Michael McDonald
Founder & President
“I am always looking for the best in those that I serve. Seek a person’s best and they will rise to that level.”
Michael has a deep and broad history of providing coaching, analysis, assessment, and support for leaders and executives throughout the U.S. and the globe. He has been an integral part of the success of several companies and with the development of tools and processes to improve talent management, acquisition, and development, as well as transition coaching.
From John Hayek:
“I have a good deal of experience in the Career Planning space and must say that Michael is the best I have encountered. He knows his stuff, but more importantly has a keen sense of the individual and is able to tailor his services to both the situation and the personality. He always goes the extra mile, and he bleeds integrity. A person I would “go to war” with.”
Michael R. McDonald, is the President of Insights Into Success LLC in Liverpool, New York which specializes in organizational effectiveness through executive and team coaching, selection and retention strategies, performance enhancement, individual / organizational assessments, leadership development, and succession planning.
Michael brings to his clients a unique combination of technical knowledge and employee development and coaching. He offers over 25 years of experience in management, training and consulting.
He is a Managing Partner and advanced master trainer of the Harrison Assessments Talent Solutions and has been identified as one of two top North American experts in the customization, training and interpretation of these assessments for hiring and employee, leadership & team development.
Michael holds a Bachelor’s degree from SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry. He is a former captain who served for six years with the US Air Force, where for 2+ years he was Chief of Operations for the 321st Civil Engineering Squadron. During his early professional career, he held technology positions as a manager for a $100 million specialty paper manufacturer, and as a Systems Engineer and IT Team Leader for a regional telecommunications company.
For a 6 year period after leaving corporate management roles, Michael managed his own consulting firm which provided information technology advisement, planning and custom training to local businesses. In that role and as a former adjunct faculty member at Syracuse University, he served as a coach and mentor to numerous emerging professionals.
When he realized that his passion for developing people had surpassed his passion for technology, Michael initiated a career shift and joined Pathfinders CTS, Inc. in 2001. During his tenure there, he has vigorously pursued training, development and participation in the professional coaching arena including study under Dr. Martin Seligman in Positive Psychology.
In addition to his credentials as a Certified Life Options Retirement Coach and CPI Career Coach certification, he is a member of Association for Talent Development (ATD). He recently served as the Practice Leader for Executive Coaching in Career Partners International (72 partners, 100+ locations, 300+ Executive Coaches).
After 16 years as a Principal at Pathfinders, Michael has recently established a new, separate specialty practice, Insights Into Success LLC which leverages his experience and expertise gained at Pathfinders. This new firm focuses on organizational effectiveness through individual and group development.