MIKE HANDCOCK
A LIFE BUILT AROUND ONE QUESTION:
WHAT MAKES PEOPLE PLAY A BIGGER GAME?
Entrepreneur | Author | International speaker | Musician | Global citizen
For more than two decades, Mike Handcock has explored business, human behaviour, ancient wisdom, creativity and technology in search of what makes people and organisations truly significant.
“Mike’s work sits at the intersection of things that aren’t normally put in the same room.”
THE PERSPECTIVE
WHY MIKE SEES
BUSINESS
DIFFERENTLY.
For more than two decades, Mike Handcock has moved between countries, cultures, boardrooms, businesses and stages, observing what makes some people and organisations thrive while others remain stuck.
What emerged wasn’t another business methodology. It was a way of seeing business differently.
Mike’s perspective sits at the intersection of commercial reality, human behaviour, global experience, ancient wisdom, creativity and emerging technology. He looks for the patterns beneath the obvious; the forces that shape why people think, decide, contribute, lead and ultimately become significant.
That convergence has become the foundation of his work: bringing ideas together that aren’t normally found in the same room.
Mike Handcock and Billy Selekane
SIX LENSES. ONE PERSPECTIVE.
01
BUSINESS
02
THE WORLD
03
HUMAN BEHAVIOUR
04
ANCIENT WISDOM
05
CREATIVITY
06
TECHNOLOGY
THE WORLD AS A BOARDROOM
SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BUSINESS CONVERSATIONS DON’T HAPPEN IN BOARDROOMS.
For more than two decades, Mike Handcock has taken senior executives, entrepreneurs and leading founders beyond conventional meeting rooms and into some of the world's most extraordinary places.
Across more than 50 executive retreats from the Pyramids and Machu Picchu to Angkor Wat, Scandinavia, Scotland, France and other culturally significant locations, groups have spent multiple days exploring the questions that rarely get enough time inside business.
“How do we create extraordinary performance without sacrificing the humanity, relationships and sense of purpose that make performance worth achieving?”
These experiences explore significance, leadership, change, productivity and human potential, not simply as business theories, but through deep conversation, shared experience and the perspective that comes from stepping outside the familiar.
They have profoundly influenced the way Mike thinks about business, leadership and what makes people truly significant.
THE PYRAMIDS · EGYPT
The Sahara - Morocco
sCOTLAND
Bali
cappadocia - turkey
50+ EXECUTIVE RETREATS · MULTIPLE CONTINENTS · ONE ENDURING QUESTION
What makes people... and the organisations they lead, truly significant?
THE OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY
THE SHORT VERSION.
Mike Handcock is a four-time New Zealand Speaker of the Year, Global Speaking Fellow, entrepreneur, author, musician and filmmaker whose work has taken him across more than 50 countries.
Over more than two decades, Mike has delivered 3,500+ presentations and events, written 14 books, including seven international bestsellers and released 13 music albums. His feature film documentary 'Dreamcatchers', which he wrote, directed and produced, explored the lives of people doing extraordinary things.
His fascination has always extended beyond conventional business thinking. Mike's work brings together human behaviour, emerging technology, new science and ancient wisdom, informed by decades of travelling, studying cultures and working with entrepreneurs and senior leaders around the world.
A former President of the Global Speakers Federation, Mike has built businesses, advised leaders, created music, made films and travelled around the world more than 90 times.
Underneath that unusually diverse career sits one enduring fascination: what makes people and the organisations they lead truly significant?
A CAREER MEASURED IN EXPERIENCES
ENTREPRENEUR
FOUNDER & INVESTOR, HIGHLY EXPERIENCED LEADER
Co-Owner of 3 International Businesses and 2 Successful Exits
AUTHOR
14 BOOKS, INCLUDING 7 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERS.
Exploring the relationship between ancient wisdom and modern business significance.
SPEAKER
MORE THAN 3,500 EVENTS ACROSS AN INTERNATIONAL CAREER.
Commanding stages from Cape Town to Chicago with disruptive insights.
GLOBAL CITIZEN
TRAVELLING THE WORLD MORE THAN 90 TIMES ACROSS 115 COUNTRIES IN TOTAL.
A life spent observing the patterns of human behavior across cultures and religions globally.
MUSICIAN
13 ALBUMS.
Creativity and style as a foundational pillar of business performance.
INDUSTRY LEADER
PAST PRESIDENT GLOBAL SPEAKERS FEDERATION
Leading strategy for the future of the global thought leadership community.
SOCIAL CONTRIBUTION
BOARD MEMBER | TWO GLOBAL CHARITIES
Founding Board Member Sage Foundation (India) part of Clinton Global Initiative and Global Dialogue Foundation (Australia) aligned with UNAOC.
BUSINESS. • MUSIC. • ANCIENT WISDOM. • TECHNOLOGY. • HUMAN BEHAVIOUR.
THEY’RE MORE CONNECTED THAN THEY LOOK.
For more than two decades, Mike Handcock has explored the connections between worlds most people keep separate. Ancient wisdom informs his understanding of human behaviour. Music reveals patterns of creativity and performance. Technology changes what is possible. Business provides the arena in which it all comes together. His work is built on a simple premise: the most interesting answers are often found at the intersection.
THE THINKING
WHAT MIKE BELIEVES.
“People want to know that what they do matters.”
“Freedom creates contribution; control creates compliance.”
“Recognition is one of the most underused forces in human performance.”
“Survival may keep an organisation functioning. Significance gives people a reason to care.”
BEYOND BUSINESS
AWAY FROM THE STAGE.
RESEARCH: The library - Trinity College Dublin
WORK: Meeting with a CEO in Marbella, Spain
TRAVEL: Mongolia in 0 Degrees in a Ger with Landi
LOVE: : At home in Cape Town with Landi Jac is Mike's favourite place
CURIOSITY: Meeting the holy ones in Mumbai
FOR EVENT ORGANISERS
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO INTRODUCE MIKE.
Approved biographies, stage introductions, photography and speaker resources for your event.
FAQ'S
QUESTIONS EVENT ORGANISERS ASK
Everything you may want to know before bringing Mike to your stage.
What is Mike Handcock's signature keynote?
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Mike Handcock's signature keynote is The Ghost in the Office: Deconstructing Workplace Apathy in the Age of A.I.It explores why workplace apathy is often a shield rather than a flaw and reveals the forces that cause people to disengage. Mike gives leaders a practical framework for rebuilding purpose, autonomy and recognition, helping people reconnect, contribute and perform at a higher level.
What makes Mike Handcock an expert?
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Mike spent 18 years in corporate business, culminating in senior management roles in sales and marketing within New Zealand's financial services sector. For more than 20 years since, he has worked internationally with leaders, entrepreneurs and organisations across more than 50 countries. His perspective combines business experience, entrepreneurship, global insight and decades of studying leadership and human performance.
Why should you work with Mike Handcock?
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Mike is easy to work with and gets up to speed quickly on an organisation, audience and conference brief. He combines global business experience with provocative thinking, storytelling and practical ideas while making audiences feel at ease. Having delivered more than 3,500 presentations across more than 50 countries, he understands how to challenge an audience while delivering a professional, world-class conference experience.
What does Mike Handcock speak about?
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Mike speaks about the human side of business performance: workplace apathy, leadership, significance, sales, purpose and what enables people to perform at their best in a rapidly changing world. His keynotes include The Ghost in the Office, In Search of Significance, Significant Sales Mastery and Play A Bigger Game. Each combines business insight, storytelling, practical frameworks and Mike's distinctive perspective on human performance.
Does Mike customise his keynote for each event?
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Yes. Mike works with the event organiser to understand the organisation, audience, conference objectives and the challenges people are facing. He then adapts the emphasis, stories and examples within the keynote so the presentation feels relevant to that particular audience while retaining the integrity of the keynote itself.
Who are Mike Handcock's keynotes designed for?
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Mike's keynotes are particularly suited to corporate conferences, leadership events, sales conferences, association events and senior executive audiences. His work is designed for organisations that want people to think differently, re-engage with what matters and move beyond simply functioning toward greater contribution, performance and significance.
How do I book Mike Handcock to speak at an event?
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The first step is a conversation about your event, audience and objectives. Mike's team will discuss the brief with you, recommend the most appropriate keynote and explore how Mike can contribute to the overall conference experience. Use the Book Mike to Speak button on this website to start the conversation.
“I want to thank you for a sensational session. I can remember just about every word; you have made quite an impression. We will get you back soon.”
LANDMARK HOMES
AMANDA SCOTT