Steve Thomas has worked with the O'Shea team forseveral years. His impact on our organization is ofgreat value, and I recommend him as a resource for organizations that are looking to improve and thrive.
Steve Thomas
Helping people navigate the complexities of human weirdness
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Illinois
Steve Thomas
Biography
Steve Thomas invests his life in helping a variety of organizations build leadership, develop people and create team. To put it simply, he helps people navigate through the complexities of human weirdness. He genuinely wants to see people live better lives and has a passion to develop people to get the most out of their leadership. It is not secret that great people make great organizations. While some start with tips and techniques to solve the problems that we see, Steve digs below the surface to challenge the deep issues we sometimes don’t see. Convinced that leadership drives the workplace culture and the culture drives everything else, he challenges current thinking and belief systems to bring about change…and fun! In fact, part of his mission…make work culture more fun! Steve also coaches football and lives in Springfield, Illinois with his wife, Debbie. She works in education doing almost the same thing he does, except she is way better at it than he is!
Steve Thomas
Featured Keynote Programs
The Human Weirdness Navigation Journey!
Let’s be real: People are weird. We say awkward things, make questionable choices, and have feelings about everything. You’re weird. I’m weird. And yet—somehow—we’re expected to work together, live together, and not lose our minds in the process. Welcome to the grand adventure of being human.
In this laugh-out-loud, wildly relatable keynote, we will do a joyful deep dive into the delightful mess of being human. We’ll discuss the quirks, patterns, and lovable chaos that make us... us. Why do smart people make weird decisions? Why are the younger generations so hard to get along with? Why do people on my team have strong opinions about…everything? Why do teams miscommunicate over the simplest things? Why do people say, “I have a quick question” when they absolutely do not? And why does that one coworker always bring tuna to the office?
It is your unofficial field guide to navigating the complexities of human weirdness. With stories, laughs, and just enough neuroscience to sound impressive at brunch, we’ll explore why we do what we do—and how to work, connect, and thrive without losing your cool (or your mind). We’ll explore how to better understand ourselves and the wonderfully weird people around us.
Perfect for teams, leaders, and anyone who’s ever thought, “Is it just me… or is everyone a little nuts?” (Spoiler: it’s not just you.) Expect to laugh, nod a lot, and maybe even see your own weirdness in a whole new light.
If you work with humans, live with humans, or are a human… you will love this one!
Additional keynote titles to better fit your event:
- Making Sense of People Who Make No Sense (Including You)
- Understanding People: An Adventure, not a Manual
- The Fine Art of Working with Humans Without Losing Your Mind
- Humaning Is Hard
- Embracing the Weird: How to Thrive with (and as) Humans
STUCK Happens!
You know that feeling when your brain’s buffering, your motivation’s gone AWOL, and your to-do list is starting to look like a novel? Like you are revving the engine and going nowhere? Yep—welcome to stuck. And, it happens in almost every area of our lives. The good news? You don’t have to live there.
Get ready for a fast-paced, laugh-out-loud, slightly-too-relatable ride through the messy middle of stuck-ness—and how to bust out of it with humor, clarity, and just enough caffeine. It’s time to stop spinning your wheels and start moving forward—with purpose, power, and a whole lot of fun. In this high-energy, story-packed keynote, we’ll explore what keeps us stuck (hint: it’s not always what you think), and how to flip the internal switch from hesitation to action, from doubt to drive, from “maybe later” to “let’s go!”
In this fast, funny, and refreshingly honest keynote, we’ll unpack what actually keeps us stalled (spoiler: it’s not laziness), and how to kickstart momentum when your inner spark feels more like a flicker. Whether you're leading a team, launching something new, or just trying to reignite your own spark, this keynote will give you the mindset hacks, real-world tools, and a jolt of inspiration to shift from stuck… to ON.
Additional keynote titles to better fit your event:
- The Unstuck Challenge!
- From Stuck to ON: How to Un-jam Your Brain and Light Up Your Life
- Stuck Happens. ON is Optional.
- Unstuck Yourself!
Secrets of Ridiculously Effective Teams
Every team wants to be that team—the one that’s in sync, on fire, and somehow actually enjoys Monday mornings. So what’s their secret? Spoiler: it’s not matching hoodies or trust falls (although we support snacks and good merch).
Great teams aren’t built by accident—they’re built by design.
In this session, we break down the four core things that high-performing teams consistently get right—and the one bonus factor that takes them from good to great. (Hint: it’s not ping pong tables. It’s the difference between “just getting by” and “holy wow, we crushed that.”
No jargon. No leadership clichés. Just the stuff that actually works when you’re building teams full of actual humans.
Additional keynote titles to better fit your event:
- The 4 (Plus One) Things That Make Teams Actually Work
- Secrets of Ridiculously Effective Cultures
- Culture Shift
The Winning Mindset
Getting to the Roots of Effectiveness
Ever wonder why some people achieve more, stress less, and bounce back faster no matter the challenge—while others stay stuck in the same loop? It’s not magic, luck, or caffeine (ok, maybe a little caffeine). It’s mindset—and in this high-energy, interactive 2 day session, we’re breaking down what truly effective people do differently.
Discover the daily habits, mindsets, and tiny choices that separate the top performers from the rest. Whether it's how they bounce back from setbacks, build momentum, or stay laser-focused on what matters most, you'll walk away with practical tools to shift your mindset from good to great.
Get ready to challenge your assumptions, laugh a little, and leave with a renewed drive to win—on your terms.
Be ready to take on the WINNERS CHALLENGE!
You were born to be a winner; you are only a loser if you choose to lose!
Additional keynote titles to better fit your event:
- Winning is a Mindset, not a Mood!
- What Effective People Do That Others Don’t
- The 3% Club: How Effective People Think, Move & Make Stuff Happen
- Effective People Aren’t Magical. They’re Just Doing Less Dumb Stuff.
Steve Thomas
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