Michael Klein

Author of “Trapped in the Family Business” |  Executive Assessment & Development | Management Coaching

United States

About

Family-owned enterprise coach and leadership development specialist with 25+ years designing and leading assessment, coaching, and talent strategy programs for complex organizations across financial services, healthcare, professional services and multiple other industries. I build things: assessment centers, coaching practices, leadership development programs, and the data-driven talent pipelines that connect them. My work is grounded in applied and professional psychology — and translated into practical solutions that senior leaders actually use. Core expertise: -Leadership assessment & competency-based development -Executive coaching and 360-degree feedback -Succession planning and high-potential identification -Team effectiveness and organizational development -Psychometric tools: Hogan, ESCI, Korn Ferry 360, CCL Benchmarks Earlier in my career I led talent and L&D functions at MassMutual Financial Group, Fallon Healthcare, and New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Since 2008 I have led MK Insights, LLC, an organizational psychology consultancy serving executives and organizations nationally. I also served on the Advisory Board of The Myers-Briggs Company and taught at UMass Amherst's Isenberg School of Management and Commonwealth Honors College. I am the author of Trapped in the Family Business (2nd ed. 2018), featured in The New York Times and recipient of the 2018 Schulze Award for Outstanding Family Business Publication.

Experience

  • Principal at MK Insights, LLC
    May 2008 - Present · 18 yrs 2 mos

    Founded and lead an organizational psychology consultancy specializing in leadership assessment, executive coaching, and talent development for organizations across financial services, healthcare, and professional services. *Design and conduct executive and leadership assessments using competency-based frameworks and psychometric tools including Hogan, ESCI, Korn Ferry 360, and CCL Benchmarks — linking data directly to development and succession decisions. *Deliver outcome-focused executive coaching to senior leaders and high-potential managers; specialize in leadership effectiveness, emotional intelligence, and behavioral change. *Build and facilitate 360-degree feedback programs, self-assessments, and development planning tools that connect individual growth to enterprise talent strategy. *Design and deliver leadership development curricula and manager enablement programs as an approved provider under the Massachusetts Workforce Development Training Fund (WTFP). *Advise HR leaders and senior executives on performance management philosophy, succession planning, and career development frameworks. *Facilitate team effectiveness workshops using DISC, MBTI, and behavioral style instruments; deploy psychometric tools for selection and leadership risk identification. *Author of Trapped in the Family Business (2nd ed. 2018) — featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and recipient of the 2018 Schulze Award for Outstanding Family Business Publication. *Keynote speaker at the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) annual meeting on emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and leadership development.

  • Member, Advisory Board at The Myers-Briggs Company
    Apr 2020 - Jul 2021 · 1 yr 4 mos

    Collaborated with the Director of Global Research on development of a new psychometric assessment tool. Advised on implementation strategies to strengthen the validity and organizational effectiveness of the instrument.

  • Lecturer, Honors College & Isenberg School of Management at University of Massachusetts
    Sep 2013 - Jan 2018 · 4 yrs 5 mos

    Designed and taught "Psychology in the Workplace," a professional development course for Commonwealth Honors College undergraduates. *Guest lecturer at the Isenberg School of Management on personality, management, and applied psychology; conducted 1-on-1 assessments and developmental coaching with first-year MBA students. *Workshop leader at nearby Smith College and Mt. Holyoke College on professional development topics.

  • Regional Director, Center for Professional Development at MassMutual
    Oct 2002 - May 2008 · 5 yrs 8 mos

    Led leadership assessment, manager development, and talent strategy for a 4,000+ person national distribution network at a Fortune 100 financial services company. *Built and managed enterprise-wide assessment processes for field leadership selection and development, including oversight of multiple psychometric validation studies. *Consulted to HR, Field Recruiting, and business line leaders on assessment tool usage, inter-rater reliability, and succession pipeline development. *Designed and managed a national online behavioral assessment platform for 4,000+ managers and producers; created supporting e-learning, audio training, and distance learning programs. *Developed Emotional Intelligence Selling curriculum; delivered keynotes, classroom training, and coaching to sales professionals, managers, and field leaders across 12 agencies. *Provided talent development consultation to 12 independently operated agencies; partnered with General Agents and Sales Managers on leadership effectiveness and pipeline readiness.

  • Director, Learning & Organization Development at Fallon Health
    Sep 2000 - Oct 2002 · 2 yrs 2 mos

    Partnered with senior leadership to design and implement enterprise-wide performance management and manager development systems. *Led ongoing management assessment program using multi-rater feedback tools (Personnel Decisions International). *Facilitated manager, physician, and employee orientation and development programs. *Evaluated and managed external training vendors; designed and implemented organization-wide customer service development initiative.