Since 1999, I have worked with hundreds of business people in the areas of leadership, team effectiveness, communication, executive development, strategy and alignment, career development, whole-life balance, and hiring.
 Michael Ehling |
I am an avid student of both philisophical and spiritual wisdom from all over the world and of practical business know-how. I merge these points-of-view to bring a larger, more productive context in which to view and act upon the issues people face in business.I started my career in 1988 as a software developer for Kraft Foods after receiving my Industrial Engineering degree from Cornell University. | |
From 1996, I was a marketing manager for several software companies. I built grassroots client programs and enabled sales and pre-sales people to be more effective in the field. Before that, I was an award winning sales consultant.
Four sparks
Four sparks ignited my career and my love for this work.
The first spark came while I was in college. I had been pursuing a computer science degree in the Engineering School at Cornell. I had thought, “I’m good at math and science and computers, therefore I should get a CS degree.” My head wasn’t listening to my heart, it turns out. After nearly failing out of school, I switched to Industrial Engineering, which, to my heart’s delight, focused on doing business better.
Ironically, the next spark came while I was chiding my father for being a “corporate man.” Fresh out of school and full of youthful ignorance (some of which lingers to this day), I listened as he described with excitement his promotion to a senior role in a large, respected company. Convinced that corporations in general, and this one in particular, could only be a source of greed and harm, I couldn’t understand how someone could sell himself out so. And with the gentle eyes and strong voice that I have come to rely on, Dad only replied, “You’ll see.”
“Okay,” I thought, “Dad’s gotta know something I don’t have a clue about.” Dad’s one, simple comment sent me searching for the goodness, nay, greatness that lies, sometimes hidden, in people and organizations around the world.
The third spark came from reading the book In Search of Excellence by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman Jr. Excellence was the first of many great books that hold out the promise that I seek to fulfill every day:
- Businesses and other organizations can fulfill noble missions to serve.
- We are all built for greatness.
- Together, we can create unimaginable success.
My fourth spark is my family. My wife, Diane, supports and encourages and loves me–and I am very grateful. And our two young sons teach us every day that we are much grander than we imagine.
Please feel free to drop me a line any time if I can answer any questions.