Mike Dalton, Managing Director and Chief Growth Coach
People always ask what drove me to want to help companies with growth and innovation issues. “Well, I guess you could say that it was how I was raised. Growing up, Saturdays were project days; my Dad would wake me at the crack of dawn to tackle another home improvement or repair project – anything from automotive to plumbing, from carpentry to small engine repair. Honestly, at the time, it felt more like indentured servitude, but over time, I realized that I truly loved troubleshooting problems, finding solutions, and fixing things. Probably to the point of annoyance for my wife who sometimes feels like – “can’t you just leave well enough alone.” But for me, that’s what consulting and innovation are all about: Identifying problems, finding the leverage points, helping devise strategies and solutions that prevent issues in the first place, and then implementing them.”
Mike Dalton started the Guided Innovation Group to put his talents and experience to work helping mid-size and larger companies better results out of their investment in new product innovation in less time. His unique theory of constraints-based approach to rapid innovation improvement is helping companies focus and fix the issues holding back their growth. Mike also consults on open innovation and alliances as a member of the Alliance Management Group, Inc. and serves as a Group Director for the Paranet Group – a Southeastern Wisconsin-based peer advisory organization for executives leaders.
Mike honed his innovation skills in business over more than 20 years as an executive and manager at the SC Johnson family of companies – the $10 billion privately held consumer and industrial products multinational. He has grown new and existing businesses as a general manager, marketing director, business development director, and worked in several manufacturing management roles. He earned an MBA in marketing & finance from the University of Chicago and a degree in chemical engineering, energy and gas technology from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
He’s also spoken on new product innovation and growth for numerous trade groups and at the National Academy of Sciences. If your organization would be interested in having Mike speak on how your members can get more impact from their innovation investment, please call or contact us by email
Interested in finding out how we can help you?
If you’d like to talk with Mike about getting more impact from your new product efforts, call us or click here for a no-obligation discussion. In this discussion, we’ll find out a little bit about your objectives and the new product development issues you are facing; if there’s a fit, we offer a complimentary in-depth assessment and strategy session to understand your problems and opportunities and to explore how we can help you get more impact from your innovation investment.