Our Spirit Keynote Speaking

Aidan Grimes completed his 56th Kokoda Trek in April 2009. As the founding director for Our Spirit (Gold Coast Business Excellence award 2008), he cannot fight the urge to throw on a pack and inspire participants as they encounter the mental and physical challenges on the adventures.

After 20 years of corporate work including speaking engagements, extreme events and personal development initiatives, Aidan has facilitated massive results for giants such as Computer Associates; Microsoft; Nine MSN, Vodafone and the NSW Police to name a few. These successes are a testament to his specialist capabilities in co-ordinating life changing events, performance/wellbeing coaching and team development/cohesion.

Aidan is a man of strong integrity who is determined to leave a positive legacy.  His philanthropic work has raised in excess of 2.5 million dollars. In 2000, while raising over $1 million dollars for youth suicide prevention programs he was awarded ‘NSW Community Father of the Year’.  Recently, Aidan was voted in as the Chairman of the Kokoda Ethics Committee which protects the “sacred” Legacy of Kokoda for future generations. He is also an honorary member of the 2/14th and 2/16th Battalions, an acknowledgement that demonstrates his deepest respect for the Australian Military whom provide us with the freedom we enjoy as a nation today. On track, the elders refer to him as Uda Baroma (Wild Pig) or Uda Lauma (The Spirit). The local elders have a huge amount of respect for Aidan as evidenced when one of the elders at Vesulogo Village named his son  after Aidan.

So what about his speaking? Ironically, this Irish born Aussie predominately utilises his encyclopaedic knowledge of Australian military history and only a bit of what he picked up while graduating with a Bachelor of Sports Science (coaching psychology), to promote a way of thinking that removes limitations and unearths a basic instinct inspired by the passion and spirit inherent in all Australians.  His numerous (and incredibly inspiring) keynotes explore concepts including:

• Mateship (motivational keynote): An exploration of Aussies at war; how we overcame adversity and how it translates to over coming adversity in life.
• The ‘Spirit of Australia’: How we can achieve as a result of integrity, preparation, respect, courage and sacrifice. What makes the Australian Spirit unique.
• Endurance to go the distance (motivational keynote):  Understand the vision, and then construct the road to get there, despite the obstacles.
• Investing belief in yourself and others: Team cohesion and effective leadership.
• Communication: How does an Irishman guide thousands of Aussies through one of the toughest tracks on Earth?
• Personality awareness – how to find the true person: In extreme situations you must be able to discover, then motivate individuals, to their real potential.
• Leadership styles: It wasn’t until the Aussie diggers were invested in and their commanders led by example that they showed their true potential.