CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

Executive Recruiting

"We've engaged Michael Burroughs to complete a series of senior level searches in the medical technology field...our engagements have encompassed multiple functional areas and spanned several international markets.  Each has been successfully served with insight and professionalism and we have been delighted with the results of this partnership.  We continue to be impressed with the breadth and depth of his expertise..."

Andy Cowen

CEO

"I first met Michael Burroughs in 2002 when employed as director of HR for a software services company specializing in radiation therapy treatment planning.  While we had previously utilized another recruiter from an internationally known search firm (through a board referral) we had not been satisfied with the communication and results.  Michael came to my attention at the right time.  In his initial meeting with our executive team we all came away impressed with his corporate and military background and the breadth of his experience in technical as well as managerial fields.  More importantly, we liked the way he listened to what we had to say before advising us as to what we needed.  He asked a lot of thought provoking questions and gathered a lot of data before presuming to know what we wanted.  The work done upfront insured that Michael did exactly what he said he would do with the search process, from start to finish.   He fully understood our culture and the nuances of our industry and executive team.  He committed to a time table and kept to the schedule as promised.  His results were so successful that we engaged him to conduct several other senior level searches during my tenure with this company, all done equally as professionally."

"I have always felt that business is about relationships and Michael establishes outstanding working relationships with his clients.   While there are many big search firms out there, in the end it all depends on the results and the relationships built along the way and he understands that perfectly.  Anyone searching for high quality executives to join their team wants to ensure that they are working with a high quality person as their search consultant.  Michael is just that!   He brings integrity, honesty and professionalism to the table each time I have worked with him.   I have worked with many recruiters in the past and Michael is the first person I think of when anyone asks me for a referral."

John Becker

VP of Human Resources

"As an executive recruiter, Michael Burroughs is a professional in the truest sense.  He spares no effort to become well acquainted with the organization that has retained him.   Paying great attention to the organization's knowledge of itself and its practice of its stated principles, Michael works skillfully and diligently to assist the organization in designing or redesigning the vacant position's description as well as the profile of the most desirable candidate.  In so doing, Michael actually contributes to strategic planning as well as executive recruiting. "

"In conducting the actual search Michael is creative, tireless and aggressive in finding the best of the best.  His screening techniques are inventive, revealing and productive.  His report of his screening results inform the organization so well that it is possible to know more about the candidate's probable performance than others already within the organization.   Michael does not cut corners.  The organization that retains him can be assured of the highest return for their dollars spent."

Sue Wilkerson

SVP Human Resources

"Michael Burroughs has provided executive level retained searches to our publically traded industrial company for over three years.  He has completed a number of assignments for us.  The searches covered many functional specialties from operations to finance to legal to marketing and ranged from Executive Vice President to Director-level.   Michael's approach provides our hiring managers with better information than I have obtained from any other recruiter in my past 20 years of senior HR experience."

"His search approach and steps up to and including the transitioning of the executive into our organization was excellent.  The most unique and useful element of his process is the in-depth on-line questionnaire he develops during the job specification process.  The questionnaire is prepared by Michael in concert with the client and is specifically oriented toward the position requirements and the company environment.   This unique tool, when completed by prospective candidates, provides the hiring manager with an insight into the candidate that is unmatched by any other method.  Much time is saved and better interviews result from our having digested these questionnaires in advance of meeting candidates.  The candidate's responses are presented as part of the selection process and are then used to prepare for more structured interviews.  Our executives find the tool invaluable."

"'Michael's professionalism is the primary reason I chose to work with him.  The ethical manner in which he works with the hiring manager, candidates and my HR staff was the basis of my continuing to work with him on follow-on assignments."

Dan Patterson

VP Human Resources

"I have worked directly with Michael Burroughs on three individual search engagements over the past several years.  The first two involved senior management positions based at our corporate headquarters that had leadership responsibility for product development and for marketing (and ultimately North America Sales).  The third engagement involved the GM-China position with responsibility for our Shanghai based software development operations and sales and customer support.  We were extremely pleased with the outcomes, and the process by which these outcomes were achieved, in each of these three engagements."

"When the next need for an executive recruiter arises, it is a safe assumption that we will return to Michael to again lead the effort, regardless of location or position.  While the results we have achieved working with Michael speak for themselves, I think it is important to recognize what to me are the two most important factors that have led to his success:  First and foremost is the professional background and experience that Michael brings to the engagement, not only as a search professional, but also (and more importantly) from his diverse and distinguished career in executive management, consulting and sales.  In the early phases of the engagement, as Michael conducts interviews with key stakeholders relative to the position, it is immediately clear that Michael brings both the professional search and broad business expertise necessary to accomplish the company's recruiting objectives.  He has a clear sense of what information (both internal and external to the company) is relevant to a successful search and explores and puts into proper context relevant nuances involving the company culture, strategic initiatives, organizational dynamics, market realities, etc., that would be of limited interest to, or lost entirely on, many other search professionals.  In relative short order, Michael "gets it" and is able to develop a very clear picture of what needs to be accomplished in order to locate and identify excellent candidates."

"Second is the search process and approach that Michael follows throughout the entire effort from initial contact to offer acceptance.  His process is an extremely well thought out, formal and phased approach that ensures maximum effectiveness and efficiency.  The information he compiles and shares with the company is invaluable in assisting us in making the right decisions.  Of particular note is the customized candidate questionnaire and responses that Michael has developed which provide valuable insight and perspective into each of the candidates presented.  In my opinion this is a step unique to Michael's practice and demonstrates the value added orientation that he has brought to his engagements with us.  At the end of our engagements with him not only did we have outcomes that exceed our expectations, we also came away with the impression that Michael made our lives as easy as possible while ensuring timely and excellent results.  It is these two characteristics that clearly differentiate Michael from all other search professionals with whom I have worked and I would recommend him highly to anyone..."

Tim Mortenson

Chief Financial Officer

"As a public company whose business involves high tech electronics for the military and commercial markets, it had been very difficult finding strong executive talent for our key positions...I found Michael to be very knowledgeable in the aerospace and defense industry, careful in the selection of candidates and very responsive to our questions.  Michael does an excellent job in keeping his finger on the pulse of the aerospace and defense industry.   His follow-up is superb and he has a very unique method of narrowing the pool of qualified candidates.  I often refer to his search style as, "informally formal".  He has a down-to-earth work style yet a professional demeanor.   His previous experience as a business executive and consultant gives him an edge on other recruiters and significantly serves to support his professional and high energy work ethic."

John Carroll

VP Human Resources

Executive Integration ("Pre-Boarding")
 

"The organization that desires to quickly capitalize on its investment of a just-hired executive will gain greatly by having Michael Burroughs conduct his Executive Integration process prior to the start date of an executive he has recruited.  This unique process offers an immediate and strategic opportunity for executive and organizational success that is different from any other approach.   Via exhaustive interviews with the incoming executive's new boss, peers and immediate subordinates, Michael is able to provide the executive with in-depth information and observations designed to guide the new leader through the first days of employment.  The new leader arrives on the start date prepared to begin problem solving immediately with her/his team.  Trust is built quickly and any early phase communication gaps are virtually eliminated.   In addition to gaining "critical-to-know" information, the new executive, her/his peers, and immediate subordinates are able to communicate in a non-threatening climate.   The process culminates on the start date with a meeting held with the new executive's subordinates during which much information is exchanged.   Problems needing solutions are immediately addressed by the team and leader on that first day.  This would not be possible without this valuable process on the back end of an executive search.   It is a significant value added component of an executive search project, one that I have never seen before, and significantly increases the likelihood of both short and long-term success."

Sue Wilkerson

SVP Human Resources

Executive Coaching

"...As I continue to further my career, I've come to increasingly recognize the importance of understanding the differences between leadership and management with each of their respective goals and needed attributes.  In my personal effort to continually improve, I've come to work with an executive coach, Michael Burroughs.  Michael has a long history of working with Emergency Medicine Directors and really has a unique understanding of our day-to-day challenges.  What I found fascinating was that besides working one-on-one with current and potential ED directors, he performed focus groups with them to better understand the essential leadership skills that are needed to be successful.  This emergency medicine focus, coupled with his years of executive coaching experience within the business arena, has made him invaluable to my professional growth not only as an ED Director, but also as a physician leader here at our hospital."

Rafael Torres, M.D.

Emergency Department Director

"I chose to engage Michael Burroughs for my leadership coach because, as an emergency physician, I wanted to work with a coach who understood my specialty and the challenges I faced in my leadership role.  I wanted to work with a coach who had had similar coaching experiences working with physicians in my role and higher.  I found Michael to be exactly what I was looking for.  Michael presents a wise, valuable viewpoint and provides fair, proper and good guidance.  I look forward to our conversations and only regret that I did not engage him sooner in my career."

Joshua Moskovitz, MD, MBA, MPH, FACEP

Associate Director for Operations

"I owe a lot of my professional success to Michael Burroughs and his exceptional executive and career coaching skills.  He uses a very fact-based approach to assessing skills and style that he then maps against your actual working environment. Thus, his coaching is immediately usable and directly applicable to your own personal situation and that makes all the difference!  Michael hits the deck running and turns the intangible into the logical and doable and does it with an affability that puts you totally at ease.  The skills he taught me have carried me successfully through multiple changes in work environment and roles up to the C Level.   And he has always answered any new questions I came up with later on.  There are just none better at executive coaching than Michael."

Chuck Miller
Chief Information Officer

"My sincerest thanks for a great year of executive coaching!  You were and are going to be for many years to come, the difference maker in my career.  I learned SO much!  I'm most appreciative of all of our time together.  Thanks again for all of the knowledge sharing, great coaching, and friendship."

Julie Chester

Quality Executive

"Michael Burroughs' years of experience and training in performance coaching are greatly leveraged by his natural perceptiveness, respect for, and sensitivity to others.  His ability to establish geniune rapport quickly earns Michael the trust of his client that is imperative to successful outcomes.  Michael is a sought-after coach because he is able to assist his clients in dealing with personal hard truths effectively, without loss of self-respect or optimism. In so doing, he has gained the enduring gratitude of countless executives who went on in their careers to progressively more responsible positions in both the for and not-for-profit sectors.   The organization or individual that retains Michael for his executive and career coaching services is the organization or individual that invests in the future."

Sue Wilkerson
SVP 

"As a newly promoted vice president in my organization I had a lot to learn about serving at the executive level. The first important lesson I gained in my coaching experience with Michael was learning many of the things "I didn't know that I didn't know" about interacting with senior executives.  With his guidance I became more comfortable and effective in those interactions. This went beyond understanding individual personalities and behavioral styles.  He helped me develop skills to more effectively work with them on a routine basis.  I also was able to consult with Michael from time-to-time and share with him what issues I was dealing with, what my responses or plans were, and getting vital and timely feedback.  That "real-time" coaching was a great benefit to me and, ultimately, my employer."

Jim Cocos
VP 
 
"Michael's expertise and interactive style of coaching has helped several senior executives within our organization to strengthen their awareness of their own communication and work styles and how they impact each other and their direct reports.  He also guided us in the identification of areas in which stronger skill sets or modification of some of our existing managerial practices were necessary, as well as specific changes that could be made and how best to make those changes.  Michael's coaching process has proven to be invaluable to our organization."

Sharon Murtzlufft
SVP

"Michael Burroughs has been my executive coach for almost a year and I've been absolutely impressed with his professionalism, the breadth of knowledge he brings, and his ability to make me feel completely comfortable sharing any challenges and opportunities that I face in my career development journey.   Michael created rich dialog during our sessions that help me focus on both corporate and individual goals to obtain a clear vision of what is needed to achieve career objectives.  I continue to reach out to Michael for coaching and, quite frankly, he has been more than just a coach to me--he is a trusted mentor.  I recommend Michael without reservation, and tell you that he will prove valuable to all aspects of your company and to executive career development."

Joe Narsh

SVP and Group Leader

"Michael Burroughs has an amazing gift for coaching executives at all levels.  The hours I spend with Michael are more helpful than all previous managerial training I have received.  His methods quickly identify and measure the important competencies required to succeed and grow beyond one's current position.  Additionally, in a very short time, I was introduced to the important skill sets required for professional growth from my employer's point of view, and understood the value placed on each of these skill sets.  Michael created a very focused and personalized development plan to meet my comprehensive needs and broke the plan down into bite-sized pieces that were able to be implemented easily and efficiently into my work schedule.  The developmental applications benefit my executive career and personal life, equally.  Regardless of your executive experience, I highly recommend spending time with Michael.  You will be a better executive and manager."

Jodi Hall

Wealth Management Group Practice Leader (Successor)

"...We have been so blessed this year by your presence in our business!  Helping me to think and act like a CEO instead of a manager has been a huge transition that I could not have done without you!"

Jan Spalding

Wealth Management Group Practice Leader