely proud to call you an alum. Having read many applications, I know that what most often stands out are the unexpected things, making an applicant memorable and authentic. Cookie cutter approaches rarely work. Half my career was spent at the Stanford GSB--first as an MBA student, later as Executive Director of the GSB's Center for Leadership Development and Research, and then Director of the Stanford MSx Program and Director of Admissions. I was brought in to the GSB to help oversee the launch of its MBA core leadership curriculum (Leadership Labs, Arbuckle Leadership Fellows, GSB Executive Challenge). Later, I helped revamp the Stanford MSx Program and oversaw admissions. Outside my academic and admissions work, I've had diverse roles: coached and facilitated leadership programs with community leaders and CEOs, worked as a strategy consultant, co-founded a microbrewery, served as a Peace Corps volunteer, been angel investor and advisor to startups. But while I've worn different hats, my approach to making an impact has generally been to help people with great potential to become better leaders. (...OK, maybe the microbrewery had different goals). My recent personal work is focused on the impact that AI is having on leaders, teams and organizations. How do you lead a team differently if many of the tasks that team needs to complete can be (or will soon be) automated with AI? How do you 'lead' a workforce that includes 'AI agents' that increasingly demonstrate forms of agency? How do you build learning organizations that can continually adapt and leverage AI as it improves, in ways that benefit both the organization and its people? These are some of the interesting challenges leaders will now face, and having better strategies to address them keeps me learning. Maybe when you're at business school, you can help me figure it out.

Why do I coach?

As Admissions Director, I enjoyed 'selling' my program (Stanford MSx) to prospective applicants. I knew that, for the right person, it could be a life changing experience, and I saw this affirmed in the success stories of our graduates. I always sought to be honest, as I also knew it was not the right option for everybody. To an extent, therefore, I was coaching applicants. But I was, first and foremost, representing the program, the GSB, and Stanford University. There were things that I couldn't say, or wouldn't say, at least not explicitly. There was only so much I could do for individual applicants, even if I saw great potential and wanted them to be successful. And let's face it, anpplicants often didn't feel comfortable disclosing something to me they thought might jeopardize their candidacy. Leaving Stanford, I knew I would miss these interactions, because the aspirational motivations that applicants displayed was energizing. Working as a coach, I get to come at it from a different perspective, working on behalf of a client without having to serve the interests of any program or school. I can still approach it with honesty, and won't sugarcoat problems I see, but I draw great satisfaction from helping someone achieve an aspirational goal that, I believe, can be truly life-changing. In addition, my broader experience working with MBA and MSx students at Stanford for many years informs my work. The GSB, just like every great business school, has its warts. Too often, people view 'getting in' to a top business school as the golden ticket to their dreams. But as soon as you are admitted, the bar of expectation begins to shift. When 'getting in' to school is the only goal, I have seen students lose sight of the longer-term ideals they articulate in their application and when they arrive. They take the popular classes and pursue the trendy career path, while downplaying the elements of their own unique backgrounds and experiences that can be their greatest assets to make a meaningful life. Naturally, everybody goes to school open to new possibilities and change, but it is important to make sure such changes are grounded in your values, rather than group think or social status. I coach, therefore, because I think I can provide value and perspective. I can help clients understand the admissions process--not only as a challenge to overcome, but as a crucial step in a journey to self-improvement, adventure, and leaving your mark on the world. Let's be clear, getting you into the school of your dreams is important, but it won't make the world a better place. What you can do with such an opportunity to leave a positive legacy is what motivates me.

Work Experience

Baisic Ventures Logo

Partner

Baisic Ventures

October 2023 - Present

Baisic Ventures helps organizations leverage their investments in generative AI through effective talent management and organizational learning solutions.

Stanford University Graduate School of Business Logo

Director of Stanford MSx Program and Admissions

Stanford University Graduate School of Business

July 2012 - October 2023

Admissions Committee Experience

Served as Director of the Stanford MSx Program (2012-2020) and Director of Admissions for the Stanford MSx Program (2012-2023). Oversaw marketing, recruiting and selection for the Stanford MSx Program (ie. Stanford Sloan Fellows), including joint MBA/MSx applicants. Introduced leadership development curriculum, taught leadership elective (Leading with Agility) to MBA and MSx students, served as academic advisor to students. Worked closely with MBA Admissions team on outreach, application, backend processes, evaluation timeline, and communication with applicants.

New Bohemia Brewing Logo

Co-Founder

New Bohemia Brewing

August 2013 - November 2021

Co-founded startup microbrewery and taproom in Santa Cruz, CA, focused on European-style lagers.

Stanford University Graduate School of Business Logo

Executive Director, Center for Leadership Development and Research

Stanford University Graduate School of Business

April 2007 - July 2012

Served as Executive Director of the school's Center for Leadership Development and Research (CLDR). Oversaw the introduction of core MBA leadership curriculum (Leadership Labs, Arbuckle Leadership Fellows Program, GSB Executive Challenge), co-founded LOWkeynotes public speaking program, oversaw View From The Top CEO speaker series, managed the GSB's first in-house coaching team (e.g. senior facilitators for the 'Touchy Feely' class), launched and taught in Exec Ed courses on leadership.

American Leadership Forum Logo

VP of Programs

American Leadership Forum

April 2002 - April 2007

Managed civic leadership development initiatives for Silicon Valley CEOs and senior executives in business, government and the social sector.

Stanford-McKinsey GLOBE Initiative Logo

Research Manager

Stanford-McKinsey GLOBE Initiative

July 2001 - May 2002

Worked with team of Stanford faculty and McKinsey senior partners to research leadership practices of large global enterprises that seek to maintain both global efficiency and local responsiveness.

Peace Corps Logo

Volunteer / Consultant

Peace Corps

June 1997 - August 1999

Prior to business school, I served as a US Peace Corps Volunteer in Slovakia. To this end, I can speak a bit to applicants with non-traditional work backgrounds from personal experience.

Education

Stanford Graduate School of Business Logo

Stanford Graduate School of Business

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

1999 - 2001

Admissions Committee Experience

University of California, Santa Cruz Logo

University of California, Santa Cruz

BA, Economics and Politics

1989 - 1993

Go Banana Slugs!

31 Reviews

Overall Rating

5.0


Knowledge

5.0

Value

5.0

Responsiveness

5.0

Supportiveness

5.0


Mike has helped clients get into these schools:


Mike has helped clients get into these companies:

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Mike H.

Mike H.

5.0

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