Profile

Professional summary

In a career that has spanned four decades, there is little that Mike hasn't seen. As an entrepreneur, executive, teacher, mentor, and coach, Mike honed his skills and developed an exceptional depth and breadth of knowledge. His experience and insight has made him a sought-after coach and advisor for those charged with guiding their organizations in complex times. Mike is committed to helping good executives become great leaders.

Coaching is a process designed to help executives realize their full potential and strengthen the skills and capacities necessary to guide their organizations effectively. Mike takes a client-centered approach in which the individuals’ needs are explored and customized solutions developed to address the challenges

Engagement overview

Duration and cost of an engagement depends on the scope of work, identified during the initial consultation.

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Areas of expertise
Insights

Preparing for the New Year: Four Action Items for Top CEOs

A common pattern that emerges among top CEOs is the hour at which they rise. Executives from Jack Dorsey and Marissa Mayer to Donald Trump and Indra Nooyi are notorious early birds; AOL’s Tim Armstrong says he leaps out of bed because “life is too exciting to sleep.” Successful CEOs tend to take the same approach to the New Year, seizing the opportunity to leap out of the previous year and t... Read more

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Question: Building a business case for my promotion

Richard gave a great answer. I believe that managers who run organizations should always set a vision for where they want to take it over the next 2-3 years. I'd start with that. I would also discuss how I would get synergy going between the various departments (since you will run them all)...cross training, cross selling, overlapping resources, core competencies, etc.

I would present KPI's (ke... Read more

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Question: Is it worth reviving a stalled startup project?

This is always tough...It's a very personal decision. I had the same type of situation happen to me twice. Once I walked away (the right move), and once I didn't (also the right move). So it all depends. Objectively - Is the project worth doing regardless of who is involved? Do you believe it's a winner because the pro forma and other indicators show it will be successful?

If a project or busi... Read more

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Question: Transition from being a division head to being CEO

I was a division president of a Fortune 500 company, and then went off and formed my own company. I think I was head and shoulders above others running small companies because of the rigid training I got in the big company. We lived and died by the numbers. We knew how to hire and evaluate talent. And we knew how important it was having the right policies and procedures in place.

All of these... Read more

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Question: How can we have candid discussions in our meetings?

You are operating in a culture that has set this up. No one comments until after the CEO has passed judgment, then it's easy to agree. If your CEO doesn't want it to be this way (hopefully), then the two of you can change the conditions that exist in the meetings. Here is what I teach my clients that seems to be pretty effective.

1. The CEO needs to be quite and not render an opinion when a ne... Read more

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Question: Need help to end political games at workplace

I think all of the answers so far have great merit. Growth creates a lot of issues, and the culture often doesn't keep up.

However, you may also want to consider that employees typically create drama (office politics, gossip, etc) because they aren't getting enough drama from you and the company. Everyone needs some excitement and interesting things going on (drama). When the organization lacks... Read more

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Question: Should a subsidiary, in startup mode, be led by an external CEO

My prior experience shows that both approaches work, depending on the circumstances.

If you need to build a business in a different vertical market, and that experience doesn't exist internally, you MUST find someone, even an interim CEO, who can step in and get things up and running quickly. They can take the new subsidiary to a stable level, and if you like what they have done, you can certai... Read more

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Question: How do investments in intangible assets effect the valuation of a company?

Value isn't always determined by the cashflow you have been able to generate. People buy businesses for what they will do in the future, not what they have done in the past (although it's a good indicator). They will look at intangibles and other factors as part of their formula. For example, if I am buying a business that I think will generate good income for me, but I realize that I need to inve... Read more

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Testimonials

Mike is both an outstanding business leader, and a great business coach to other leaders. His commitment and professionalism are the highest standard you can find. He is the best!

Declan Maguire, Chair Vistage International

Mike is extremely inspirational and energetic - a natural leader. He has a natural gift of making those around him enthusiastic about the Leadership and Strategy.

Raj Kosuri, CEO Ecomnets

Mike is a great Executive Coach. In the four years we've worked together he has provided sound guidance and has helped cultivate my leadership abilities. Mike combines his vast business experience with his ability to help distill problems into their simplest form. The result is better decisions, made more quickly and effectively. Since engaging Mike, our company has experienced rapid, sustainable growth, and with his help, I expect we will continue this trend for years to come.

Dave McTaggart, CEO Armature Corp.

It has been my great honor to be in Mike Harden's Vistage group for the past two years. He is an outstanding leader, mentor and motivator for results. I can honestly say that Mike has made a tremendous difference in the way I now lead my organization, analyze business decisions and marketing and my overall approach. It has been nothing less than phenomenal and my organization has benefited from the results, even during a challenging economic time. As importantly, he is extremely personable but holds you accountable for meeting goals. I highly recommend Mike Harden.

Kari Luther Rosbeck, CEO Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance

I consider Mike and Vistage to be the most valuable investment I've ever made in my development as a business leader, it is not possible for me to recommend him more highly.

Kevin Burke, Founder & CEO Centuria

Mike is an excellent mentor, advisor and business man. Since joining Vistage in July 2009, under his coaching, I have made better decisions as a CEO of Navstar and am a better leader. I can't say enough good things about Mike's abilities to mentor and coach executives.

Joanna Alexis, CEO Navstar

Mike is my go-to mentor for business. Working with him has given me the ability to bend the learning curve in business. When I discuss issues with Mike, he always provides me with great perspective, alternatives to consider, and his honest opinion. He is very giving with his time and genuinely cares about the people he works with. I wholeheartedly recommend Mike to anyone who is seeking to enhance their executive skills.

Anthony Fung, Chairman Catapult Consultants