Minding Your Mind
Minding Your Mind
The cost of poor mental health is enormous. Aside from the cost of human suffering, the economic cost has been estimated by the Productivity Commission to be approximately 50 billion dollars a year. However, there are things we can all do to maintain and improve our mental health.
In this entertaining and informative keynote James will discuss the things we can all do to maintain and improve our mental health.
In this session audiences will learn about:
- Dealing with burnout - a growing issue costing Australian businesses billions of dollars a year. Identifying early signs and taking steps to address them is crucial.
- The physicality of mental health. When we feel anxious or depressed, trying to think our way out of it (‘Just stop worrying’) rarely works. Addressing the physical effects can be more effective. For example, if you are anxious, slow your breathing and relax your body.
- 7 practical things, all evidence-based, we can all do to improve our mental health and live happier lives.
- The importance of being socially connected for good mental health.
- The importance of understanding and taking care of our body clock.
- How do we change? We are not set in stone. If we are anxious or impatient or shy, there are specific things we can do to change.
Persuasion and Influence
Persuasion and Influence
How do you persuade people? When you have an idea, how do you get others on board to help you turn it into something real? Sadly, lots of good ideas never get anywhere. How can you make sure that yours do?
Being able to persuade is an essential skill. You might have an idea at work, something you want to pitch in a meeting, or a proposal you want to excite clients and customers about. You might want to get your team fired up, persuade your boss, or even harder, one of your kids. To do it, you need to know how to persuade, and how to influence.
In this compelling and informative keynote, James will share practical strategies that will enable people to be more persuasive and influential.
In this session audiences will learn:
- How do you work out who the decision maker is? How do you get to them?
- How to form a relationship of trust with the decision maker.
- The importance of standing in the decision maker’s shoes. What do they want? What do they need? What problem can you solve for them? How can your proposal be valuable to them?
- How to boil a complex argument down to its essence and present a short, sharp and compelling pitch
- No one wants another problem. The importance of offering a clear, practical solution
- How to find and enlist influential supporters
Women Intuitive Network leadership team
Your inspiring personal story resonated deeply. The audience felt inspired, supported, and connected. The response has been overwhelming!
Co-Chair, 2022 Engage IASB
Pauline's content and delivery were so powerful she kept me in rapt attention for the entire presentation even as I watched remotely.
Adam Spencer's Big Book of Numbers
How can a prime number be ‘sexy’ and ‘safe’ at the same time? Why shouldn’t Aussie cricketers be scared of the number 87? And how many bacteria live in your pants …
All the answers and more are in Adam Spencer’s Big Book of Numbers. This is a book for readers of all ages who love numbers, who want to love numbers, or who just love to laugh and learn about the wonderful world we live in.
For 15 years Adam Spencer has been entertaining us. On triple j and ABC radio and television, he’s established himself as Australia’s funniest and most famous mathematician. And now, by popular demand, we have his Big Book of Numbers, a fascinating journey from 1 to 100.
Adam Spencer's Mini Book of Numbers
Our very own Sultan of STEM, Crusader of Calculus, Prince of Pi — Adam Barrington Spencer — is back in 2019 with more teasing, tantalising and tricky maths games, puzzles and quizzes for young and hungry minds.
Scared of square roots? Petrified of Pythagoras? Frightened of factorials? Let Australia’s funniest mathematician enthrall and entertain as he demystifies numbers in this bumper new edition.
Adam Spencer’s Mini Book of Numbers follows on from the bestselling Enormous Book of Numbers (2015), Number Crunchers (2016), and The Number Detective (2018), and is guaranteed to keep kids aged 6—12 occupied for hours on end.
The Number Games
Who’s smarter — a four-year-old chimp or a four-year-old human? How much does it cost to stop a computer virus? And will you really become a billionaire at 31?The answers to all these questions — as well as over 100 brainbusting and mind-bending number games, puzzles and quizzes — are in Adam Spencer’s The Number Games.
It doesn’t matter if you’re 6 or 60, this fascinating adventure from 1 to 100 is the perfect way to exercise the grey matter, keep you on your toes … and make you, well, generally AWESOME!
So sharpen your pencils and get ready for a most exciting battle: Adam Spencer’s The Number Games.
Adam Spencer's Top 100
Which number terrifies ogdokontaheptaphobes? Why would you watch the same clock for 14 years? And have you met the 23-milliondigit prime?
Bursting at the seams with puzzles, quizzes, games, numerical trivia and fun, this is the ultimate book for maths nerds and anyone with an inquiring mind.
Numberland
Yottabytes, massive diamonds, the 1800s version of Fortnight – not to mention more pizza! These are just some of the marvels explained in Adam Spencer’s Numberland. Australia’s funniest and most-loved mathematician is back with a brand new book bursting with fascinating facts, perplexing puzzles and querulous quizzes.
How does GPS work? Could you solve a $1,000,000 maths question? Can honey bees really count? And what do you do when your smartphone locks you out … for 48 years? The answers to all these questions and much, much more can be found in 2019’s most captivating nerd fest. So hold tight as we venture down the rabbit hole into the wonderful world of Adam Spencer’s Numberland.
Adam Spencer's Maths 101
The Curly Questions Your Primary School Kids Will Ask You (With the Answers!)
Adam Spencer’s Maths 101 is the reassuring maths book companion for parents and their children tackling primary school level maths. If you’ve ever been challenged mathematically (and who hasn't?), then Adam Spencer is here with this crucial refresher to help you confidently assist your kids learning maths for the first time.
Covering basic maths methods and concepts taught in primary school, Adam breaks the numbers down to their bare bones so parents can not only hit refresh on their own understanding, but also see the clever ways they can bring these lessons to life for their kids. Ordered in easily digestible sections, Adam Spencer’s Maths 101 is presented with hundreds of diagrams, exercises, simple steps and explanations so you will never be bamboozled again or embarrassed in front of your children.
Well-known for his maths acumen and comic radio and television entertainment, Adam makes maths fun for everyone. Under his wing, parents will discover that they really did understand maths all along and that helping the kids is actually a doddle. If you're concerned about your child's maths skills and want to know how to help them, Adam Spencer’s Maths 101 is for you.
MC and panel hosting specialist
MC and panel hosting specialist
Adam has hosted award-winning breakfast radio shows in Australia’s toughest markets and live current affairs TV. He has won improvised Theatre Competitions and once interviewed John Travolta in front of 75,000 people. Whether it’s a technically demanding event with dozens of moving parts or flying by the seat of your pants, he prides himself on the level of energy, engagement and entertainment that he always provides whenever on stage.
With 25 years of experience in television, radio and events ... Adam loves curating challenging, thought-provoking conversations. He has interviewed Prime Ministers, Hollywood Stars, Fortune 500 CEOs, Nobel Prize-winning scientists and Australians of the Year … and was the first person in the world to ever interview our legendary Thai cave rescuers
Adam loves doing the research and crafting the narrative that helps people tell their story. Informative, fun and guaranteed to contain takeaways you’ve never heard before. If there is only time to ask one quick question of a speaker before moving on, you know it will be an awesome question. If you give him 10 minutes, just watch what he can get out of them.
All done with an obsessive focus on keeping to time that only 15 years of breakfast radio can give you.
If you want your CEO, your experts, and your customers brought to life in a conversation from 3 minutes to an hour let’s chat.
Mathematics education and the importance of numeracy
Mathematics education and the importance of numeracy
As Australia’s most famous "popular" mathematician, Adam has been entertaining and inspiring educators, parents and kids with his joy for all things mathematical. His 2013 TED talk on Monster Prime Numbers has had over 2 million views and is regularly voted one of the top 10 best TED maths and science talks. Adam was one of the featured speakers in Carmen Gallo’s 2022 book Talk Like Ted - The 9 Public speaking secrets of the world’s top minds.
Audience takeaways
- The joy of mathematics
- The importance of maths and stem education
- Encouraging girls into maths and science
- Cool maths facts you can use to blow other people’s minds
How digital transformation will change work and business forever
How digital transformation will change work and business forever
Your mobile phone has the power of what 20 years ago was the most powerful supercomputer in the world. Artificial intelligence, right now, can do multiple aspects of your job faster and more accurately than you can.
Don’t put all this in the too-hard basket, let me show you how to make this technology work for you today and carry you into tomorrow.
Audience takeaways
- How powerful are everyday devices - you’re carrying a supercomputer in your pocket!
- Why you must understand how AI, in particular large language models, like ChatGPT can help your business
- Tips for keeping up if you feel overwhelmed by the pace of change
- The power to be drawn from the youngest people in your workforce
Cyber Security - Beware the cat video!
Cyber security - Beware the cat video!
The old days of cybercrime are long gone. You remember that email we all got - from the former Prince of Nigeria who needed to get $1,000,000 out of the country AND FAST. All he needed from us was our bank account details. Well, that is not cybercrime today. Cybercriminals pivoted as hard as any industry during the pandemic. In 2023 - whether it is catphishing, ransomware, or deep fake videos - cyber is a new game altogether. It is slick. It is personalised. And it is everywhere.
A cybercrime is reported in Australia EVERY 7 MINUTES. In 2022 Telstra alone blocked over 300 million fraudulent SMSs and 400 million dodgy emails. Who knows if one of them could have crippled your business.
In this keynote Adam will share examples of the cutting edge best, or should I say worst, examples of cyber-crime currently happening … outline the sheer scope of cyber-crime in Australia and the types we Aussies are particularly susceptible to … I’ll give you practical tips you can employ right now to improve your cyber security … and explain how your people and your culture are just as important as your software. Or as I like to say “you’re only as strong as your weakest link … and that link is Gary from accounts - who just LOVES cat videos”
Audience takeaways:
- The cutting edge best, or worst, examples of cyber-crime currently happening
- The sheer scope of cyber-crime in Australia and the types we are particularly susceptible to
- Protecting your business is a people and culture issue as much as a software one
Winning the numbers game in our digital world
Winning the numbers game in our digital world
Australia’s favourite and most entertaining mathematician shows you how technologies like AI, Cyber Security and ChatGPT are disrupting business. And how you can win in this world.
In this dynamic, thought-provoking and very funny presentation, Adam Spencer award-winning broadcaster, national comedy champion, and internationally acclaimed TED speaker will show you:
- How Artificial Intelligence will impact every industry and how to harness its potential
- The crucial role every worker plays in your cyber security
- The business potential of holding a supercomputer in your hands
- How to keep up if the pace of digital disruption feels overwhelming
Laugh and learn with one of Australia’s most dynamic and engaging minds.
Shane Fitzsimmons, Commissioner NSW Rural Fire Service
One of the most enjoyable, open and honest public conversations I've been part of.
VP Marketing and Comms, General Electric
The best interview of General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt I've ever seen.
Thai Cave rescue divers Craig Challen and Richard Harris
Our first ever on-stage interview and we couldn't have been in better hands.
Brian Schmidt, 2011 Nobel Prize for Physics
Adam held a room of Nobel Prize Winners in the palm of his hand
MD, Google Australia & New Zealand
Adam nailed it. he's smart, funny, and kept the audience engaged, laughing and interested
The Growth Faculty
Adam Spencer welcomed guests with his unique style of humour, wit and intelligence, facilitating a thought-provoking and fascinating discussion with PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi.
Alan Joyce, CEO Qantas
I've never laughed harder on a corporate stage. What a chat!
Malcolm Gladwell
The things Adam Spencer talks and writes about should be taught in every school worldwide.
Bank of Melbourne
The feedback was amazing. Our guests loved it. Adam went above and beyond.
Adam Spencer
Laugh and learn with one of Australia’s most dynamic and engaging minds
Assistant to Chief of Everything O
I am looking for an experienced personal assistant (part time, WFH), based in Sydney, to assist me in running, managing, and growing our global brands. You will be someone who has had experience working in the corporate world as an assistant but most importantly is familiar with our industry, its stakeholders and our world.
CEO - One Network | Ray White Ferntree Gully
We had heaps of awesome feedback from Boo's session. His skill as a speaker to make people go on a journey of change and live their own experiences is a unique one.
WA Secondary School Executives Association
Pauline was highly responsive to the audience, enthralling and capturing their creative minds. We highly recommend Pauline as a speaker who succeeds in exposing leaders to the limitless landscapes of leadership.
WA Secondary School Executives Association
Catriona acted as an agent to elevate student voices at the school leaders conference, students felt comfortable in sharing their views on the impacts of future technologies on their learning experience in schools. Catriona is an amazing speaker and highly recommended by Conference delegates.
Know Thyself
Know Thyself
BMW defines itself with a four-word descriptor. Nike, GE and Wal-Mart use three words. Barack Obama and Airbnb use two. 7-Up used one.
Pablo Picasso, Henry Ford, Oscar Wilde, and Andy Warhol baked their definitions directly into their work. Ironically, this current as tomorrow concept can be traced all the way back to the Ancient Greeks, who inscribed “Know Thyself” over the entrance to the Temple of Apollo almost 2,500 years ago.
A clearly defined position is critical to focus entrepreneurial energy, secure investment, motivate and retain employees, and successfully deliver concepts to the market.
After all, if you can’t identify your key issue, what exactly are you selling?
Your audience will discover:
- How to define an identity to make their businesses more valuable no matter who they are.
- Why understanding their brand identity is more important than what they sell.
- What they’re doing wrong — without even knowing it — that’s hurting their business and costing them money every single day.
Join business solutions guru Bruce Turkel for an entertaining interactive romp through history, art, music, business, and commerce and uncover the most critical skill businesses owners, entrepreneurs, CEOs, and businesspeople need for success.
When your audiences spend time with Bruce, they’ll know exactly what to do to put the power of branding to work for their businesses and their lives. And they’ll thank you for it.
A Creative Look at How Your Organization Can Use Creativity
A Creative Look at How Your Organization Can Use Creativity
The most creative works in human history – every piece of music, every painting, every novel - were all created with the very same tools, notes, colors, and words that we all have access to every single day. Maybe that suggests that there's a new way of looking at the creativity that we can all tap into, enjoy, and benefit from.
Bruce Turkel shares his experience leading a global brand consultancy – and as a world-class musician – to help instil more creativity into your organization. He won’t just tell them that they’re creative, Bruce will prove it with a fun and interactive exercise that will have everyone in your audience on their feet, tapping into their creative rockstar potential!
Audience Takeaways:
- Your audience will discover how to remove the intimidation factor from creativity, freeing them up to use this powerful tool daily.
- Your audience will discover their own creativity even though they might think they can’t “draw a straight line” or that they can’t sing because they’re “tone deaf.”
- Your audience will look at opportunities in a new and exciting way, understanding how they can tap into their own creativity to solve problems.
Checkmate Humanity: The how and why of Responsible AI
AI is changing the way individuals, organisations, governments and society work and live. But will AI be ethical and how responsible will it be? And what does this even mean? Checkmate Humanity: the how and why of responsible AI sets out to answer these questions and maps the potential harms that AI may cause from individual harms right through to full existential risk. We introduce the world’s first taxonomy of AI harms and then offer solutions and recommendations so that we can build a Responsible AI future.
Women in Digital Programs Lead, Australian Public Service Commission (APSC)
Pauline took us on a journey, she made us laugh, she made us cry and she inspired us to improve ourselves. Pauline connected with us, touched us all and left us forever changed.
VP Channel APAC (Foundry, formerly IDG Communications)
Pauline was captivating, arresting our 600-strong audience the second she took the stage, and displayed a generosity of spirit from brief to prep to execution, making our partnership a real privilege and pleasure.
Director Conferences and Events, Australian Library and Information Association
Dr Wallace was professional to work with and her presentation was inspirational and engaging and proved to be a highlight of our program for delegates. We wouldn’t hesitate to work with her again on future events.
Demystifying the Metaverse
Demystifying the Metaverse
The much-hyped metaverse promises to transform business and life in the coming years. However, there is still widespread confusion about what it is, how it works and why it matters.
Given forecasts that the metaverse will be an $800 billion market opportunity within 3 years, and that we will soon be spending an hour per day in this virtual realm, now is the time to gear up for what lies ahead.
In this research-rich & compelling keynote presentation, audiences discover:
- The key technologies and trends that have rapidly accelerated the rise of immersive virtual reality
- Practical case studies of market leading brands and industries already getting results in the metaverse – and how they are doing it
- Why virtual and augmented reality offers exciting new ways for organisations to engage and connect with their teams and marketplace
- The revolutionary new products, services and asset classes that WEB3 will enable
Audience members will leave this presentation with a clear understanding of what the metaverse is and how to prepare for the opportunities it will present.
Demystifying the Metaverse is an ideal stand-alone conference keynote or an extended half day workshop program.
Group Managing Director, Our Community House
Michael was such a great speaker for our event – simply superb. He excited the audience with his knowledge of technology and of the future – people were mesmerised with his every word.
CPA Australia
Michael took the time to understand our member's needs and craft such engaging and relevant content which was above and beyond our expectations. The value he brought was truly appreciated by all the team.
Senior Marketing Manager, Business Development, Cushman & Wakefield AUNZ
Michael McQueen was incredible. His presentation, content and delivery was second to none!
Golf Management Australia
The ultimate professional! Very engaging, interesting and delivers his message in a very professional manner. Michael had to tailor his delivery to meet our tight schedule. He did so without missing a beat - and he rated highly in our post conference critique!
Executive Manager, Agency Practice
Michael was a standout presenter at our conference and continues to receive positive feedback, easily capturing the attention of the audience with his insight into human nature.
Real Survival vs Imaginary Survival
Real Survival vs Imaginary Survival
Never has humanity been exposed to so much information. Generations today are privy to wars and crises raging both near and far. As a result, humanity as a whole may be suffering from chronic sympathetic stimuli, states Yossi. Having learned about real survival during his time conducting research in the Amazon jungle, Yossi warns that imaginary survival is far more dangerous than real survival.
Why? Because imaginary survival triggers a physical response that converts life-saving hormones into life-threatening poison. Allowing our restless minds to go into 'survival mode' unnecessarily causes chronic stress that brings disease and disintegration. Yossi can teach audiences how to be discerning, in real-time, and how to switch off survival mode to more efficiently deal with life's challenges.
Key takeaways from Yossi's Real vs. Imaginary Survival presentation include:
- Imaginary Survival is not only inefficient for tackling life's challenges, it also poisons the human system, converting challenges into illness and disease.
- Real Survival mode lets us operate at peak performance. When necessary, all our faculties--mental, physical, emotional and spiritual--conflate to make a superhero out of you. It's not real survival mode that is the problem.
- False activation of this 'fight or flight' survival system is the source of terrible health consequences. It's also extremely prevalent in today's world.
- Instrumental training in how to discern danger and mechanically switch the body from survival mode to relaxation mode.
Audiences will learn how to discern between real, palpable danger and imaginary survival so you can fix this 'bug in our system' long before it causes disease or distress.
Web3 and the Metaverse: New Virtual Worlds
Web3 and the Metaverse
New Virtual Worlds
We have seen 5 years of tech advancements in the last 12 months, and we now are on the verge of entering new virtual worlds, driven by the emergence of technologies such as augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, internet of things, AI, machine learning, cyber security, blockchain, crypto and NFTs. Web3 will bring a decentralised semantic web and the Metaverse, a fully immersive usually 3D experience, made up of virtual worlds, may overcome problems and scarcity and accessibility for humans.
In this highly engaging and interactive presentation Dr Catriona Wallace discusses the characteristics, benefits and risks of Web3, and the Metaverse.
Key takeaways:
- Market Status update for Web3 and the Metaverse
- Why organisations should have a Metaverse strategy
- Commercial models for Web3 and the Metaverse
- Risks and harms of the Metaverse
- How to get Web3 and Metaverse ready
A Double Shot of Happiness
A Double Shot of Happiness
A powerful keynote from Tim and Judy Sharp tells the story of how a boy diagnosed with severe autism went on to become one of Australia's best-known international artists and the creator of Laser Beak Man.
Their presentation features Tim’s original artworks which are accompanied by stories of overcoming enormous challenges, the recognition, awards and celebrity encounters, and everything else in-between.
Tim and Judy receive standing ovations as they share their incredible story of adversity, persistence, resilience, inclusion and triumph. As their testimonials show, no matter who you are, or what you do, people walk away from this presentation with a memorable and unique experience.