About Dr. Doug

About Doug

Stories: Guiding Paths of Connection Toward Achieving Results

Hey there!

I’m Dr. Doug, and I’m passionate about connecting people through their stories. I believe that when we share our experiences, we create a tapestry of shared meaning that enriches our lives. Whether you’re a leader or a team member, you have the power to influence those around you and shape our collective future.

My approach is all about group dialogue to spark new possibilities. I create comfortable spaces where everyone can share ideas and strategies for change. By asking powerful questions, offering fresh perspectives, and connecting through stories, I help foster an environment where real transformation happens.

I’m passionate about helping people, teams, and organizations appreciate the many roles we all play—spouses, parents, siblings, caretakers, community members. I truly believe that positive conversations at the dinner table can ripple out into the world, spreading kindness and making a lasting impact. My curiosity drives me to find meaning and purpose in every interaction.

Educational Background

I’m on a mission to create safe spaces in meetings where every voice is heard. I’ve got a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Michigan State University, an MBA from Bowling Green State University, and a Doctorate in Organization Development and Change. I blend academic know-how with hands-on experience to help you succeed.

Professional Background

With 25 years in leadership roles at Fortune 50 companies and as an entrepreneur, I’ve got a knack for identifying leadership strengths, analyzing profit & loss, developing strategies, and coaching individuals and teams. I specialize in talent management, development, succession planning, transition coaching, and enhancing the employee experience. My clients love my engaging and innovative facilitation style.

Who Can Benefit

Middle managers aiming for higher roles.
Executives facing tough challenges who need strong coaching.
Individuals looking to find and use their voice.
Small to mid-size businesses focusing on talent optimization.
Organizations struggling with vision, values, mission, and purpose.
Teams wanting to boost cohesion and teamwork.
Leaders needing effective meeting strategies.
Companies seeking inclusive and sustainable organizational development.

I engage teams through open dialogue, exploring strengths and aspirations, and encouraging everyone to participate. My approach includes sharing stories, asking powerful questions, and creating safe spaces, leading to productive conflict and innovative outcomes.

Family and Interests

On the home front, I live on 12 acres in Belding, MI, with my wife, four kids, five dogs, and a variety of other critters. I love experiencing Michigan’s four seasons in local parks, cooking, gardening, cheering on college football (Go Green!), reading a wide range of books, and soaking up life’s little moments.

Ready to transform your workplace? Click "Find Out More" to set up your initial consultation and see how I can help optimize your talent and drive lasting success.

You can learn more about Doug and his interest by subscribing to his blog and reading The Logo Story.

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Publications

How Instructional Design Principles Inform Strategies for Meeting Effectiveness

Societies spend a lot of time in meetings. There are meetings for work, community, and family. Sometimes you will hear people say, “we are having a meeting to talk about the meeting.” Most often, the intent of a meeting is to inform and share knowledge resulting in some form of action taken by the meeting participants. This paper explores an interdisciplinary approach to improve meetings in the corporate setting informed by learning principles and outlines ways to create higher levels of engagement through psychological safety, knowledge sharing, and preparation. Meetings are viewed as a place where individuals can come together with the potential to create new knowledge through building trust, self-confidence, and transparent communication. It will summarize some astonishing meeting statistics, briefly highlight the construct of psychological safety, explore select learning design principles, and introduce a preliminary model to improve meeting collaboration, productivity, and outcomes.

Click here to learn more about how you can improve meeting effectiveness.

How Storytelling in Introductions Can Enhance Inclusion and Self Awareness

Reframing how we respond to the question, "what do you do?" by crafting a more holistic story helps define ourselves beyond a job title.

Remember the time you walked into a meeting with new people and were asked, “What do you do?” Or, possibly in the days leading up to the actual event, you begin contemplating questions like, “How will I introduce myself?” or “Will there be someone I can relate to?” along with the natural anxiety of entering an unfamiliar environment with unfamiliar people. As we enter new group environments, moving through the “get to know you stage” can be an awkward part of team forming. In this article, we will look at elevating the introductory elevator speech to help create relational connections through storytelling.

Click here to read more about how you can help your team feel a deeper sense of inclusion and belonging through storytelling.