MEET STEVE
Steve Smith has a one-of-a-kind background: space, business, engineering, and diplomacy. This mix allows Steve to connect the dots with credibility: how lessons learned in exploration ventures can increase performance for individuals, teams, and leadership. As a keynote speaker he delivers specific, actionable advice and connects with crowd members regardless of audience size using personal stories, transparency, gorgeous photography, and a delivery varying from serious to humorous.
Silicon Valley PROFESSIONAL
Steve traveled 16 million miles in space, but he was a Stanford MBA first. He remains the only person to enter the Astronaut Corps with an MBA. He has two electrical engineering degrees from Stanford, serves as director on multiple boards, and consults to Silicon Valley venture capitalists. At IBM he led an R&D team in semiconductor fabrication and as a Product Manager co-led definition of a product and its sales force rollout.
LEADER AMONG LEADERS
The United States Astronaut Corps is an elite organization featuring incredibly talented personnel. Steve rose to the second in command position – the Deputy Chief Astronaut – and managed the daily operations, policy development, and aircraft use of the 125-member Astronaut Corps.
ACCOMPLISHED DIPLOMAT
For 12 years residing in Europe, Steve served as a Diplomat in the role of the United States’ space station negotiating representative to the European Space Agency and associated barters with the Russian Space Agency. He facilitated this multi-national effort to reach consensus while balancing financial, technical, and political realities.
RESILIENT OPTIMIST
Steve identified his dream – reflected in childhood drawings – to be an astronaut at age 7. That dream came true despite a 4-day near death experience at age 15, medical flight disqualifications from the Air Force and NASA, and four rejections from the Astronaut Corps.
SENIOR ASTRONAUT
After selection by NASA, Steve was the first assigned to fly in his class. He flew on 4 space shuttle missions and performed 7 spacewalks, including 5 to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. He ranked third on the all-time historical world spacewalk duration list at the completion of his flight career.
CHAMPION ATHLETe
Steve was a 7-time All American in swimming and water polo and a two-time NCAA Champion with the Stanford water polo team. He was captain of the 1980 national championship team.
FAMILY MAN
Steve has been happily married for 30 years. The family's two children are in technical fields.
SPEAKING
SPEECH Topics & Outcomes
LEADERSHIP AT 17500 MILES PER HOUR
Strong leadership is a cornerstone of the human space program where leaders make decisions that carry risk to billions of dollars of equipment and to people’s lives. The leaders process and use massive amounts of information in a complex and dynamic environment that is also subject to budgets, stakeholders, schedules, and competition. These are also the attributes of today’s business environment. Steve will describe the practices of leadership in the challenging space business and how the practices can be used by business leaders to be effective in today’s competitive, uncertain global business arena.
Steve Smith is one of America’s most experienced astronauts with 4 flights and 7 spacewalks. Back on Earth, he quickly rose to the number two leadership position in the Astronaut Corps, was selected to lead multiple equipment failure investigations and teams, and was a Diplomat overseas for 12 years serving as NASA’s negotiating liaison in Europe. As a leader in space and back on Earth, he used a collection of practices and attitudes called The Explorer’s Mindset™.
Takeaways:
- Key leadership techniques used in difficult environments
- How to improve your organizations’ cohesiveness, resilience, and success
- The Explorer’s Mindset™ attributes specifically for leadership in extreme uncertain times
THE EXPLORER’s MINDSET™: ACHIEVE and BALANCE
Exploration is a dangerous business that requires taking risks and making very tough decisions. To cope with extreme environments and challenges, explorers draw on a particular set of attributes and habits that includes creative thinking, resiliency to setbacks, and perseverance. It’s The Explorer’s Mindset™.
Steve Smith first dreamed of being an astronaut at age 7. He pursued that dream with determination for nearly three decades despite multiple, serious setbacks until he became one of America’s most experienced astronauts and spacewalkers.
Steve used The Explorer’s Mindset™ to guide him on that difficult path to NASA and to survive and succeed as an astronaut. He will describe how individuals and teams can and must adapt the mindset to succeed in today’s fast-paced, dynamic, uncertain business environment. He’ll also provide useable advice on how to still maintain a balanced, joyful life.
Takeaways:
- An understanding of the mindset and practices of explorers
- Motivation to adapt the mindset to increase your professional and personal advancements
- Techniques to improve your life balance and joy while still advancing
AN ASTRONAUT’S JOURNEY: CHILDHOOD DREAMS TO RIDING ROCKETS
Steve Smith knows what it’s like to travel seven times the speed of a bullet at 17,500 MPH. He did it as an Astronaut but only after a 3-decade effort to get his first rocket ride and fulfill a dream expressed in childhood drawings. Along the way NASA rejected him 4 times and even rejected him permanently, or so NASA thought, by medically disqualifying him from applying. He’ll describe what inspired him to continue and how he became one of America’s most experienced astronauts and a leader in the Astronaut Corps. Steve will provide advice for all ages on thinking big, being creative, overcoming disappointment, and remaining strong and inspired.
Through the use of personal stories, gorgeous photos, and a passion and skill for sharing his experiences, Steve will describe how spaceflight can be everything from joyous to serious to comical. He’ll take you along on the ride. He’ll vividly describe the view of our planet from a distance and how that brought him joy for its beauty, but concern for its environmental fragility. He will inspire all to be good to nature – and to each other.
Takeaways:
- How to think creatively and to set big goals
- Skills to overcome obstacles at any point in your life
- Techniques to improve your life balance and joy while still advancing
- Have fun hearing about flying in space and seeing the Earth
TESTIMONIALS
DEB CROSS
Program Executive Digital Business Group, IBM
I knew he had the amazing content (resilient life journey, flying rockets, repairing the Hubble Space Telescope, etc) but his effective application of his experiences and insights to our business priorities is what set Steve apart. He was given a vigorous standing ovation at the end of his speech and feedback forms to me had him off the charts, his post event satisfaction scores were the highest of any speaker over the last five years.
DAVID MOORE
Managing Director, Deloitte
Steve gave great advice on the need to stay focused on your end goal, being creative by looking for ways to change the game when you hit roadblocks, and remaining persistent to get to your end target. Reminded me that you need to take a step back, look at the big picture, and get creative when you hit obstacles in your way. Nice life lesson.
STEVE MILLARD
Founder and CEO, Aquila Growth Advisors
His messages are incredibly powerful, motivational, and super important for the world we’re in today. If you are lucky enough to hear Steve speak, it will improve your life.
TIM DOUGHERTY
Vice President Sales, Ariat International
Steve did an amazing job at our National Sales meeting! He studied us and perfectly catered his messaging. It aligned beautifully with our goals, objectives and vision. Steve applied energy, excellent storytelling, humor and humility in a way that made his journey perfectly relevant to the entire sales team. He connected with every audience member. Steve was the perfect speaker for our meeting and left a lasting impression with everyone in the audience!
WILLIAM JOSCO
Worldwide AI & Cognitive Client Success Leader, IBM
I was literally blown away…Steve has an amazing aura about him, from kindness and humility to brilliance and grit. He connected with me, and the audience, on so many levels, and as a result, it was one of the most inspiring talks I have ever heard. He is easily one of the best storytellers I have ever heard and he had us at the edge of our seats throughout. He particularly struck a cord with me about balance in life, getting rid of the noise, and focusing on what matters.
SUNYA NORMAN
Director, Salesforce
Steve is a gifted storyteller with a unique ability to connect with an audience. His anecdotes and sense of humor kept attendees engaged throughout as we felt the ups and downs of Steve’s journey. He used images very effectively to complement his narrative and help to make complex topics more accessible. Steve went above and beyond to provide an excellent experience for our audience and was a pleasure to work with. We're excited to bring him back in the future!
ERIC GSELL
Performance Marketing Event Strategist, IBM
Steve is an inspirational speaker who really resonates with many target audiences. In fact, he was our highest rated speaker at Momentum, with almost perfect scores in both Las Vegas and London.
JUSTIN KAO
Co-Founder and Vice President, Helix
I've heard many speakers, and Steve is one of the best. He blends an incredibly inspirational story with valuable life lessons and a unique perspective that comes from having been in space. Our entire company was raving about his talk and we had many people say it was the best talk they had ever heard. Perhaps most impressive, Steve remains incredibly humble and grounded, which enables him to connect with a variety of people and inspire them all.
SCOTT SCHUTE
Vice President Global Customer Operations, LinkedIn
Our folks were mesmerized by his stories. Hearing Steve's experiences and his insights from his unique vantage point was very motivational! I appreciated his energy, humility, and his deep perspective on life. Steve shares a message of hope and persistence, born of his experiences as a true explorer.
PERRY HOLLEY
Vice President Global Cultural Solutions, Berlitz
What I appreciated most about Steve was his heart of service to our team. He didn't just come to speak, he came to connect and engage on an individual basis. He generously gave of his time to meet everyone he could. He went above and beyond for the entire time.
