About Michael Holland

Michael Holland unravels the mysteries of leadership. Michael is a professional executive coach and trusted advisor to executives who seek to become better leaders and build cohesive teams. Michael’s wisdom and insight are the product of 30 plus years of leadership experience and an uncanny, natural ability to perceive the questions that need to be asked. The Missing Leader: One Man's Journey to Leading Well - A Leadership Fable -- is available on Amazon.com (http://amzn.to/2nsZzhK)

How Improv Could Help Your Leadership Impact

By Michael Holland - "Yes, and. . . ." Our youngest son took to stage performance like a fish to water. His journey into theatre brought us to new realms of learning in many ways. Interestingly when he was chatting me up regarding an improv class he took while in college, I learned [...]

By |2026-04-15T19:15:56-04:00March 24th, 2026|Effective Communications|Comments Off on How Improv Could Help Your Leadership Impact

What Echoes of Leadership Are You Creating?

by Michael Holland -   A toddler is amazed by the sound of their voice echoing off the walls of a large, empty room.  I’m amazed by the echo heard down a valley from a high cliff. The sound reverberates, seeming to go on forever. The leadership voice of a good leader is heard [...]

By |2026-04-15T19:16:38-04:00March 18th, 2026|New Leader|Comments Off on What Echoes of Leadership Are You Creating?

What’s Your K-Cup Coffee Leadership Style?

by Michael Holland -  This morning, I brewed a fresh cup of coffee on our Keurig brewer, as I have done many times before. As I watched the coffee trickle into my cup, I began to think about the many different flavors of coffee that are available. In many offices today, you have [...]

By |2026-04-15T19:16:59-04:00March 11th, 2026|Your Development|Comments Off on What’s Your K-Cup Coffee Leadership Style?

Are You Learning to Lead by Rumble Strips or Guard Rails?

By Michael Holland -  I was tired.  It was late in the afternoon. The sound and feel of my car running over the rumble strips on the side of the road jerked me completely awake and focused. I immediately guided my car back into the lane. My reaction could've been a casual drift back [...]

By |2026-04-15T19:17:20-04:00March 4th, 2026|Your Development|Comments Off on Are You Learning to Lead by Rumble Strips or Guard Rails?

3 Minutes: The Slice of Time Good Leaders Leverage

By Michael Holland - Every day, there they are, these 3-minute slices of time. Some days there might be four of them, the next there could be seven. These tiny slices of time come about when walking down a hallway, waiting for a video meeting to start, during a break in a long [...]

By |2026-04-15T19:17:41-04:00February 25th, 2026|Productivity|Comments Off on 3 Minutes: The Slice of Time Good Leaders Leverage

Lead Like You’re the Rudder of a Sailboat

By Michael Holland - During a summer evening on the Magothy River, one of the large rivers feeding the famous Chesapeake Bay, I witnessed a beautiful sailing race: 40 or 50 sailboats tacked back and forth along the river, each one maneuvering to catch the wind perfectly and take advantage of a competitor. [...]

By |2026-04-15T19:18:03-04:00February 18th, 2026|Building My Team|Comments Off on Lead Like You’re the Rudder of a Sailboat

4 Examples of Leaders Trying to Solve the Wrong Problem

By Michael Holland - A few years ago, I got caught up in trying to get in better shape to lose weight.   I focused my energy on the goal of losing weight which, unfortunately, was the wrong problem to solve. To be successful, I needed to look at habits that could enable me [...]

By |2026-04-15T19:18:24-04:00February 11th, 2026|Productivity|Comments Off on 4 Examples of Leaders Trying to Solve the Wrong Problem

A Vital Skill to Help You Survive the Seemingly Clueless Leader

by Michael Holland -  Solving difficult problems and making wise organizational decisions can tax even the most self-actualized, mature, enlightened, and cohesive leadership team. A key to success is the capability to assume positive intent from the others on your team. This means that when the tight-fisted CFO shoots down your proposal because [...]

By |2026-04-15T19:18:46-04:00February 4th, 2026|Managing Up|Comments Off on A Vital Skill to Help You Survive the Seemingly Clueless Leader

4 Questions Great Leaders Ask and New Leaders Should Learn to Ask

By Michael Holland -  A parent tells their kid that as long as they are trying to do their best, that's what really counts only to berate them when their grades aren't up to snuff at the end of a semester. A boss says he believes in a healthy work-life tension and that [...]

By |2026-04-15T19:19:07-04:00January 28th, 2026|Your Development|Comments Off on 4 Questions Great Leaders Ask and New Leaders Should Learn to Ask

The 5 Tensions You Need to Manage Within Your Leadership Style

By Michael Holland - The 5 Tensions You Need to Manage Within Your Leadership Style - YouTube Summary Newer leaders make the classic mistake of overcompensating when attempting to adjust their leadership style.  They see the style difference as a problem to solve while they should see the difference as a tension to [...]

By |2026-04-15T19:19:28-04:00January 21st, 2026|Your Development|Comments Off on The 5 Tensions You Need to Manage Within Your Leadership Style
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