Why Executive Coaches Choose to Teach with Oxygen
Overview
In this interview, executive coach Michael Knouse shares why he chose to teach in the Oxygen Management Essentials program and what makes this management training experience unique for today’s managers. Michael brings over a decade of experience coaching leaders at all levels. In this conversation with Oxygen Co-Founder Nick Herinckx, he discusses how Oxygen fills a critical gap for mid-market growth companies, helping new and mid-level managers develop the skills they need to lead teams with confidence. The conversation explores why implementation, psychological safety, conflict navigation, and practical tools are at the core of Oxygen’s approach, and how this structure helps managers immediately put learning into action.
Key Takeaways
Oxygen equips managers with foundational leadership skills, which builds confidence, clarity, and enables them to lead teams effectively.
The program is designed for fast-scaling, mid-market companies where managers are often promoted without formal leadership training.
Oxygen’s coaching curriculum goes beyond theory; 50% of the program focuses on implementation and execution so managers build usable tools they can apply immediately.
Live labs, 1:1 coaching, and office hours create multiple touchpoints for real-world application and personalized growth.
Managers gain actionable skills in communication, conflict navigation, psychological safety, managing up and down, and team engagement.
Success stories from cohorts show how applying Oxygen’s tools can transform both individual and team performance.
AI integration is helping personalize and scale manager training. Oxygen is exploring ways to combine human coaching with AI-powered learning prompts to deepen impact.
Why Executive Coaches Choose to Teach with Oxygen
Ongoing office hours and coaching support provide managers with personalized guidance and accountability throughout the program.
At Oxygen, our mission is to equip managers with the practical tools, skills, and support they need to succeed - especially in fast-scaling, resource-constrained environments. One of the key differentiators of Oxygen’s management training program is the caliber of our instructors.
We partner with highly experienced coaches who bring deep knowledge of executive leadership, organizational development, and hands-on management to every cohort.
Today, we’re spotlighting Michael Knouse, a seasoned business and leadership coach who brings more than a decade of experience to Oxygen’s Management Essentials program. Our CEO & Co-Founder Nick Herinckx sat down with Michael to learn about his background, why he chose to partner with Oxygen, and what makes this program stand out.
Q: Michael, can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got into coaching?
I spent about 16 years in the tech and software space, split between corporate and startup environments. Along the way, I was fortunate to work with some excellent coaches myself. That experience planted a seed. I started asking whether my own ladder was leaning against the right wall.
I began coaching on the side while still working in tech. My first formal coaching experience was with InsideTrack, where we delivered coaching services to universities to improve student retention and performance. That was my coaching boot camp: working with 90+ students taught me a lot about behavior change and motivation.
From there, I gradually built a private coaching practice. I’ve now been coaching full-time for about 12 years, mostly working with entrepreneurs, founders, and executive leaders, helping them grow personally and professionally.
Q: You’ve developed management and leadership curriculum before. What attracted you to Oxygen?
Prior to joining Oxygen, I worked with another executive coach building a curriculum for leadership teams and mid-level managers at several mid-market companies. That program covered communication skills, wellbeing, behavioral assessments, and creating a leadership profile; tools to help leaders better understand themselves and their teams.
When I learned about Oxygen, it immediately resonated. I loved that the program was purpose-built for managers, not just executives. Many companies invest in senior leaders but leave new or mid-level managers to figure it out on their own.
Oxygen fills that gap with a coaching curriculum that’s incredibly deep and practical, which is exactly what managers need when they’re running lean and can’t rely on extensive internal training resources.
Q: In your view, what sets Oxygen apart from other management training programs?
Several things stand out:
First, the depth of the curriculum. Oxygen goes well beyond theory. It teaches managers how to:
Set clear roles and boundaries
Navigate conflict and difficult conversations
Build psychological safety and team trust
Manage up as well as down
Take care of themselves while leading others
Second, the emphasis on implementation and execution. Many training programs stop at content delivery. With Oxygen, about half the program is dedicated to helping managers put what they learn into practice right away.
For example, managers don’t just learn about role clarity; they create actionable role descriptions with KPIs for every direct report. They don’t just talk about team engagement; they implement new practices during the cohort.
Finally, Oxygen offers a comprehensive support structure: live labs, 1:1 coaching, and office hours. Managers have multiple opportunities to get personalized feedback and coaching, which accelerates growth.
Q: Are there any standout success stories from your Oxygen cohorts?
Absolutely. One recent example:
A manager in one of my cohorts had an employee who had been underperforming for several months due to personal challenges. The situation was starting to affect team engagement and morale.
During office hours, we worked together to script a conversation grounded in psychological safety and clear expectations. The manager had the conversation using tools from the Oxygen program.
The result? That employee not only re-engaged but began exceeding her KPIs for the first time - and it lifted the whole team’s performance.
That’s the power of combining coaching with practical tools and communication skills.
Q: You’ve been coaching for over a decade. Have you learned anything new from teaching with Oxygen?
Absolutely. The modules on navigating conflict and effective communication have been particularly impactful for me.
I’ve coached in many environments where a West Coast "polite" culture can make conflict navigation tricky. Oxygen’s tools help managers strike the right balance; being kind without avoiding accountability.
Teaching these modules has reinforced for me that conflict navigation is a muscle we can all build. Even experienced leaders (myself included) benefit from practicing these skills.
Q: Who do you think is the ideal fit for Oxygen’s program?
Oxygen is an ideal fit for mid-market growth companies, especially those running lean, without extensive internal management training resources.
Many of these companies have talented managers who were promoted early but haven’t been equipped with the skills to lead effectively. They’re often trying to keep their heads above water.
Oxygen gives these managers the skills, confidence, and execution mindset they need to thrive, not just survive. And it helps them elevate their teams and, ultimately, the entire organization.
Q: Final question: how do you see AI integration shaping the future of manager training?
Oxygen is already exploring smart ways to integrate AI by using tools and prompts to personalize and deepen learning.
I think that’s the future of manager training: combining coaching and human-centered skills with the efficiency and scalability that AI integration offers.
It’s exciting to see Oxygen innovating in this space while keeping the human connection front and center.
Closing
At Oxygen, we believe great managers drive great companies, and it takes more than theory to help managers succeed. Coaches like Michael Knouse bring invaluable real-world expertise, helping us deliver a program that transforms management practice at scale.
Ready to build a stronger leadership bench in your organization? Learn more here.
