Keynote Presentations

Derrick's keynote presentations have an astonishing range of themes. However, Derrick prides himself on tailoring each presentation to the client's needs. Derrick enjoys sharing the lessons he learned from this amazing experience and those lessons are universal. He also identifies how the lessons learned through being shot are the same lessons that are applicable to people in business.

His presentation skills and his story hold the audience captivated. "You could have heard a pin drop as you stood and spoke" - Dr. Bill Griggs at the Inaugural meeting of the Australasian Trauma Society.

Everyone takes away something different from Derrick's presentations and it's always uplifting and educational. The story itself is an unbelievable tale that inspires and motivates. More than anything, the lessons that people take away improve their lives, both personally and professionally.

Below are some of the themes used in the past:

Motivation/Inspiration

Prepare To Win

"If there was one thing I did really well prior to being shot, it was Prepare to Win.

I took a look at what I could realistically anticipate encountering in my daily activities. In a job such as STAR Group, being shot was one of those realities. Once identified, I went about preparing myself - mentally, physically and emotionally - to deal with such an occasion."

In his presentations Derrick talks about how he prepared to win on the day of the shooting and prepared to win in his return to life.

You too can learn how to 'Prepare to Win'.

Personal Leadership

Success Is A Matter Of Choice

There are people in the world who seem to be born winners and there are people who regularly seem to lose. We can all choose to win if we want to.

"On being shot I had choices to make. One of those choices was whether I wanted to live or die - succeed or fail. I chose to live - I chose Success. I was also prepared to fight for Success."

Derrick talks about how easy it is to make the choice of success when you know what you really want. He talks about what it takes to be prepared to fight for it too.

Find out what Success meant to Derrick and how you too can choose to be Successful because Success is available to everyone.

We Can All Build Ourselves A Better Future

Have you ever heard the term "The future depends on you"? This statement is as true for the world as it is for the individual. If we are prepared to take responsibility for our actions and our choices, be proactive in decision making rather than responding to situations, know what our dreams are and set solid goals to reach our dreams ... we can build ourselves a better future.

Derricks' story is about his vision for his future and how he went about building it for himself. He didn't play victim and he didn't wait to be told.

Learn how you too can build a better future for yourself.

Change Management

Change Doesn't Have To Be The Enemy

Dealing with change can be traumatic time for anyone, especially if you don't have any choice in it - you don't have any control.

"On the day I was shot, change was imposed on me. I had no say in it - my life was going to be radically different from what it ever had had been".

Firstly, Derrick had to accept that the change was going to happen and then play an active part in how that change affected his life. Derrick quickly realised that in all changes there are also opportunities. Derrick employed the opportunities that came from change.

Learn how to identify the opportunities and then how to make the most of them when they present themselves.

Team Building

The Value Of Teams

"I was lying on the ground for 3 hours and had full confidence that my team would be doing everything they could to get to me, get me out and get me to safety. I knew I could rely on my team to be committed to doing everything we had trained to do".

Derrick is proud to highlight how his team risked their lives to save his. Derrick knows they are true heroes.

"There was a second team that was instrumental in saving my life at the risk of their own: The Medical Retrieval Team. Their story of dedication and commitment is also unbelievable and they too are true heroes".

It doesn't matter what sort of team environment we work in. We need to be able to rely on the people we work with to do the things they are trained to do and do them well. When we know we can rely on the team - everything is easier.

Learn about dedicated and committed teams as Derrick describes the selfless actions of those heroes.

Family/Work/Life Balance

When Everything Else Fails, You Need Family

"Lying on the ground, bleeding profusely and staring death in the face, I made a decision to fight for life. When I made that decision I needed to clearly identify the reason to fight. There was only one thing I wanted to fight for - my family. There were things I wanted to do with my family and I didn't want to miss them".

Derrick enjoys reflecting on what it was about his family of four children that gave him the determination to fight to live. Derrick also relates where the passion came from that drove him to want to return to the demanding role within STAR Group - if he ever could.

Find out where the Family/Work/Life balance fits when the going gets tough. Find out how Derrick now balances Family, Work and Life.

Self Esteem

We Should Believe In Our Own Abilities - Others Do

"I've always been an outwardly confident person but lacking of true self-esteem on the inside. I'm amazed at how much inner self esteem I gained as a result of being shot".

It wasn't' so much being shot or making such a positive recovery that changed Derrick's inner perception. It was what other people told him they had always believed.

Self Esteem has nothing to do with being big and bold or quiet and reclusive. Self Esteem has everything to do with what we think of ourselves on the inside.

Learn what Derrick has learned about himself and the lessons we can all learn about being proud of whom we really are.

Fun And Laughter

Learn To Laught At Ourselves

Derrick started making light hearted jokes about being shot as the Medical Retrieval Team slid him into the back of the Ambulance while bullets were still flying over head. He quipped with a fellow Diver that he "... may not be able to make dive training tomorrow'. He hasn't ever stopped having a light hearted laugh, particularly at his own expense.

Derrick tells hilarious stories about how he relates to his children, his work mates and his friends and how they relate to him. It's amazing how much laughing can relax you and it's amazing how much you can think outside the square when you're relaxed.

"I don't think I'll ever face anything quite so traumatic in my life but Fun and Laughter played a huge part in my rehabilitation and I think they are under utilised for both physical and psychological healing".

Have Derrick share his sense of Fun over Adversity and learn how to laugh at yourself, learn how to relax, no matter how bad the situation is.