Mike Starr has been the owner of Executive Coaching Services for over 20 years. During this time, he has coached hundreds of clients to achieve their dreams and desires as well as find strategies to address concerns that pose challenges for them.
At the core of his philosophy is the belief that the foundation for success lies with:
– Empowering shifts in our views of self and world around us through our use of language (the subject of his book to be published in 2021)
– Candid understanding & clarity with our current condition(s)
– Conviction with our values in what we believe important, what we believe to be right and wrong for us
– A sustainable and realistic strategy that keeps us on a forward trajectory for our success
– Confidence in our ability to be our word … our ability to believe that “we will do what we say we will do”
– Designing habits and routines that we weave into our day to day living that makes our on-going journey of being better effortless and automatic.
Mike is grounded in the world of REAL results – from serving as a nuclear trained Naval Officer on a submarine to managing a $100 million manufacturing business and improve productivity over 25%. In his coaching business he has facilitated results that range from saving marriages and relationships that were teetering on the brink of failure to doubling productivity and profitability of small businesses. He prepared and successfully summited the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro at the age of 69. “Let us create commitment over compliance by creating consensus, making a plan and working the plan”.
Mike has had extensive experience in process development and implementation for both service and product lines.
He has over 30 years experience with Quality/LEAN systems and business improvement initiatives in transportation, manufacturing, maintenance and nuclear submarine operations. He has managed over 1500 personnel and facilitated dozens of business improvement teams through out the country. He has been responsible for budgets of over $100 million in various businesses he managed.
Mike has had over 2000 hours of training with organizations such as Landmark Education (completed The Forum, The Advanced Course and Advanced Course Coaching); Dale Carnegie (top honors in graduating class and served as graduate assistant) as well as in-depth training in Quality Management, Problem Solving, Leading Improvement Teams, and Facilitating Improvement Teams.
Mike has both attended and conducted numerous seminars and training sessions on leadership, management, LEAN Principles and communications. Mike is a Certified Quality Auditor with the American Society for Quality.
Mike received his Electrical Engineering degree from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA.
Well traveled, Mike has lived in Pittsburgh, PA.; Little Creek, VA; Idaho Falls ID; San Francisco, CA.; New Port, RI; New London, CT; Los Angeles, CA ; Houston, Texas; and Little Rock, AR areas.
As a college student, Mike and his friend canoed 1850 miles from Pittsburgh to New Orleans (“being with the same person 24 hours a day for 54 days straight is a truly revealing experience”). Between graduation and the Navy Mike took a hitchhiking Odyssey for 5 months. He traveled to Fort Lauderdale, Mardi Gras, Houston, Mexico City, San Cristobal, Guatemala City, Antigua, the Mayan pyramids at Tikal, Lake Atitlan and back to Pittsburgh (“I left with $80 and returned home with $2.15; working construction and day jobs along the way paid for most of my expenses”).
Mike next joined the Navy and completed OCS (Officer Candidate School) and the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program (after a successful personal interview with Admiral Rickover). He served on board the fleet ballistic missile submarine USS Kamehameha, SSBN 642, as a Lieutenant. One of his responsibilities was the handling of highly classified documents in his duties as the communications officer. His classified material clearance was for a level above TOP SECRET.
Mike has worked for several Fortune 500 corporations during his career.