Dr. Ivan Joseph

Award-Winning Performance Coach, Leadership and Cultural Transformation Expert
  • TEDx Talk has more than 21 million views and was named by Forbes as “One of The Top TED Talks About the Meaning of Life”
  • Speaks with credibility based on experience as an Olympic and National Champion coach and leader
  • Blends story-telling and PhD research with audiences sharing actionable strategies for building unstoppable teams, unlocking potential, and leading with resilience
  • Inspires, challenges, and entertains – all while providing tangible techniques for people to apply in their lives and work

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Dr. Ivan Joseph inspires and coaches people and teams to maximize their potential.

An award-winning coach, educator, and leader, Joseph has spent his career leading cultural transformation, helping people believe in themselves, and creating cohesive teams. He speaks about self-confidence, embracing the “grit” to persevere in spite of setbacks, and leading teams to success, drawing from the lessons he’s learned from a life in sport. Dynamic and engaging, Joseph always leaves audience with a memorable experience that adds value long after the presentation ends.

Born in Guyana, South America, Joseph arrived in Toronto at the age of five, with only the clothes he was wearing. The Joseph family lived in one of the poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods in Canada, until hard work and good fortune helped them move to a rural farming community—where Ivan was fortunate to develop unstoppable work ethic and sky-high aspirations.

While serving as a professor and soccer coach at Graceland University, Joseph developed the soccer program from the ground up. In just five years, he led both the men’s and women’s teams to #1 national rankings and helped the men’s team win their first ever national championship. As a result, he was recognized by The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics as National Coach of the Year in 2006.

As Director of Athletics at Ryerson University, Joseph led the athletic program to national prominence. The Ryerson Rams won provincial and national championships for the first time in the institution’s history — while achieving GPAs higher than the student body average. Joseph also spearheaded the landmark $100 million renovation of the historic and beloved Maple Leaf Gardens. In this new culture of belonging and pride across Ryerson’s diverse urban campus, student-athletes broke records with their athletic, academic and outreach activities.

Currently the Vice President, Student Affairs at Laurier University, Joseph leads the university’s effort to promote interconnectedness and belonging among a diverse student body drawn from across the country and around the globe.

Joseph is regularly called on to support national team programs. In 2018 he was selected as Head Coach of the women’s national soccer team in his native Guyana. While serving as high-performance coach for the Canadian men’s basketball team. They won the country’s first ever FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup in 2017.

Joseph’s TEDx Talk has more than 20 million views, which speaks to the impact he has on people. Forbes named it one of the “Ten Best TED Talks About The Meaning of Life.”

Along with being an in-demand speaker, consultant and coach, Joseph contributes regularly to publications including Huffington Post and Globe and Mail. He is also the author of the bestselling book ​You Got This: Mastering the Skill of Self-Confidence.

Joseph has a BA in Physical Education and Health, a Masters in Higher Education Administration, and a PhD in Sports Psychology.

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Speaker Video

The skill of self confidence | Dr. Ivan Joseph | TEDxRyersonU

SUCCESS, SELF-CONFIDENCE, AND PERFORMANCE

Success begins and ends with self-confidence. Your belief in yourself is the foundation for thriving, achieving your dreams, and unlocking your potential. With self-confidence, you live the happy, inspired, connected life you deeply desire.

As an award-winning coach and PhD sports psychologist, Dr. Ivan Joseph has focused on understanding the skill of self-confidence. He has developed, applied, and refined dozens of techniques that lead to high performance and excellence.

In this energizing and motivational talk, you’ll learn the secrets Joseph used to help individuals and teams reach goals they never thought possible. Humour, visualization, and immersive activities keep everyone engaged and create a memorable experience.

You’ll learn practical techniques to:

  • Develop and sustain self-confidence, especially in times of adversity.
  • Promote self-confidence in your team and others.
  • Use the power of positive self-talk and setting higher expectations.

Audiences will leave with a renewed sense of self-confidence and belief in themselves, inspired to overcome challenges and ready to accelerate their performance!

BUILD A HIGH-PERFORMANCE TEAM

When teams thrive, they elevate everyone to a level they didn’t know was possible. When teams struggle, they create dynamics and challenges that limit performance.

What does it take for a team to excel? How do you create a culture of excellence? How do you build a high-performing team?

NAIA National Coach of the Year Dr. Ivan Joseph cracked the code. He led a tiny college in Iowa to win a national soccer championship. He led a marginal university athletic program to national prominence. And that’s why he’s invited to speak on stages around the world.

Sharing funny and moving stories, and research-based insights, Joseph inspires leaders and teams to achieve even their toughest goals.

In this fast-paced, interactive session, leaders gain insights and techniques to:

  • Articulate common values and a shared sense of purpose.
  • Create team cohesion, the foundation of elite team performance.
  • Set higher expectations to achieve new levels of performance.

Self-confidence, cohesion and expectations drive team performance. Joseph’s approach works — leaders and teams see immediate impact. It’s time to amplify your team’s performance!

FUELING SUCCESS THROUGH INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

A culture of inclusivity is a culture of high performance. Likely, you’re prioritizing diversity and inclusion, and you’ve experienced some setbacks — and need some fresh ideas and inspiration!

Dr. Ivan Joseph shares practical and proven strategies to build an inclusive culture. An authority on retention of under-represented populations in predominantly white organizations, Joseph also speaks movingly from his own experience. He has overcome challenges, broken barriers, and led a transformation toward inclusivity in every organization he’s worked for.

Born in Guyana, Joseph moved to Canada at age five. He knows what it’s like to look different and sound different, to be a Black student on a white campus, to be a leader from an under-represented group. He has experienced the challenges and opportunities of being a designated hire. And he understands from the inside the complexities of creating an inclusive organizational culture.

In this perspective-shifting talk, Joseph shares insights and experiences from his own remarkable story. Audiences will learn:

  • Powerful strategies to drive high performance through inclusivity and diversity.
  • Tactics for successfully navigating the nuances of organizational decisions related to diversity and inclusion.
  • Techniques to foster successful cross-cultural communication.

Your leaders will be ready and eager to create a culture where inclusion and high performance go hand in hand.

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Dr. Ivan Joseph's Book You Got This

You Got This: Mastering the Skill of Self-Confidence