Speaking Engagements
Sam is a speaker and storyteller, who speaks regionally, nationally and internationally. He doesn’t just want to engage his audience but also works with them to realize their true self. In a world where people are doing, have they taken the time to realize why they are doing what they do? He takes the time to let dialogue and conversation occur, combined with interactive efforts, so that the participants have a better understanding of who they are. It is also more than just giving a great talk and then leaving. It is about staying connected and being supportive.
His signature talk is called: “Do You CARE?”. Where CARE stands for four words that we need to embody as individuals, organizations and society. They stand for Collaboration, Adaptability, Resilience and Empathy. Added to this, he is able to share on various topics such as mindfulness, personal/professional development, storytelling, leadership, mentorship and communication/relationship building.
He has supported organizations, teams and individuals so they are aligned. From educational institutions, educators, students, recent graduates and young professionals, his message is always well received. For, the organization, the benefits are better team dynamics, a more collaborative work environment, improved communications among team members and overall improved client relationships. For the individual, they gain a better appreciation of who they are and how they can contribute to the best of their abilities. So what are some of the topics that Sam is comfortable sharing?
For the individual:
• Personal branding – helping the attendees better appreciate and understand who they are
• Personal storytelling – we all have stories and the ability to capture your story so you are better able to understand yourself and share with others
For the organization:
• Team development – to try and help uncover challenges and come up with solutions
• Relationship management – the importance of having a transformational customer service experience over just a transactional one
Sam’s gift for storytelling comes from his ability to go through life finding deep meaning and purpose in simple things. He gives out puzzle pieces to remind individuals how extraordinary they are, footprints in the sand turn into a full keynote speech and an hourglass is representative of our days. How does he do this? Through CARPE Diem.
Curiosity: Go through life with a curious mind and look for interesting opportunities.
Appreciation: Appreciate people, things, and situations. When you appreciate them, you accept them.
Reflection: Only through deeper processing, do you find the meaning needed.
Perspective: Using perspectives and perceptions to process the C-A-R.
Experience: Turn the letters into an experience and make it a memorable experience.
“Simply said, when Sam talks, people listen and learn from his rich stories of leadership.”
If you’re interested in having Sam speak at your next event, please get in touch with him via sam@sam-thiara.com
Discovering the Extraordinary in the Ordinary
Life is full of the ordinary and it consumes us; however, embedded in the ordinary is the extraordinary. It is about finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. Many feel the extraordinary are those epic moments in life but reality is that it can be out of the ordinary. If you feel it is important to you and it is memorable, then you have just found the extraordinary in the ordinary. The extraordinary from the ordinary might be where you build a bookshelf without instructions or receive an unexpected letter from someone you have not heard from in ages. What makes it extraordinary is that you look at it from a deeper perspective and it turns something meaningless into meaningful.
Organizational Behaviour, Leadership & Entrepreneurship
Sam teaches organizational behaviour, leadership, and entrepreneurship courses at Simon Fraser University and Fraser Internal College at Simon Fraser University. These lecture topics can be adapted to professional audiences as well as students. There is flexibility if the audience would like to have a shortened or reduced program with key concepts structured to the participants. Content covered includes organizational culture, team work, conflict negotiations, power and politics, leadership, communications and many other concepts.
As an accomplished speaker, he is also asked to speak as a keynote speaker at many conferences on personal and professional development. Past keynotes: “How to leave a lasting impression and not just a footprint”; “Personal storytelling – we all have something to say”; “What defines you – an understanding of how YOU are the journey” and many more topics.
Professional and Conference Testimonials
“Sam Thiara is an elegant, honest and thoughtful presenter. He was able to inspire our mentoring pilot group to think about their leadership and impact as mentors and mentees in new and creative ways. His stories were engaging and relevant. It was a pleasure to have Sam lead our session. He provided practical and simple ways for people to create meaningful stories our of everyday experiences and look for the extraordinary in the ordinary. I would recommend Sam as a speaker at your next event.“
Jennifer Deane, BA, CPCC
Management Development Advisor
Vancouver Coastal Health
“When asked to come speak at our annual office conference on the topic of motivation, leadership and managing change, Sam delivered the goods. Sam understood right away what we needed by asking the right questions, listening and understanding. Sam’s understanding of our situation was clearly evident in that he adjusted his message based on what he heard from other presenters before him. I would highly recommend Sam as he’s an excellent public speaker with great stories and has the ability to connect with individuals at different levels.”
Chetan Sehgal, CPA, CA•IFA, CAMS, MAcc
Associate Director, Toronto Disputes and Investigations Practice
Navigant Consulting
“We’ve requested Sam as a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator at KPU a number of times and he has always delivered in a powerful and meaningful way. His personal presence and messages have engaged and inspired students to notice the deep things of life and make a greater positive impact on their world.”
Kurt Penner
KPU Faculty in Student Life & Development
Thank you so much for speaking at the Team ALS BC &Yukon Volunteer Conference on February 23rd. It was great to meet you. Your presentation was very well received by all the participants. In fact, several of them noted your presentation as what they most liked about attending the conference. Some of the comments we received from our survey are “ Presentation well done; good use of personal story ”, “ He was funny, entertaining, interactive and kept us captivated ” and “ Terrific way to kick of the conference, very inspiring .”
Susan Hampton
ALS Society, BC and Yukon