"Mike Stahl's career accomplishments provide ample evidence of his dedication to public service and his talent for executive leadership. In my view he stands out for having always remained an ideas man and a thought-leader, even while grappling with the constraints of life within large bureaucracies. He has made notable contributions to the field of public management as a writer and teacher as well as through his own accomplishments and the example he has set as a consummate professional. He has a wealth of experience operating at the boundary that divides senior career professionals from the world of politics; hence he has much wisdom to share on the critical questions of how best to fold together expert knowledge, democratic process, and the public interest.”

— Professor Malcolm K. Sparrow, Professor of Practice, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

 “Stahl Strategic worked with us to develop a replicable framework for building and managing complex teams of public officials and private sector experts as part of a national program. Mike’s management expertise and creative thinking were invaluable. Within our organization, we have already used his recommendations for a variety of other hiring decisions and initiatives and each and every one was measurably better as a result of Mike’s thoughtful guidance.”

— Shalini Vajjhala, Founder & CEO, re:focus partners

"I have had the privilege of working with and learning from Mike since 1992. He is a friend, mentor, and source of inspiration.

Since my early days as an intern at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio De Janeiro, Mike has helped me anticipate and cope with the various challenges associated with trying to be and ultimately serving as a leader. His insights into decision making, risk prioritization, and expectation management have been invaluable, both on personal and professional levels.

As I took on greater job responsibilities in the private sector, from North America, to Southeast Asia to Southern Africa, Mike’s ability to listen helped me find and calibrate my core competencies and focus on my strengths. And somehow, before coaching became a recognized profession, Mike was already doing just that! I credit him with helping me gain the maturity to identify opportunities for self-improvement and personal growth. I then leveraged those insights to navigate challenges thrown at me during my journey from DC to Jakarta to Houston to South Africa to Angola.

Mike’s experience is rooted in a deep respect for public service. I witnessed first-hand his leadership in and commitment to environmental policy and management that brought him an EPA Gold Medal in 1994 and Presidential Rank Awards in 2002 and 2008. From his precedent-setting trips to Mexico, China, Indonesia, the Netherlands, and Egypt, Mike has taught me the value of diplomacy, cultural sensitivity, and vision. His academic training and government experience in public management has positioned him to offer high-level yet grounded and pragmatic advice to public organizations and leaders facing difficult challenges in balancing the needs for economic growth, social development, and sustainability.

I was privileged to see Mike active in leadership roles in environmental enforcement and compliance assurance both domestically and internationally. He inspired loyalty and admiration in all organizations with which he was connected. Similar to what he did for me for almost 25 years, Mike found time to mentor and further the career of many other professionals from the divisions and office in which he worked.

I am extremely happy and excited that Stahl Strategic is up and running. Professionals seeking to grow and take on new challenges will be able to experience the quiet strength that derives from knowing Mike.

For me, Mike is more than a coach. As I have strived to be a good leader and global citizen, Mike has been a catalyst to my self-awareness and a conduit to continuous improvement. I am happy that others will now, through Stahl Strategic, be able to experience the thrill of elf-discovery and gain the confidence required to take on more and greater challenges."

— Luiz E. Guimaraes, MBA, MPA, Senior Partner, Environmental Resources Management PTY, Cape Town, South Africa

"Meeting Mike Stahl changed my career path forever. Moving into public service in my mid-thirties, I faced a steep learning curve in navigating the landscape and advancing my career in international environmental affairs. Mike not only provided deep insights into policy-making at all levels of government, he inspired the confidence I needed to approach complex issues and conduct thorough and appropriate analysis. In terms of my professional direction, he was instrumental in helping me define my intended career path and articulate how I could contribute to the mission of my organization. He acted as coach, mentor, counselor, and a great friend. His passion for sharing his extensive professional knowledge and experience is rivaled only by his ability to deliver thoughtful, personalized coaching. Mike brings to his coaching practice the value of management experience and the collective knowledge gleaned from years of public service and years of academic experience teaching graduate-level public management courses. From quality research and management practices, to time and work flow management, Mike carefully considers the needs of each client and provides guidance and feedback that enable the individual to make informed and confident decisions. And while there is much to be said about Mike's professional qualifications, I believe the real secret to Mike's effectiveness as a leader and a coach is that he cares deeply about the professional and personal goals of those he managed, and now extends this to his coaching clients. He understands that professional and personal goals are inextricably linked, and provides a service that reflects that appreciation and concern to the benefit of his clients and the organizations in which they serve."

— A fomer coaching client, who sought guidance in setting a career path in public service