Michael W. Kublin Is Pioneering Business Leadership Solutions Through PeopleTek

August 6, 2024

Michael W. Kublin is the founder and President of PeopleTek, a team of coaches and consultants that enables leaders to demonstrate that World Class Business Relationships are the most important skill for individuals, teams, and entire organizations for success.

Since 1996, PeopleTek has been providing courseware, consulting, coaching, credentialing, and cultural transforming solutions. PeopleTek’s vision is to create World Class Business Relationships, resulting in World Class Leadership. PeopleTek is the only company that provides the credential Certified Professional Leader of Business Relationships focusing on the most critical skill, Business Relationships.

Mike received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and received his MBA from Nova Southeastern University. He’s the author of several books including a NY Best Seller The Leadership Lessons of Howard Stern, 12 Steps For Courageous Leadership, The Leadership Journey I A Process for Self-Aware Leaders, Leadership Journey II – Moving Beyond The Barriers, and Leadership Insights, a book to help leaders learn, grow and transform. Michael is a Master Certified Coach through the MEECO Institute, a member of the Society of Human Resource Management, and the ACEC Association of Corporate Executive Coaches.

We interviewed with Michael about his upbringing, becoming a leader, skills needed to elevate, writing his first book and more.

Where are you from originally?

I was born in Chicago then moved to South Florida when I was 3 years old. We moved to Miami where I grew up. I went to the University of Florida and then to Dallas to work with Electronic Data Systems in 1976.

Tell us about the rise in your career. How much different is it now from when you started?

I was originally a Marketing major. At that time, I was looking for a job and IT was just starting to grow strong. I got my start at Electronic Data Systems working for Ross Perot, learning computers and data center management. I then went to work at American Express, leading the IT Operational areas such as Production Control and Computer Operations. I was fortunate to lead a sales territory for American Express in Broward County and part of Palm Beach County. After three years, I was asked to come back into IT and help the tech operations to find a way to get closer to their customers and build their relationships with the leaders and each other. I led two team simultaneously, Computer Operations, and Telecommunications at the South Operations Center. This involved leading a team of 100 colleagues.

In that role, I received the feedback that I was a visionary, motivating, and inspiring, however, wishy-washy and didn’t hold others accountable. I found a wonderful expert who had her PhD in leadership, and she showed me where my behavior was creating those perceptions. I hired her to work with our team and within a year, we turned the value survey at our center from one of the worst to the best. I then moved to Arizona to lead a network team and at the same time realized that what I love is building leaders and teams.

Myself and 4 others started a Leadership Company on the side. That company didn’t pan out and in 1996 I started PeopleTek. The goal was to work with leaders and teams in the IT industry, since this is where my expertise was and most of my business relationships existed. After a leader of mine allowed me to go part time then full-time into my business, I moved out of Corporate and into PeopleTek. I then seriously began coaching and consulting for leaders, teams and organizations.

I noticed a trend that existed. A lot of leaders were good at doing a job or tasks, were promoted into leadership and no one gave them any tools or processes to be successful. They lacked self-and awareness of others. This created trust and many other issues impacting their business results. I hired another expert to take what I was doing with leaders and I created a program called The Leadership Journey. I always believed that being a great leader took time and attention to building skills that once learned could be practiced and refined. So The Leadership Journey was conducted over a six-month period divided into twelve sessions. The Leadership Journey began in Arizona and through word of mouth, positive feedback and testimonials other groups requested to attend The Leadership Journey and it grew from there. We started The Leadership Journey in person, then moved to a hybrid and are now virtual. We run The Leadership Journey for individuals, teams, and even entire organizations. It’s all about your self-awareness and then the awareness of others. First, leadership is an inside job: what do you want, what is your plan to get there, how are others involved, and what skills abilities, and talents do you have (we at PeopleTek call that Magic Dust)? Both your Magic Dust and Vision, Mission, Goals, and Measures are created and implemented during The Leadership Journey. Where your vision, mission, goals and measures intersect with your Magic Dust is where true joy and passion reside in a leader/career.

When did you know you wanted to be involved with other leaders?

I always liked working with leadership because of the positive impact we were having our internal and external customers. This was true at EDS and American Express. After 5 years at PeopleTek, I read a book by a fellow Coach, Michael Gerber called The E-Myth Revisited. This book indicated that if you are going to achieve your vision, you can’t do it alone. You have to have process and others to be involved. Since the vision was world wide excellence it was time that I brought in other coaches to help lead The Leadership Journey. I created 7 criteria to lead the program. I brought in other Executive Coaches to work in partnership with PeopleTek. We have about 35-40 partners and a great support team for all of our internal processes and customer interactions.

What was the inspiration for the development of your business?

I believe everyone on the planet is a Leader. We all are special and we all have something to give and leave as a legacy. With the proper tools and support, we can all leave a legacy we can be proud of. Helping others to be great leaders and making this a better planet. I didn’t want other leaders to experience negative feedback without knowing there was a place to go and get help. When I received my feedback no one knew how to guide me or where to go for help. I didn’t want this to happen to others.

When did you first start writing books? What has that process been like?

The first book I wrote for sale to the public was 12 Steps for Courageous Leadership. I wrote this to follow the 12 sessions of The Leadership Journey. While The Leadership Journey is a book it is only available by going through the program. The process for the first book was easier than my recent book The Leadership Lessons of Howard Stern. This book was difficult for several reasons. Howard is such an authentic leader and I selected him because he is very open, vulnerable and real with his audience and guests. He is also a continual learner. He goes to therapy, shares on the radio his opinions and his vulnerability. In other words, he is human and open about his life, strengths, weaknesses. This gives everyone else the permission to do the same thing. I think that is a true sign of leadership because it builds trust. The process to write a book is hard. You keep wanting to change things and want it to have an impact to help other leaders be better. Therefore, you keep refining the wording and keep thinking of different ways of saying the same thing. Other times you get stuck and don’t feel like writing.

What is a current challenge for you and how would you approach it?

We are currently rebranding our company. Several years ago a friend coach of mine said “Mike, why is it so hard to fill The Leadership Journey’s for Open Enrollment? I asked, “what do you mean?” He said that everyone he has met or coached who was a Journey graduate said the program helped them “change their life”. He said each person said it was a profound change for leading themselves and others. He said “anything like this should not be hard to fill”. He also said “there is no program that gives as much for such a great price”. This initiated the rebrand and to get everyone at PeopleTek to understand our change. We identified that Effective Business Relationships were a major outcome of completing the program and the relationships always started with themselves. We know leaders gain people skills. We launched the new brand with a credential, which we are the only company offering, called The Certified Professional Leader of Business Relationships. This certification is given to The Leadership Journey graduates after successful completion of the program and taking the assessment to ensure they understand how to apply the concepts gained from the program. Launching this new Brand, PeopleTek – The Relationship Company is a challenge and so far doing very well educating our customers and partners. Why? Because we have a great leadership team that is supporting me and everyone, every step of the way. I am so proud of them.

How do you prefer receiving feedback?

From individuals directly. I don’t want an email or text. If it can be done in person, all the better. If not then a video call is fine. If not, then a phone call. Never in an email and never text.

What was one thing you did that exceeded your expectations when you began developing your business?

Working with a wonderful support team of Executive Coaches, Operations Support and Strategic Partners to deliver the best in class experience for our customers. That so many great people have come to be fabulous leaders after experiencing the program. Many have been promoted to the highest levels of success.

What does success mean to you? What are your rules for success?

Success comes in increments. When I see leaders making changes, and creating better teams and organizations I know things are working as designed.

The Fox Magazine is all about inspiration, what/who inspires you the most?

It inspires me to ensure every person on the planet has the tools process and support to be a great leader. I mix my desire and faith as a vision to create World Class Business Relationships and World Class Leadership. Napoleon Hill’s, Think and Grow Rich is a treasure and has been for me a process to make this happen. I have a saying, “I want to be the healthiest mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically, relationally, financially…” while I am here. I want to help others do the same.

What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you?

All my life I’ve lived with something I call “Dread in the Head”. This is like a blanket of fear that runs as a small current below the surface. I know it’s there and it can be almost anything that triggers it. I was recently able to identify it and play with it rather than deny it’s existence. Meditation has helped so very much. Most people that know me as motivating and inspiring and would never believe I deal with DREAD in THE HEAD.

What is your favorite or original innovation related motto, quote or words to live by?

My favorite person for inspiration is Ghandi. He said to “Be the change you would like to see in the World.” I can’t think of any better statement than taking action to help make this a better planet for everyone to have the tools and support to succeed.