Remembering Michael

Michael Doyle, the inspirational consultant, facilitator, leader, and entrepreneur, died Sunday, January 29, 2007 at his home in San Francisco. Since then the phones, e-mails, and conversations have been erupting with memories and stories about this phenomenal man. I'm David Sibbet, a colleague and friend of Michaels since the 1970s. He was the direct impetus for me starting my own facilitation business, The Grove Consultants International, 30 years ago.

Yesterday when I received another long e-mail from a colleague I felt that we really needed a place to share these across the whole community. I called Meredith Beam, a close friend of Michael and his wife Juli Betwee, to check out the idea of creating a blog for Michael and she completely agreed. She checked with Juli and she also agree this would be a fine thing to do.  So I am creating a first post, and will add others. Please add your own material at any time by just commenting on whatever post you care to extend. If you want to post pictures or other media, just send them to me david_sibbet@grove.com or to Meredith Beam at meredith_beam@beaminc.com and we'll post the items.

I collaborated on many things over the years with Michael and now again on this blog! Hello Michael. May my fingers serve your continuing consciousness.  Love, David

Comments

[Bob Johnansen]

I really admire you for doing this, David. I didn’t really know Michael personally, except for one or two brief meetings long ago. But he was something of a mythic figure for me, one that I always felt very positively about and close to—through his writings, through the Interaction Associates Diaspora, and through the many colleagues we had in common. I think it is great that you can get this informal blog going in Michael’s honor.

All the best,

Bob
Institute for the Future

[Leslie Salmon-Zhu]

Thanks again for your sensitive phone call on that first day. I was a wreck about it. I'm doing much better now and am hoping to make it to the open house this weekend with my girls. They asked to be next to Juli to comfort her....so sweet. David and Juli, although only spending about 10 hours of their lives with my kids, had some incredible, and I mean inCREDible connectioin to my kids when they were little. I have no idea where it came from, but anyway,there you are.

Love and hugs to you. I hope you're doing okay. I've been thinking of you,being a hub for this unfortunate news and connectng all of us, while mourning yourself at the same time. Remind me to tell you all the images I'm getting from Michael since his death. beautiful.
Love, Leslie

[Pat McLagan]

When I think of Michael, I draw on my work with him on two big projects (ASTD's 1983 National Conference which I chaired and he facilitated....and Memestreams, where he invited me to be a Vice President.)

He was a big and integrative thinker, a sweet and caring man, a teddy bear with big dreams about how the world could be and with a hug for everybody. It was wonderful to see him find Juli and to know he had great personal and intellectual companionship.

I think mainly of sunshine when I think of Michael. I'm sorry our paths were unable to cross in South Africa, and am reminded again how very important our present moments are with special people.

Much love Michael...and Juli.

Pat McLagan

[Jeff Anthony]

Like so many others already heard from, I too was fortunate to have had the chance to "experience" Michael. From the early 80's in SF through a mix of ala carte encounters over the next 20+ years, Michael never failed to both make and leave an impression.

I recall crossing paths with Michael for the last time at ASTD HQ years ago. Michael was a bit late for his meeting and, without hesitation, handed me a few scribbled notes and sketches, and asked me to knock out a couple of flip charts for him, then left the room.

When he returned he took a quick look, said "great-thanks," then asked me for a black marker. Of course I'm wondering what upgrades he is about to make to my graphics.

Michael took the marker, leaned over, spruced up his shoes, and went into his meeting. Classic.

An impression both made and left...fondly remembered.

Jeff Anthony

[Kim Barnes]

Michael was a shooting star. He was my introduction to this community when I arrived in 1979 - Sandra Florstedt took me along to a party celebrating Michael's 10 years in SF. He personified the community and gave me a sense of the possible. Or nearly possible... His willingness to take risks gave many of us the courage to set out on our own path. Michael was always there, just ahead of us, doing the next thing. And, I guess, he still is.

[Joan McClintic Emrich]

My strongest memory of Michael was in mid 1980s in Baltimore MD where IA was hired to design and facilitate a 2-day conference for 400 EPA managers. At the end of Day 1 Barry Rosen met with the EPA leader and told us Day 2's agenda had been redesigned. I was tired and wanted to go to bed so I was not thrilled when it became clear we needed to rewrite all the flip charts for the 20 small groups. I walked into the room and saw Michael working away. He looked up and said " Hi, We have work to do. Isn't that great!" He meant it and inspired us to stay up half the night to get ready to serve the EPA folks to the fullest. He inspired so many to do so much over so many years.

[Jim Schuyler]

Upon learning that Michael as Michael was no longer with us, I was struck by a great sense of loss, though I kept thinking "I barely knew this man - why do I feel this way?"

Every time Michael and I were in the same room he would say "we have to get around to blogging" (this quote from his last Friday on earth) or "I really like what you're doing" and I would have to remind myself that as far as I knew, I had only met him briefly, most likely in 1982 when I had an ofice in the China Basin Building that shared a common wall with Interaction Associates, and probably only talked with him once or twice.

But, last week I helped bring a large group of high school students from three continents to have a visit with the Dalai Lama, and just this second it occured to me that "I must have known this man in another life." And that the hope we had that we could get together and do "something good" can still be realized in another life. And even if you don't believe this reincarnation stuff of Tibetan Buddhism (and its Hindu influences) you can at least believe that the karmic "stuff" of Michael Doyle and the karmic "stuff" of "me" (or of "thee" if you wish) will have their own butterfly effect on the rest of the world.

Take what you have learned from Michael, add what you know, and make something good of it while you have the time and energy to do so!

[John Renesch]

I just learned about this blog so I'm a bit late entering the conversation...

Like others, I was shocked when I heard about Michael's passing and, not being a close friend, sent off an immediate but short email to Juli whom I had known
years
before I met Michael. I knew of him and his reputation more many years
yet cherished my few moments with the two of them, including coffees at Cafe Roma in our beloved North Beach.

The last time I saw him, we were on the same flight East. I think we parted at O'Hare where I
went on to Zurich and he continued to NYC.

Michael's jovial nature was always a treat and I always enjoyed his enthusiastic appreciation for life and his passing seems incredibly premature. But that is my human mind voicing itself. God apparently had better use for this "gentle giant" who touched my life deeply and forever.