Michael Olsen on Choosing a Career in Health Care Management

In Chapter 3 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "When are You at Your Best?" Olsen finds he is at his best when working on something important that directly impacts people he serves. He finds working in health care a more direct way to help people than, for instance, working in finance or insurance, and consequently earns his MPH MBA degree and commits to health care management consulting.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

Michael Olsen on 3 Ways Parents Instill Positive Values in Children

In Chapter 4 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "What Childhood Experiences Have Been Most Fundamental in Shaping Who You Are Today?" Three childhood experiences shape Olsen's view of the world. First, his parents teach Olsen the importance of travel, culture and inclusiveness. They do this by taking him to Europe as a 9-year old and, every Christmas, inviting people from different cultures to the Olsen family dinner table. Second, his father gets him involved in local Rotary Club events, specifically an annual pancake breakfast fundraiser, which teaches him the value of community service. Third, his parents show him the value of education by not only pushing him to value education but also by constantly learning and leading by example.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

Michael Olsen on How Parents Influence Long-Term Career Goals

In Chapter 5 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "How Are Your Personal Experiences Shaping Your Professional Aspirations?" Following the lead from his role model parents appreciation for service and travel, Growing up in a stable household, Olsen pushes himself to serve others in need and make that the professional priority in his life. This leads him to work in health care consulting that allows him to travel often and help many different groups of people.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture.  Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

Michael Olsen on Learning Work Ethic From a Big Brother

In Chapter 6 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "Where Did You Learn Your Work Ethic?" Olsen learns work ethic from his big brother, Marc, who leads by example working hard and staying determined to accomplish goals. This shapes Olsen as he develops his own sense of drive and applies it in his own career and life pursuits.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

Michael Olsen on Studying in a Dual Degree MBA MPH Masters Program

In Chapter 7 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "What Were the Benefits of Studying in a Dual Degree Graduate Program?" Reflecting on his time as a dual graduate degree student in business and public health, Olsen finds two benefits. The first is that he is able to bring project management business skills into the public health work his team does on a Paraguay assignment. The second is that studying public health makes him think beyond MBA student goals of getting that job after school and more about lifetime impact he wants to make in his career.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

Michael Olsen on Job Skills You Learn Studying Public Health

In Chapter 8 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "What Skills Did You Learn Studying Public Health That You Hope to Use in Your Career?" Studying in a dual degree business and public health masters program, Olsen shares how public health studies taught him to understand scientific evidence and use structure to improve problem solving. Additionally, he finds studying public health helps him better understand how he can make a difference in the world, in particular in developing regions. He sees firsthand how global health disease states such as child mortality, HIV and malaria are dropping and it inspires him to be part of that movement as a global health professional.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

How to Research Career Options While in Graduate School

In Chapter 9 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "How Did You Research Career Options While Attending Graduate School?" While doing a joint business school and public health graduate program, Olsen finds each school treats career planning very differently. Business school career planning is more structured around personality test analysis to identify fit for career paths. Olsen finds public health school career planning more open-ended. In both programs, Olsen focuses on meeting the experts invited to speak at the schools. There he gets advice that in order to build a long-term career in social entrepreneurship, a good place to start is working a corporate job before transitioning into social enterprise.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

Michael Olsen on Striking a Balance Volunteering and Making a Living

In Chapter 10 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "How Has Volunteering Impacted Your Learning and Development?" Olsen learns early the importance and reward of volunteering his skills and time. Now in his 30s, he gains a pragmatic point of view on life that he first needs to make a living to support himself and his family. While this may mean Olsen volunteers less in the short term, it also pushes him into a health care career helping others so long term, through work and volunteering, he can make a difference.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

Michael Olsen on Using an Interdisciplinary Education in a Job

In Chapter 11 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "How Has Your Interdisciplinary Education Proven Valuable in Your Development?" Olsen shares how his interdisciplinary education gives him and others a fresh perspective when doing business and researching. He also finds that interdisciplinary learning has helped him apply different processes to solve problems and communicate more effectively.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

Michael Olsen on Going From Small Business Owner to MBA Consultant

In Chapter 12 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "Where Has Running Your Own Small Business Been Most Useful Working a Corporate Job?" After running a small business and earning an MBA, Olsen joins Accenture as a management consultant. Working with senior leaders on consulting projects, Olsen draws from his own business leadership experience running a business to respect that management decisions he influences or makes will impact the future of not only the company but also the employees who work there.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

Michael Olsen on Improving Management Consultant Job Skills

In Chapter 13 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "What Skills Are You Working on Right Now to Become Better at Your Job?" As an Accenture management consultant, Olsen focuses on improving effective communication skills and creating repeatable processes to perform work tasks.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

Michael Olsen on How to Assess Communication Effectiveness

In Chapter 14 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "How Are You Learning to Communicate More Effectively?" Olsen shares his approach to testing his communication and persuasiveness, from trying alternative approaches to gathering data and assessing results. 

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

Michael Olsen on the Hard Part of Building Relationship Trust

In Chapter 15 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "How Do You Establish Trust When Building Relationships?" Olsen shares how he struggles with assuming trust in a relationship and being trusting before a relationship has had time to develop. He looks for ways to build trust from the inception of a relationship to complement the trust that comes with doing what you say you are going to do.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

Michael Olsen on Finding Ways to Be More Accepting of Change

In Chapter 16 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "What is Your Comfort Zone and What Do You Do to Break Free of Living in It?" Olsen shares how he is his father's son in that he tends to resist change in his life. He looks for fun ways to change up his routine, including moving to new cities and using phone apps to create systems that help him mix things up.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

Michael Olsen on How Reflection Informs Personal Growth

In Chapter 17 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "What Role Has Reflection Played in Shaping Your Personal Growth?" Olsen shares measuring personal growth is dependent on being able to successfully reflect. He notes how he prefers structured reflection over unstructured reflection to learn from his past to plan his future.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

Michael Olsen on Deciding Where to Move After Getting a Job Offer

In Chapter 18 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "What Has Been Your Approach to Determining What City is Best Suited for You?" Olsen receives a job offer from Accenture and is told he can choose to live in any city where Accenture has an office. Olsen uses Microsoft Excel to structure his thinking and make a more informed decision on where he and his girlfriend should go, ultimately deciding on San Francisco.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

Michael Olsen on Establishing a Career After Business School

In Chapter 19 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "How Are You Learning to Apply Your Passions in New Ways?" As a new MBA / MPH graduate starting a job at Accenture, Olsen finds that the most important thing for him to do at this stage in his life is to focus on his management consulting work. Over time, as he builds experience and gains security, he looks to think more about cultivating his passions.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

Michael Olsen on Building a Network of Trusted Career Advisors

In Chapter 20 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "At This Moment in Your Life, Where Are You Seeking Advice and Coaching?" Olsen shares how he starts with the people he knows best and trusts most, his friends and family.  As an entrepreneur transitioning into a corporate role working at Accenture, Olsen also pushes himself to tap into career advice resources from mentors working at the firm.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies.