About Michael

Michael J. Colburn, PhD, has spent the past 30 years of his career working with organization leaders to implement learning and sustainable change to improve performance at the organization, team and individual levels.  Michael has used his unique view of performance improvement to develop leaders, their workforce and implement strategic plans to improve systems and processes.  

Michael has taught as a Lecturer in the Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering, Adjunct Instructor at Otterbein University, Capital University and Ohio Dominican College.  He retired as an Associate Professor from Ashland (Ohio) University where he taught undergraduate and graduate courses in Organization Development, Operations Management, Strategic Management and Self-Management & Accountability.  At Ashland University he served as Chair of the Graduate Council and designed and facilitated programs for graduate student orientation and adjunct faculty development. 

Michael earned a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering, a Master of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering and a Ph.D. in Adult Education, all from The Ohio State University.  His doctoral dissertation on the education of the engineer challenged the traditional view of teaching and grading to a more self-directed and accountable role of the student in collaboration with their professors.   

Michael was awarded the Meritorious Service Award by the College of Engineering at the Ohio State University.  He was inducted into the Glo-Bus Hall of Fame as a Master Professor for his undergraduate student teams’ performance in a world-wide business simulation competition.  With his colleague Meg Freeling, Michael’s client, Performance Site Management, won the Ohio Governor’s Workplace Development Award for the successful design and implementation of employee-designed learning.

Michael and his wife Connie live in Columbus, Ohio where they spend time with their combined families of seven children and eleven grandchildren. Michael and Connie are active members and volunteers at the St. Thomas More Newman Center at The Ohio State University.  They are avid tennis fans having attended the U.S. Open and Wimbledon tournaments.