The Founder
Dr Samantha Graham
Founder and CEO
Sam has been designing and facilitating group learning processes since 1993 (25 years) and has designed Postgraduate programs for a number of Universities (Edinburgh, Sydney & Western Sydney), as well as created programs for not for profits such as MND & Me (Motor Neurone Disease) and the Australian Conservation Foundation, through to leadership teams in corporations such as the BBC, the Reserve Bank of Australia, Nestle and Lend Lease.
Sam’s PhD is in Education Design from a UK management school, while her Masters is in Human Ecology at Edinburgh University. In the former she researched the shifts in mindset that leaders in any field go through, to reach a more integrated, more systemic, broader understanding of the context they’re operating in and influencing. In the latter she focused on the role of power and group dynamics in shifting perspective towards more inclusive understandings of self in relation to others.
Sam combines her love of seeing people thrive, with her skills as an education designer, and nothing gives her greater pleasure than working with a group of people to help them do what they do, to the highest level possible.
Sam’s PhD is in Education Design from a UK management school, while her Masters is in Human Ecology at Edinburgh University. In the former she researched the shifts in mindset that leaders in any field go through, to reach a more integrated, more systemic, broader understanding of the context they’re operating in and influencing. In the latter she focused on the role of power and group dynamics in shifting perspective towards more inclusive understandings of self in relation to others.
Sam combines her love of seeing people thrive, with her skills as an education designer, and nothing gives her greater pleasure than working with a group of people to help them do what they do, to the highest level possible.
Proven Track Record
Sam has personally worked with each of these clients either through an 8 week program, an Executive Leadership Retreat, as part of a 1-3 day conference or in her 1 day Open Workshops.
1782 people trained
May 2018
CASE STUDY: Nestle
When Spencer Bartlet, the GM of Cereal Partners Worldwide, realised his team had lost their drive and their results weren’t where he felt they could be, he decided to invest in mind training to help them get their winning approach back.We developed a customised 8 week program that involved skill development around mindset change. That year they smashed their targets and outperformed all other divisions globally on market share, profit growth and sales growth.
CASE STUDY: Rabbitohs
Michael Maguire, Head Coach of the Rabbitohs, knew that he had an exceptional team in physical terms, which only left the realm of the mind to explain the losses during the high pressure end of the season.He brought us in to help the players master their ‘inner game’, remove the noise from their heads and let them get on with what they had trained so hard to do – win match after match right up to the very end of the season.
![state of mind training testimonial video](/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/mnd-testimonial.jpg")
CASE STUDY: MND & Me
Paul Olds, the co-founder of MND & Me, had heard of our work with the Rabbitohs and wanted to give the carers of people suffering from Motor Neurone Disease, the same tools we’d given to the football players. Having watched his best friend die of this diabolical disease, he knew the levels of stress, anxiety and despair the carers were under.And most, if not all, had no techniques or training to help them face this mentally and emotionally exhausting role.
“Sam has a warm and spacious style of facilitation and she skilfully leads the group through this important and impactful work”.
Associate Professor Janet Smith, University of Canberra
“The workshop was a fantastic opportunity to spend time reflecting on myself. It gave me smart and simple ways to see how small changes can dramatically improve how you interact with life's challenges. I found it empowering, intellectual and practical”.
Candice Quartermain, Circular Economy Consultant & mother of young children
“The tools are so valuable because they are easy to understand, easy to apply and you can see upfront their benefits, almost immediately”.
Dr Kirsty McGeoch, Leadership Consultant and Digital Story Teller
Associate Professor Janet Smith, University of Canberra
“The workshop was a fantastic opportunity to spend time reflecting on myself. It gave me smart and simple ways to see how small changes can dramatically improve how you interact with life's challenges. I found it empowering, intellectual and practical”.
Candice Quartermain, Circular Economy Consultant & mother of young children
“The tools are so valuable because they are easy to understand, easy to apply and you can see upfront their benefits, almost immediately”.
Dr Kirsty McGeoch, Leadership Consultant and Digital Story Teller
State of Mind Programs
3 month program for Leadership Teams and Talent Development
Take your team to a whole new level.
These programs are the most impactful as their extended nature, combined with the light touch (1.5 hours once per week) during the middle 6 weeks, allows the greatest team learning and rigorous integration of the teams’ choice of customized tools, into their routine and culture. Clients who have undertaken this type of program include teams from Nestle, Lend Lease, Mars, Mainbrace and the RBA. The effect is profound and long-lasting, and the development of cohesiveness, resilience and effectiveness of the team exceptional.
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Executive Leadership Retreat – Just Add Water
State of Mind Training + Your Content + Food, Accommodation & Ambience
This unique offering provides State of Mind Training content wrapped into your content, whether that be strategic planning, sales forecasting, budgeting, or whatever your Executive Leadership Team needs to do.
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Conference Content
Interactive, experiential, enlivening conference content.
Experiential, interactive and always engaging, these shorter 2-3 hour sessions deliver a subset of the tools, depending on time available and the focus of the conference.
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Open Workshops
One day immersion into the suite of tools to give you your life back.
This is your opportunity to attend our Mind Training program as an individual, rather than as part of a team or company. These programs are run regularly every 2-3 months at the Watsons Bay Hotel. Participants range from individuals who have missed their corporate training day (illness, travel) and need to catch up as part of an 8 week program, or they are consultants, coaches or parents wanting to expand their professional or personal expertise and repertoire.
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