|
MICHAEL WEST, M.S. ACC
Coaching, Mediation, Consulting and Training Experience With more than 24 years of experience as an executive, leadership, and conflict coach, mediator, conflict resolution specialist, trainer in the private and federal sectors, Michael helps individuals address and resolve conflict, and works with leaders to achieve new levels of effectiveness.
|
Executive, Leadership and Conflict Coaching
Michael works with leaders to develop new strategies and behaviors through a process of self-awareness and experiential learning resulting in improved performance, morale, and organizational effectiveness. He helps leaders to gain a better understanding of themselves and others with the goal of identifying opportunities within themselves and their teams from patterns of their relationships, and the capacities to form new relationships, and understanding how relationships are connected to their tasks, functions, roles, and positions. Michael uses the principles of strengths-based leadership, strategic intelligence, systems thinking, conflict and communications dynamics, and relationship awareness theory to help clients make sense out of their situations--not in terms of what’s wrong, broken or missing-- but what is possible. By exploring the cognitive, physical, and emotional aspects of their lives, Michael works with leaders to expand their possibilities in order to make better choices and move from where they are to where they want to be. Michael derives deep satisfaction in being a resource, a guide and a witness to a client’s success. He was selected to be one of the first coaches for the Leadership Legacy Program, George Mason University, where he provided executive leadership coaching focusing on implementing meaningful action plans to manage change and achieve desired results.
Michael works with leaders to develop new strategies and behaviors through a process of self-awareness and experiential learning resulting in improved performance, morale, and organizational effectiveness. He helps leaders to gain a better understanding of themselves and others with the goal of identifying opportunities within themselves and their teams from patterns of their relationships, and the capacities to form new relationships, and understanding how relationships are connected to their tasks, functions, roles, and positions. Michael uses the principles of strengths-based leadership, strategic intelligence, systems thinking, conflict and communications dynamics, and relationship awareness theory to help clients make sense out of their situations--not in terms of what’s wrong, broken or missing-- but what is possible. By exploring the cognitive, physical, and emotional aspects of their lives, Michael works with leaders to expand their possibilities in order to make better choices and move from where they are to where they want to be. Michael derives deep satisfaction in being a resource, a guide and a witness to a client’s success. He was selected to be one of the first coaches for the Leadership Legacy Program, George Mason University, where he provided executive leadership coaching focusing on implementing meaningful action plans to manage change and achieve desired results.
Mediation-Conflict Resolution Specialist
Michael is a Mediator/Dispute Resolution Specialist within the federal sector and continues a private practice in the greater Rochester, NY area, Washington, D.C. and nationally. He is a certified mediator by the Supreme Court of Virginia providing mediation services for a wide range of interpersonal and group conflicts such as civil and divorce cases workplace disputes, EEO matters, interpersonal disputes, and collective bargaining disputes. Michael is a recognized expert in complex, high conflict, and multi-party cases having conducted over 2,000 mediations within numerous federal agencies, court related and civil cases. He specializes in facilitating agreements among parties who must continue in relationship by strengthening and growing communication skills allowing parties to build trust and maintain their commitment to complying with their agreement. He had eighteen years of mediation experience in the federal sector as a full time Dispute Resolution Specialist focusing on matters related to workplace conflict, EEO matters and interpersonal disputes. He served as a mentor mediator in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Shared Neutral’s Program in the federal sector.
Michael is a Mediator/Dispute Resolution Specialist within the federal sector and continues a private practice in the greater Rochester, NY area, Washington, D.C. and nationally. He is a certified mediator by the Supreme Court of Virginia providing mediation services for a wide range of interpersonal and group conflicts such as civil and divorce cases workplace disputes, EEO matters, interpersonal disputes, and collective bargaining disputes. Michael is a recognized expert in complex, high conflict, and multi-party cases having conducted over 2,000 mediations within numerous federal agencies, court related and civil cases. He specializes in facilitating agreements among parties who must continue in relationship by strengthening and growing communication skills allowing parties to build trust and maintain their commitment to complying with their agreement. He had eighteen years of mediation experience in the federal sector as a full time Dispute Resolution Specialist focusing on matters related to workplace conflict, EEO matters and interpersonal disputes. He served as a mentor mediator in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Shared Neutral’s Program in the federal sector.
Business/Organizational Leadership Experience
Michael has served in a number of leadership and consulting roles within the U.S. Army and the federal government. In his 21 years of active service he served in mid and upper level leadership positions. He had several roles including infantryman, military police officer, and criminal investigator. His career culminated in his final assignment as the Director of Criminal Operations managing seven regional offices with approximately seventy investigators and support staff. In these roles he gained practical experience in achieving organizational goals, managing complex issues and developing future leaders. After retiring, Michael became a Dispute Resolution Specialist at the Department of Education where he consulted with department leaders and managers on complex issues of systems and organizational change. He mediated workplace issues between management and the union and other interpersonal issues between managers and employees. During his tenure at the Department of Education he instituted an internal coaching program and created and delivered conflict management and communications skills training to enhance leaders’ conflict management skills. He worked with various teams involving strategic planning and conflict resolution interventions geared to achieve specific cultural changes, interpersonal effectiveness and improved operations.
Michael has served in a number of leadership and consulting roles within the U.S. Army and the federal government. In his 21 years of active service he served in mid and upper level leadership positions. He had several roles including infantryman, military police officer, and criminal investigator. His career culminated in his final assignment as the Director of Criminal Operations managing seven regional offices with approximately seventy investigators and support staff. In these roles he gained practical experience in achieving organizational goals, managing complex issues and developing future leaders. After retiring, Michael became a Dispute Resolution Specialist at the Department of Education where he consulted with department leaders and managers on complex issues of systems and organizational change. He mediated workplace issues between management and the union and other interpersonal issues between managers and employees. During his tenure at the Department of Education he instituted an internal coaching program and created and delivered conflict management and communications skills training to enhance leaders’ conflict management skills. He worked with various teams involving strategic planning and conflict resolution interventions geared to achieve specific cultural changes, interpersonal effectiveness and improved operations.
Training
Michael has conducted numerous training, and dispute resolution engagements to enhance clients’ success. Michael was an adjunct professor at George Mason University where he taught courses on “Interpersonal Conflict Awareness” and mediation skills for the School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution. He has presented at the Federal Dispute Resolution (FDR) Conference, EEOC EXCEL conference and the Conference for the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) and state mediation conferences. He has been a guest speaker at the George Washington School of Law, American University School of Law and the George Washington Coaching program.
Michael has conducted numerous training, and dispute resolution engagements to enhance clients’ success. Michael was an adjunct professor at George Mason University where he taught courses on “Interpersonal Conflict Awareness” and mediation skills for the School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution. He has presented at the Federal Dispute Resolution (FDR) Conference, EEOC EXCEL conference and the Conference for the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) and state mediation conferences. He has been a guest speaker at the George Washington School of Law, American University School of Law and the George Washington Coaching program.
Client Listing
Michael’s portfolio, which include, but not limited to, the following clients, are a testimony of the years of experience and solid expertise he brings to his clients. He has worked with senior executives, directors, teams, other coaches, and dispute resolution practitioners. Some of Michael’s clients have included:
Michael’s portfolio, which include, but not limited to, the following clients, are a testimony of the years of experience and solid expertise he brings to his clients. He has worked with senior executives, directors, teams, other coaches, and dispute resolution practitioners. Some of Michael’s clients have included:
- Senior leader within a Fortune 500 company
- Members of the Senior Executive Service of the federal government
- Director of Human Resources in a federal agency
- Division Director, housing non-profit
- U.S. Department of the Navy
- U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs
- Securities and Exchange Commission
- Leadership Legacy Program, George Mason University
- Mentoring aspiring coaches from various leadership coaching programs
- Executive Director, Mediation Services Organization
Education
M.S. George Mason University – Conflict Analysis and Resolution
B.S. Park College – Criminal Justice
M.S. George Mason University – Conflict Analysis and Resolution
B.S. Park College – Criminal Justice
Certifications and Training
- International Coaching Federation (ICF)
- Georgetown University Executive Leadership Coaching Program
- Team Coaching and the Team Coaching Framework
- Conflict Coaching
- Certified Mediator, Supreme Court of Virginia
- Concentrated studies in Relationship Awareness theory
- Metropolitan Police Academy, Scotland Yard, London, England
Assessments/Knowledge/Use
- Leadership Circle 360
- Hogan Suite
- Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI),
- 360 Emotional Intelligence Assessment Instrument (EQi),
- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI),
- Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI)
Member Organizations
International Coaching Federation (ICF)
Virginia Mediation Network (VMN)
New York State Dispute Resolution Association
Rochester Association of Family Mediators
International Coaching Federation (ICF)
Virginia Mediation Network (VMN)
New York State Dispute Resolution Association
Rochester Association of Family Mediators
Coaching, Mediation and Training Value Proposition
"In organizations, real power and energy is generated through relationships. The patterns of relationships and the capacities to form them are more important than tasks, functions, roles, and positions." –Margaret Wheatly, Leadership and the New Science
"In organizations, real power and energy is generated through relationships. The patterns of relationships and the capacities to form them are more important than tasks, functions, roles, and positions." –Margaret Wheatly, Leadership and the New Science