Steve Heinen

Leadership Coach

Expertise and Coaching Approach

Steve focuses on coaching leaders with high potential for development. His approach combines his knowledge as an organizational psychologist of human behavior with his practical experience in guiding organizations and individuals through change. He helps leaders go through a journey with multiple components: to gain insights into their own behavior and to recognize its impact on others; to develop a broader perspective through a sense of purpose and the creation of a desirable work culture; and to become both personally and organizationally adaptable and resilient to deal with a turbulent world.

Steve’s career involves three prongs that have shaped his approach as an executive coach – assistant professor at the University of Minnesota College of Business, General Electric internal consultant/HR professional, and talent management consultant at Mercer Human Resource Consulting.

Throughout his career, he has helped organizations transform their leadership talent to prepare for the future. At GE’s Aircraft Engine business, he led a program of team-based management problem-solving groups to help the organizational leaders transform from a more top-down control leadership culture toward more collaborative decision making.

As an external consultant he helped organizations manage change and develop talent through the use of leadership development programs, assessment centers, and coaching. He has helped organizations prepare for potential leadership changes by coaching leaders to prepare for higher level roles. In one case, the whole leadership team was facing potential retirement and he conducted a systematic process of coaching potential successors; in others, single individuals were coached to prepare them for the CEO position or Senior Executive Leadership roles. He has worked across a range of industries, including manufacturing, health care and consumer goods; in both large companies such as General Motors, Ford, Kimberly Clark, as well as mid-sized and smaller firms.

Education and Credentials

Steve has a BA in Psychology from Xavier University, Ohio and an MA and PhD in Organizational Psychology from Michigan State University.

And Life…

Steve enjoys an active life style – exercising, walking, riding bikes and playing golf, while also reading both leadership books and good mystery novels. He is an avid sports enthusiast, who reserves his fall Saturdays for watching college football. Observing the varied growth and development of his children and grandchildren has become a favorite past time.