Calgary Board of Education

The Calgary Board of Education initially contacted Stephen in response to
his book "Teaching an Anthill To Fetch."  The purpose was to
understand how Mr. Joyce might work with our large and diverse school district
to introduce his notions of collaborative intelligence.  Mr. Joyce took
a deep interest in our organization and we asked him to participate with us
in the planning and facilitation of two significant conferences and also a leadership
session.  His messages about changing the dominate beliefs of our culture
and 'what's the me that makes me work?' were described by participants as "thought-shifting,
"inspirational", "provocative" and "challenging."

Stephen's personal interest in our work was heart warming and very welcome.
 He took the time to conduct extensive research and really try to understand
the complexities of this organization.  His willingness to connect with
our well-established work using Kotter's thinking on change processes is greatly
appreciated and provided an addition to our foundational thinking about positioning
the district to attend to changing student needs.

Jeff Jones
Director, Leadership Development
Calgary Board of Education

John Deere Testimonial

Stephen James Joyce… “adds enthusiastic dimension and unique perspective to any discussion in which he participates. As the keynote speaker for a recent conference of learning professionals, Steve lip up the room with his quick wit, engaging personality, and insightful thinking about collaboration and how we might become better at it. This success was not a matter of chance, but the result of thorough preparation.

Weeks before the meeting, Steve started his preparation by sharing time with us, the conference leaders, on the phone to collect information about our conference themes and goals. After fully understanding those critical elements, he requested permission to conduct a short survey to conference participants. He also conducted telephone interviews with several of our participants. The survey and the phone interviews allowed him to gain insight into our company's culture and the people who would be attending. From this vantage point, Steve was able to tailor his overall demeanor, presentation, workshops, and exercises to our specific needs. The results were fantastic! The sessions were very well received and greatly appreciated by nearly everyone in attendance.

Steve "stretched our envelope" with his creativity and convincing research. As a result, some people (a small minority) were not comfortable. I was very glad to receive this feedback because this fact assured me that he had expertly defined the group and stretched our thinking. If everyone had been comfortable, he would not have achieved the goal to move us to a new level of collaboration. If you choose to invite Steve to participate in your event, you will not be disappointed. He is engaging, dynamic, thoughtful and will cause you to think beyond your normal limits. I strongly recommend him to you.”

Thomas W. Christensen
Manager, John Deere Learning

"We knew Stephen's message about Collaborative Intelligence was exactly what we needed at our conference to help our group move toward operational excellence. What we didn't know was that we would receive so much more value from Stephen's considerable expertise in the planning of our event. Stephen helped us develop a strategic approach to our plan and the execution of the organizing committee's collaborative input resulted in an amazing conference that has been acknowledged by other groups as a new benchmark for internal conferences.”

Susan Rabby
Suncor
Manager of Staffing and Development for Project Controls
 

"Stephen is adept at making an effective psychological connection with his audiences."

Neil W. Stalport
Program Developer – Conference Board of Canada

"Steve is a passionate and motivational speaker who connects deeply with his audience. He has a real gift and his blend of humour and expertise is inspiring. Participants connect quickly, he is someone you just can't forget. He certainly walks his talk!"

Colleen Kawalilak
Instructional Designer - Communications Technology (SAIT)

[Stephens presentation]… “opens doors, allows you to glimpse into the possibilities there are within you. Stephen has a fun and interactive manner –worthy of your precious time.”

J Hambly
Rocky View Education District