Workplace truths, delivered with humour—and the whole room involved.
Steve Simpson is an international keynote speaker, author and workplace culture specialist who has spent more than 35 years helping organisations improve their cultures and performance.
He is the creator of UGRs®—Unwritten Ground Rules—the perceptions people hold about “the way we really do things around here.” His concept gives leaders and employees a simple, memorable and practical way to understand how workplace culture shapes behaviour, teamwork, safety, service and organisational results.
Steve is known for being very funny, highly interactive and willing to say the workplace truths that are seldom acknowledged. His presentations entertain and challenge audiences while giving them practical ideas they can apply immediately.
Steve has spoken at conferences around the world and worked with organisations including McLaren Automotive, Kmart Australia and New Zealand, SAP globally, Next in the UK and Toyota Australia. His extensive consulting experience means his insights are grounded in the realities of organisational life, rather than theory alone.
He is the author of UGRs: Cracking the Corporate Culture Code and co-author of A Culture Turned. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Alberta and has co-presented on an Australian lecture tour with Harvard University Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter.
Professional Speakers Australia named Steve Australian Educator of the Year in 2015, presented him with the Nevin Award—its Hall of Fame and most cherished honour—in 2023, and granted him Life Membership in 2026.
Talking Points
Cracking the Corporate Culture Code
Steve reveals how unwritten ground rules drive behaviour, how they are created and—most importantly—what leaders can do to shift counterproductive UGRs so culture supports strategic direction.Cracking the Corporate Culture Code
Delegates will:
- Understand how UGRs—Unwritten Ground Rules—shape everyday behaviour more powerfully than formal values and policies.
- Learn how to identify the unspoken rules helping or hindering their organisation’s strategy, culture and performance.
- Leave with practical actions leaders and employees can use to challenge counterproductive UGRs and reinforce more productive ones.
The Real Safety System Is the One Nobody Wrote
Even the best safety systems are compromised when workplace culture sends a different message. This keynote offers a fresh, practical way to strengthen ownership and sustain attention to safety.The Real Safety System Is the One Nobody Wrote
Delegates will:
- Recognise the informal workplace signals that determine whether people report concerns, follow procedures, speak up or take shortcuts.
- Understand why gaps emerge between documented safety systems and the way work is actually performed.
- Identify practical ways to strengthen personal ownership and create everyday norms that support—not undermine—safety.
Unwritten, Unspoken, Unmissable
Policies alone do not create psychological safety. This session explores the invisible norms influencing trust, communication and wellbeing—and how to build a workplace where people feel safe to speak up and contribute.Unwritten, Unspoken, Unmissable
Delegates will:
- Recognise the hidden cultural barriers that prevent people from raising concerns, challenging decisions and contributing honestly.
- Understand the connection between UGRs, trust, psychological safety and psychosocial wellbeing.
- Learn how everyday leadership responses can replace silence and self-protection with openness, respect and constructive challenge.
Service Is Culture in Disguise
Outstanding service is not created by scripts. Steve shows how culture drives the customer experience and how leaders can shift the UGRs that permit ordinary service.Service Is Culture in Disguise
Delegates will:
- Understand how the internal culture experienced by employees is ultimately reflected in the customer experience.
- Identify the UGRs that permit indifferent service, discourage initiative or make customer promises difficult to deliver.
- Learn how leaders and teams can build greater ownership of service without relying solely on scripts, training or slogans.
Why Your Next Change Program Is Already in Trouble
Past experience creates UGRs about whether change will last. Steve shows how to uncover those assumptions, rebuild confidence and make culture an active enabler of change.Why Your Next Change Program Is Already in Trouble
Delegates will:
- Understand resistance and change fatigue in the context of employees’ previous experiences—not simply as negativity.
- Learn how to uncover the UGRs influencing whether people believe a change is credible, worthwhile or likely to last.
- Identify the leadership signals and actions needed to rebuild confidence and make workplace culture an active enabler of change.
Video
Steve Simpson | International Speaker & Author on Workplace Culture | Saxton Speaker
In the 1980s it was Situational Leadership with Ken Blanchard, and Body Language with Alan Pease. In the 2000s, it was Jim Collins with Good to Great. Now is the time for Steve Simpson and U ... keep reading Kmart & Target Australia
The management of UGRs and organisational culture is THE leadership imperative of this era.
A first-class, stimulating and valuably provocative overview of the unwritten ground rules underpinning corporate life.
The UGRs concept has given me the key I have been searching for.
Steve Simpson is one of those rare presenters who is able to convey a powerful message simply. In an engaging and entertaining presentation, he was able to clearly explain the importance of Unwritten Ground Rules.
How wonderful to put a name to Corporate Culture with UGRs. I am sure that everyone who had the pleasure of listening to your very captivating and inspiring presentation will put their business to the UGRs test to see how they rate and make some changes to their organisational culture if necessary.
The session was inspiring and immediately prompted ideas I could take to my management team.
I've seen a lot of presenters—but few with the skills, humour and engaging cheek of Steve Simpson.
A breath of fresh air. Steve bounded to the podium with an energy that had the whole room responding to him.
Steve went down an absolute storm. People loved him, and he was professional, conscientious and amiable.
have no hesitation in ranking Steve Simpson as one of the best public speakers that I have ever encountered. His recent presentation on "Unwritten Ground Rules" at the Australian Institute of Building Surveyor's state conference was nothing short of excellent. His content was easy to understand, relevant and at times humorous. Further, his presentation skills kept the audience completely captivated and focused on the message being conveyed for the whole hour. I certainly hope that I get to experience another one of Steve's presentations in the not too distant future.
Steve would have to be one of the most energetic and motivational speakers I have encountered. Not only is his subject matter relevant, delightfully insightful, incredibly well researched and fresh, his delivery is second to none. I can't wait to start working on our own UGRs. Thanks Steve.
I attended a seminar recently at the Perth Concert Hall. One of the principal speakers was Steve Simpson whose presentation I considered to be one of the best that I have ever seen not only in Australia but around the world. I have no hesitation in saying that Steve Simpson is one of the best in the business. He is so impressive. I commend him highly.
At this year's HDI Conference in Las Vegas, I had the opportunity to attend Steve Simpson's workshop on "Unwritten Ground Rules." His presentation was a highlight of the conference. Steve's sense of humour, credibility, and subject matter gave me pages of notes to use in my own consulting and training. I would recommend Steve to anyone who needs to better understand the complicated, vital, and often-misunderstood world of corporate culture.
You've renewed my enthusiasm and I can't wait to get back to implement many of the suggestions made at the seminar. You have a unique speaking style, which I thoroughly enjoyed. You involve the audience and made us believe anything is possible and that we can each make a huge difference in our own way. You're clearly passionate about your subject and your enjoyment is palpable. Thanks for sharing that with us.
I have been exposed to a large number of speakers on a wide range of customer service/management topics. Steve Simpson is a motivating, energetic, knowledgeable speaker who provided a very different slant on the usual topics with his UGR concept. I thoroughly enjoyed his presentation and have begun to focus on instilling positive UGRs with my team. Thanks Steve for an opportunity to re-energise and refresh my own approach.
I was really impressed by your ability to command the audience's attention with humour as well as a profound knowledge of your subject. The concept of unwritten ground rules came alive with your examples and will remain as a key ingredient in all my work on company cultures.
Congratulations and thanks for an excellent presentation. I have attended many Customer Service type conferences - your presentation gave the subject plenty of humour, passion, experiences, knowledge and "The Journey Ahead". You kept your audience focused and engaged for the entire presentation. Very few speakers have those talents. I look forward to your next Conference.
Your research on UGRs and your ability to present your findings in such an informative and relaxed way have now made the task of cultural change so much easier. The beauty of your work is that it can, and should, be shared with every member of the organisation. Everyone's accountable and can't help but take ownership of the impact their individual actions have on the true culture of their organisation. Great stuff.
I can only pen the too often used phrase that a light was turned on after hearing your presentation - which was fantastic both in content and delivery from yourself.
I was fortunate to attend a customer's function recently where Steve Simpson was the guest speaker... Steve's ability and skill to immediately snatch our attention with an exciting presentation style, full of movement, tone and excitement which obviously his natural effervescent style, had us all enthralled in UGRs. Steve is passionate about UGRs and was able to impart the same enthusiasm to the audience as many attendees were discussing UGRs well into the social session at the conclusion of the day.
Many thanks for a great session. Your presentation was alive and valuable. One of our key challenges in growing an organisation in the UK is the ability to sustain the culture and I have already spoken to two of our General Managers about UGRs and their affect on our culture. Thank you.
Steve Simpson is an excellent presenter. He combines great energy and enthusiasm with a strong relevance to the subject matter. His punchy style mixes humour with hard cutting facts that ease the learning process for his audience.
Steve's talk captured my attention from the start and the concept of UGR's really rang true. I rushed off after his talk to buy his book from the bookstall - and he was the only speaker who had that effect! We have already started using the concept within my team
I knew, when I read the conference brief that Steve would be brilliant and I wasn't disappointed! The room was packed and he delivered an enthusiastic, funny and informative presentation. I've already talked to a company about their UGRs and they've found lots which hold them back. Excellent!
One of the highlights for me of the 2003 conference was Steve Simpson's session " Strategies to Create a Culture of Service: The Unwritten Ground Rules". Steve's ability to combine a practical perspective on developing corporate culture with his excellent presentational skills made this a memorable session.
I was really impressed by your ability to command the audience's attention with humour as well as a profound knowledge of your subject. The concept of unwritten ground rules came alive with your examples and will remain as a key ingredient in all my work on company cultures.
Steve is a breath of fresh air as a presenter. He captivated and engaged the whole group at the recent Victorian Health Association Governance Conference in Melbourne. His approach to talking about and approaching the unwritten ground rules (UGRs) in organisations was both refreshing and genuine.
