Jody Michael Associates

Jody Michael Associates We are a Chicago-based coaching and consulting company passionate about facilitating organizational, team and individual change.

Founded in 1996, JMA provides coaching and consulting to individuals, teams and corporations around the world. Our advanced training in human behavior, neuroscience, clinical psychology, and coaching assures you of our ability to provide quality professional guidance. Prior corporate experience allows us to quickly absorb and deeply understand complex executive challenges. Most importantly, our cl

ients consistently get great results, as evidenced by our 93% referral rate. The JMA team is led by Jody Michael, an executive coach, career coach, Master Certified Coach, Board Certified Coach, trainer, author, international speaker and University of Chicago-trained psychotherapist. She brings insight from over 20 years of individual, executive and career coaching and 15 years of corporate leadership in the finance industry. Our services are conducted in-person at one of our two Chicago office locations, on-site for corporate engagements or on the phone for remote clients or busy executives.

Senior leaders are often the people an organization relies on most. But without realizing it, they can also become the r...
08/28/2026

Senior leaders are often the people an organization relies on most. But without realizing it, they can also become the reason decisions slow down, teams hesitate and progress stalls.

The problem isn’t necessarily poor leadership. It’s often a pattern of staying too involved, holding onto too many decisions or becoming the person everyone waits for.

Our latest article explores how leaders become organizational bottlenecks, why the pattern can be difficult to recognize and what it takes to shift from being indispensable to building a team that can move without you.

How capable senior leaders can become bottlenecks—and how to build stronger decision-making and ownership across their teams.

A strong strategy is only as effective as the team responsible for carrying it out.Before launching a major initiative, ...
08/27/2026

A strong strategy is only as effective as the team responsible for carrying it out.

Before launching a major initiative, leaders need to consider more than the plan itself. Is the team aligned? Do people have the capacity, clarity and commitment to execute?

This Harvard Business Review article explores why assessing team readiness before rolling out a new strategy can make the difference between a plan that gains traction and one that stalls.

Many leadership teams excel at crafting strategy but fail to create the conditions needed to execute it successfully. Before launching a major initiative, leaders should assess their organization’s strategic readiness across three dimensions: appetite (whether people genuinely own the outcome), ca...

You can be busy, productive and successful on paper and still feel like you’re not moving forward.The problem may not be...
08/26/2026

You can be busy, productive and successful on paper and still feel like you’re not moving forward.

The problem may not be a lack of effort. It may be a lack of clarity about what you actually want.

In our latest article, we explore the hidden cost of moving through your career and life without a clear sense of direction, and why defining what you want can change the decisions you make along the way.

Learn why clarity about what you want leads to better decisions, stronger leadership and more intentional career growth.

Is workplace ghosting really a Gen Z problem, or a sign of something bigger?While 54% of Gen Z applicants reportedly gho...
08/20/2026

Is workplace ghosting really a Gen Z problem, or a sign of something bigger?

While 54% of Gen Z applicants reportedly ghosted employers after receiving an offer, 75% of employers also admit to ghosting candidates during the hiring process.

This Inc. Magazine article makes the case that as hiring and work become increasingly impersonal, organizations may need to focus less on generational blame and more on rebuilding human connection.

Gen-Z often gets criticized for "ghosting the workplace." An industry expert says that doesn't tell the whole story about today's hiring practices.

Leadership isn’t defined by how many people report to you.Increasingly, leaders are expected to move initiatives forward...
08/19/2026

Leadership isn’t defined by how many people report to you.

Increasingly, leaders are expected to move initiatives forward, build alignment and influence decisions across teams they don’t directly control. That requires a different set of skills than relying on title or authority.

This Harvard Business Review article explores five ways to strengthen your influence when formal authority isn’t enough.

As formal authority becomes less effective in modern organizations, leaders increasingly face the challenge of influencing outcomes without direct control. So, they must learn to exert indirect influence in five ways: identifying hidden power brokers who shape decisions; using discreet back channels...

Most leadership teams don’t struggle because of strategy. They struggle because of patterns.Under pressure, even highly ...
08/07/2026

Most leadership teams don’t struggle because of strategy. They struggle because of patterns.

Under pressure, even highly capable leaders can fall into habits that quietly undermine ownership, trust and performance: stepping in too quickly, focusing on what’s wrong or feeling constrained by others.

Because these patterns often feel justified in the moment, they can be difficult to recognize and even harder to change.

Our latest article explores the invisible habits that keep leadership teams stuck and how leaders can begin shifting them.

Recognize the hidden leadership patterns that undermine accountability, trust and team performance—and learn how to change them.

The strongest source of new business often isn't your marketing. It's your reputation.Customer referrals are built on tr...
08/06/2026

The strongest source of new business often isn't your marketing. It's your reputation.

Customer referrals are built on trust, strong relationships and consistently delivering value. Yet many organizations leave referrals to chance instead of making them part of their strategy.

This Harvard Business Review article explores why referrals matter more than ever and how leaders can create experiences that customers want to recommend.

Companies that systematically track referral behavior uncover a powerful, underutilized growth engine. An analysis of more than 10 million consumers reveals that while about 20% of new customers come through referrals, they account for 72% of the profits all new customers generate. Referred customer...

Losing a job can shake more than your finances. It can challenge your confidence, identity and sense of direction. But i...
08/05/2026

Losing a job can shake more than your finances. It can challenge your confidence, identity and sense of direction. But it doesn't have to define what comes next.

Our latest blog offers practical perspective for professionals navigating layoffs, career transitions or periods of uncertainty. If you're facing change—or know someone who is—this is worth reading.

How to navigate job loss, career uncertainty and a changing job market with greater clarity, adaptability and confidence.

What separates great leaders from everyone else?According to new research from Kellogg School of Management, the answer ...
07/30/2026

What separates great leaders from everyone else?

According to new research from Kellogg School of Management, the answer isn't technical expertise or charisma alone. The most effective leaders consistently demonstrate a handful of behaviors that build trust, strengthen teams, and improve performance.

It's a worthwhile reminder that leadership is less about position and more about the habits you practice every day.

Which of these leadership traits do you think has the biggest impact on a team's success?



https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/5-traits-that-set-the-best-leaders-apart-2?

A former CEO and current executive coach discusses the tendencies of these high performers, including sharing credit and ignoring shiny objects.

Success doesn't always look like success.Many high-performing executives continue delivering results while carrying unre...
07/29/2026

Success doesn't always look like success.

Many high-performing executives continue delivering results while carrying unresolved setbacks, conflict, disappointment, and stress that quietly drain their energy and influence. Jody Michael calls this emotional drag—and it may be one of the most overlooked threats to executive performance.

In her latest Forbes article, she explores how emotional drag develops, why leaders often miss it, and what can be done before it begins affecting judgment, relationships, and decision-making.

Some of the most accomplished executives I work with aren't struggling because they lack capability. They're operating with emotional drag.

Address

405 N Wabash Avenue, Unit 2615
Chicago, IL
60611

Opening Hours

Monday 6am - 9pm
Tuesday 6am - 9pm
Wednesday 6am - 9pm
Thursday 6am - 9pm
Friday 6am - 9pm
Saturday 6am - 3pm
Sunday 6am - 3pm

Telephone

(773) 275-5566

Website

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