Tawera Nikau is one of New Zealand’s most formidable rugby league players and a celebrated figure in sport.
A powerful forward, he played 19 tests for the Kiwis and proudly captained the New Zealand Māori team during the Rugby League World Cup. His outstanding contributions to the game earned him a place among the New Zealand Legends of League.
Following his playing career, Tawera transitioned into leadership within the sport, serving on the New Zealand Rugby League Board of Directors and contributing as a selector for the national team. He is also the Managing Director of Team One International, a company focused on unlocking human potential, where he draws on his elite sporting background to drive personal and professional growth.
Tawera’s journey has also led him back to his roots, overseeing the management of his whānau’s farms and deepening his connection to the land and community. His resilience was put to the ultimate test in 2004 when he had his right leg amputated due to injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. Undeterred, he became an ambassador for the Achilles Foundation, completing the New York Marathon three times and the gruelling 100km Oxfam Taupo Trail Walker twice.
In recognition of his impact both on and off the field, Tawera was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rugby league and the community, and named an Emerging Leader by the Sir Peter Blake Trust in 2011.
Talking Points
Workshop: Law of Constraints & Power of Perspectives
Many people do not move forward because they fundamentally need a mind shift. In order to take the workforce to a place where they understand this, it is first necessary to allow them to understand that old ways of thinking (aka: lens scratches') are not helpful to creating the new future. If we hang on to old thinking (and old grudges, antagonisms etc.), we create a self-filling prophecy around our miss-beliefs. Managers cannot load new information onto old lens scratches it will just be filtered through the scratches and dismissed through active or passive resistance to new initiatives. This programme delivers the mind shift. Workshop: Law of Constraints & Power of Perspectives
Outcomes:
¢ Examine previous assumptions in a non-threatening way
¢ Recognize which of these assumptions are not helpful to create the future
¢ Deal with and remove old antagonisms, grudges and hurts
¢ Be ready and motivated for new attitudes, learning and skills
¢ Have a sustainable strategy to maintain motivation
Workshop: Life Achievement Matrix
No matter how much talent each person has, most of us tend to plateau around a certain level of performance. This level varies according to the level of talent, but it still creates a glass ceiling that even top achievers struggle to rise above. This powerful module has been used by top achievers and athletes up to the All-Black level as a part of determining what the glass ceiling is, and how to push through it to new levels of achievement. This module is powerful for breaking through both individual and/or collective organizational glass ceilings. Workshop: Life Achievement Matrix
Outcomes:
¢ Understand why it is that they have plateaued (or are in danger of doing so)
¢ Design the level of achievement they want to aspire to
¢ Determine the mix of the four aspects of life that set their ceiling.
¢ Create strategies to break through this mix to higher levels of achievement
¢ Maintain long term insights and motivation to keep growing
Powerful speaker, naturally connected with our audience, was personable, and had everyone on the edge of their seats. Tawerau is strong, sensitive and unforgettable person. Amazing story. ... keep reading Canterbury Registered Master Builders Association
Very easy going, helped manage the audience and the time and was very enthusiastic.
Tawera exceeded expectations. He delivered well and made an impact with his experiences. The presentation was excellent.
Really enjoyed having Tawera attend and speak at our apprentice days. He weaved ATNZ messages about support, resilience and focusing on goals into his story extremely well.
Really enjoyed having Tawera speak at our recent function. His stories and experiences covered a wide range of topics from farming, teamwork, leadership and resilience which appealed to all members of our audience. He engaged the crowd and made a point to weave our values into his presentation.
Tawera was amazing. His stories were in line with the event topic and very, very well received.
Tawera's powerful story had our audience so engaged and really hit home the messages we were wanting to convey. He genuinely inspired our team and was a perfect fit for our audience.
Tawera had made the effort to know about our business. His message was on-point, he knew our strategy and values and made a point of weaving this into his stories. His personal stories were extremely raw and so relatable for our audience. I thought he was an inspiration while he brought his mana with him.
Tawera was an absolute pleasure to deal with from the moment he arrived at the venue. He is very humble for an experienced speaker (a breath of fresh air actually). Nothing was an issue and he just went with the flow. Our delegates thoroughly enjoyed his presentation and we are delighted he opened our conference. We would highly recommend him to others.
Tawera has had some amazing experiences and this really captured the interest of our staff. His ability to connect with his audience to get his point across regarding the strength of a team and how this can lead to success was fantastic. I personally enjoyed meeting Tawera and how down to earth and approachable he was.
You could have heard a pin drop from the moment Tawera started speaking. He was so powerful, funny, moving, emotive and entertaining. Every single person in the room could take something from his speech. However, he was so much more than just a speaker. He mingled with all of our guests, from Directors to factory workers and was so incredibly approachable and personable. Everyone loved him and if the right opportunity arose, we'd love to invite him back to other company events.
Tawera captivated the audience with his powerful story and inspired us all. He was the perfect choice for our event. It was great that he interacted with others before and after his speech. Very relatable but professional too.
Tawera was very possessional, he engaged with our conference attendees and nothing was too much trouble for him.
Tawera was able to relate exceedingly well to our staff from the outset. His speech was inspirational, professional with a sense of humour thrown in. He has a very down to earth approach.
Very lovely man who totally engaged with our staff and delivered a memorable presentation.
