Michael Fryer has been creating spaces in which people can explore the things that really matter for the past 29 years. His work has taken him all over the world and given him an opportunity to gain insights into the core ingredients of healthy teams and communities.
He learned his trade in Northern Ireland with The Corrymeela Community, Ireland’s oldest peace and reconciliation center. Their focus on the importance of relationships, and on listening and intentionally creating a space in which new perspectives can emerge, resonated deeply. From 2018-2024 he taught applied skills-based courses as a Professor of Practice at the University of San Diego’s Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies.
Accompanying and guiding a team as they journey from confusion, frustration and apathy through to engagement, clarity and enthusiasm about their next steps is always such a privilege. Michael focuses on highlighting the links between seemingly random and unrelated ideas, themes and perspectives and then connecting them with the challenges being explored with a team. Through asking better questions, Michael helps teams move past simplistic explanations for complex challenges and transform deeply rooted conflicts and change processes. He has most recently focused on helping senior leaders navigate the inevitable challenges of digital transformation initiatives.
He lives in the beautiful mountains near San Diego with his wife Vanessa and young daughters Eloise and Lucette.