Living His Truth

“These are good questions,” laughs Mike. “My current role was designed for me, so I didn’t inherit an established position. Which makes it a bit harder to describe. Basically, I work in the area of trust, which is the next big movement in the business world. It’s a new model of thinking. Deloitte wants to be a leader in this space, putting out ideas and helping companies to position trust at the forefront of what they do.”

Companies that lead with trust take into account not only their shareholders but their relationships with their employees, customers, communities, suppliers – every part of the business. Whereas purpose is about knowing why a company does what it does, trust is about acting with integrity and being guided by the right intentions. In Mike’s world, trust trumps purpose.

Deloitte’s own research indicates that only four in 10 Canadians find organizations to be generally trustworthy. Mike and his Future of Trust team provide data, insights and guidance to business leaders on how to actively build trust or regain it when it’s lost.

The coronavirus pandemic presents particular challenges.

“How are companies responding to the crisis?” asks Mike. “Are employees being protected? Is profit emerging as the only priority, or is everyone working for and with the company being taken into account? It’s good to have purpose, to stand for something. But how does the whole ecosystem fare, under normal conditions and also during tough times? Trust is like glue. It holds relationships and systems together.”

Mike sees positive outcomes for companies that lead with trust: people are treated better, data is protected better, and communities are valued more. Given the complexities of measuring, monitoring, building and nurturing trust, Mike’s days are dynamic and often surprising.

“I like a challenge,” he says. “I like a lot of stimulation. I’m attracted to new ideas and new processes that haven’t existed before. I’m guessing that the role I will take on next doesn’t exist yet. Not that I’m in any hurry. I love what I do.”

Mike’s unique career trajectory is as much a result of his talent as his championing of diversity and inclusion. He leads Deloitte’s Pride Employee Resource Group and helped create the company’s new Gender Transitioning Guidelines, which other organizations are now using as a model. He also actively promotes a more intentional focus on advancing underrepresented groups in the workplace.

In the wider community, Mike serves on the board of The 519, a not-for-profit dedicated to advocacy for the inclusion of LGBTQ communities, and is a committee member of CPA Ontario and the Women’s College Hospital Foundation. He also served as treasurer of Pride Toronto for a few years.

For his advocacy work and also his decision to publicly share his transition story, Michael has earned several honours and awards, most recently as the 2019 Catalyst Canada Honours Champion. Catalyst is a global non-profit that helps companies build a more inclusive work culture and accelerate progress for women. As part of its mission, it recognizes the men who champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Mike became that champion when he publicly shared his transition story on his 28th birthday. He posted a picture of himself standing in the Deloitte lobby wearing a “Birthday Boy” button and announced, “Hi, I’m Mike. And today is my first day living my truth.” Up until 2018, he had been living as Michelle, an identity that hadn’t felt right since he was a young student at CDS. He just never felt like a girl.

“I remember when I first arrived at CDS in Grade 3,” he says. “Part of the process was getting fitted for the school uniform. When I tried on the tunic in the school store, I burst into tears. I hated dresses. In general, my life growing up felt like wearing a costume all the time, and this moment made that so present and evident. Life has gendered uniforms, and so do schools. That was always hard for me.”

Despite never feeling comfortable before his transition, school life was a positive experience. Michael still values the community feeling at CDS and the opportunities to pursue his passion for music and sports. He was on the softball, golf and basketball teams and has fond memories of being the Arts Coordinator on Student Council. At Trinity College at U of T, Mike continued to play sports and ran the intramural program for the college. Today, he still plays softball.

“I play on a women’s league that I joined before I transitioned,” he says. “I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t get to stay on the team when I came out, but they were all so amazing about it. Everyone just said, ‘Nah, you’re one of us.’ I felt so welcomed and loved.”

Transitioning has been an overwhelmingly positive experience for Michael. There were nerve wracking moments, like coming out at work and wondering how his colleagues would view him. After all, corporate culture isn’t known for its barrier-breaking track record on diversity and inclusion. But Deloitte was different. The day Mike posted his “Birthday Boy” picture, a profile of him was posted on the company’s internal website in the “People to Be Proud of” section.

Mike never experienced the blowback he feared. Instead, he received thousands of personal and email messages celebrating and thanking him for his decision to share his story. Many came from professionals who wanted to transition at work but didn’t know how, including other Deloitte employees.

Of all the changes in Michael’s life since transitioning, one of the most important has been freeing his mind.

“A lot of brain space is taken up when you don’t live authentically,” he says. “There’s the stress of hiding, daily choices and negotiations about how to act and who to be. All of that space has been unlocked for me. I’m relieved to be who I am, and it has also made me more present in my work and in my relationships. It’s so much better to bring your whole self to work and to everything you do.”

Mike had the support of his friends and family – including sister Mirella ’07 – as well as his partner Caroline, who was a catalyst in his transition. “I once said to her, ‘I want the world to see me the way you see me.’ She helped make that happen.”

He is still in touch with some CDS friends, especially Karen So ’08, who is a doctor and also captain of the Hong Kong women’s rugby team – the first ever Hong Kong rugby team to make it to the World Cup. The team is currently vying for a second run in 2021.

“Karen is a great friend and great support,” says Michael. “I wish we could see more of each other. She and Mirella and a handful of other alumni keep me tied to CDS. I was so pleased when Mr. McCutcheon got in touch after I transitioned to say hello and ask about my name. Would I like it to change in the CDS files? I would. It was nice to be asked in such a thoughtful way.”

Michael has a few messages to share as a result of his lived experience. To schools, he suggests that students be presented with all possible options, such as wearing a kilt or not as a uniform example. In general, he advises that it not be left to young people to escalate a gender issue. “Aim for inclusion rather than accommodation.”

To students, his advice is to live authentically and not apologize for who you are. “It’s okay to be different. Others are here to support you and be your champion. And it makes for much better relationships.”

When it comes to his choice to make his transition story public, Michael recognizes his own responsibilities. “As a leader, an ally, a friend, a colleague, how can I help others to unlock that precious brain space? And how can I continue to ready the corporate world for the next generation?”