Embracing Adversity: A Path to Success
Embracing Adversity: A Path to Success
Canada
Certified Speaking Professional and bestselling author empowering individuals to rewrite their narratives and embrace proactive choices.
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Alvin did an exceptional job opening the Fraser Valley Economic Summit. He was entertaining, inspiring, and made his message relevant to the theme of the day. The delegates loved him, and the organizing committee was thrilled with what he brought to the event. I can’t imagine anyone who would have done a better job opening our event and setting the tone for the day!
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About Alvin
Keynote
References
Articles
No matter who we are or what our job title is, one thing is true: we are all the leaders of our own lives. We are all creative problem solvers, and we all have unique value we bring to our personal and professional relationships. Thing is, we don’t always remember this about ourselves…or about our friends, family, co-workers, employees and team members. Caught up in the day-to-day grind, it’s pretty easy to forget.
Personal leadership? Responsibility? Resiliency? They are attitudes. And these attitudes can be learned by anyone. They can become habits we practice at work and at home, in our personal and professional relationships. And they can become tools we draw on to successfully face, and overcome, any challenge.
Combining lessons from his remarkable life of being born without arms with his unique insight into personal and workplace challenges, Alvin has developed a series of proven strategies for enhancing and sustaining attitudes of leadership, responsibility and resiliency both on the job and in your personal life. You’ll learn how to apply these time-tested techniques to spark your creativity, recognize your value and the value of those around you, and step into your natural role as leader in your own life.
Alvin’s humorous, high-energy, emotionally uplifting and unforgettable presentation is suitable for any organization from the boardroom to the factory floor, to any association or group looking for a unique and unforgettable keynote and life changing experience.
Always highly customized to the event, Alvin’s presentation is perfect for an Opening or Closing Keynote; Customer or Employee engagement and appreciation events; or helping your team prepare mentally and emotionally for team building or upcoming organizational changes. Alvin also rocks at Awards Ceremonies and Convention Luncheons and Evening Banquets.
And of course, in every presentation Alvin illustrates how to go beyond limits by performing his signature (and hugely popular) snare drum and piano musical performances.
I’m not a huge fan of motivational speakers – I firmly believe that you can’t impose motivation on others, it has to come from inside them. Alvin owns his own motivation, and ignites it in others because he models the behaviour he speaks about. He lives it every day. He doesn’t tell people to change – they want to change after seeing him.
I wanted to extend my sincere thanks to you for the incredible and powerful presentation that you gave at the 2010 CAAR Convention. Having lived in Saskatchewan since the mid-seventies, I have had the opportunity to see you at many events and have personally witnessed the change of a gangly, awkward youth with, as you would state yourself, a very bad mullet, to a man who can speak with conviction and power about overcoming adversity and truly making a difference in the world we live in. My career allows me to hear from many motivational speakers, all of whom deliver a message that one can certainly garner a message or some type of self improvement from, but is has been a long time since I have had the privilege to not only be entertained but to hear from someone who bears no malice towards anyone, blames no one for their own personal situation but delivers a simple message of how anyone can truly make a difference in this life.
I just wanted to send you a short note to tell you how wonderful you were as a keynote speaker at the conference which was held in Toronto. I have to admit that I have been going to the Million Dollar Round Table for many years, and have not heard a speaker like you, who motivated an audience to the degree that you did that evening. To be born with no arms, and to maintain the attitude that you’ve done over the years, is absolutely remarkable. You have certainly turned your handicap into an asset for you, and this message should be heard by all people throughout the world.
Alvin did an exceptional job opening the Fraser Valley Economic Summit. He was entertaining, inspiring, and made his message relevant to the theme of the day. The delegates loved him, and the organizing committee was thrilled with what he brought to the event. I can’t imagine anyone who would have done a better job opening our event and setting the tone for the day!
Can you please briefly explain what the attitude effect is?
The “Attitude Effect” is a metaphorical mindset to explain to my audiences how this isn’t just about “positive attitude” that is in my opinion, it’s own cliche that all motivational speakers apply. The Attitude Effect is literal energy that we can give to another person in a personal interaction and since most corporate success is based on “relationships”, it can make the difference between success and failure.
It can also be an identifier for us. People form opinions of all of us and I believe that being remembered for having a positive energy makes an impact so people look forward to seeing you, working with you, buying from you etc. It can also be an “Effective” tool in our office culture and even extend to the bigger picture because it truly can create a ripple in our world. It has worked for me!
Despite your handicap, you have achieved a lot of things in your life that probably a lot of other people did not even dare to hope for. How did you find the motivation for this?
My personal motivation of overcoming having no arms is difficult to define. The simple answer is, my home and my family had a culture of positivity and belief that emanated from my/our mother. I grew up “knowing” life wasn’t easy and I was okay with that so when that philosophy becomes part of your being, it’s not really “motivation”, it’s a habit! It’s a habit that I teach people every day!
How do you provide your audiences with the motivation to embrace change?
I provide the motivation to embrace change because I am living the proof. I always speak to how I didn’t actually overcome having no arms…I was born this way! I overcame the 60’s and the 70’s and the sheer ignorance towards people like me. But I didn’t do it alone. I had key people in my life that gave me opportunities to change my life and that changed the small world I lived in.
I was the first “handicapped” child to attend regular public schools in the history of my hometown. That not only changed my life but blazed a trail for all the handicapped children that followed. We may see “change” as inevitable and that may be true but when we embrace change, it can’t beat us!
How much does humor factor into your keynotes and other speaking engagements?
To me, humour is not a strategy, it is in my DNA. Humour allows people to adjust to my physical differences, which creates a bond that allows people to stop staring and start learning. It also makes the entire experience fun because we need more fun.
Why should clients use you for their next event?
It is hard to answer this with humility but the simple truth is I can absolutely guarantee a successful segment that will create a powerful, positive connection to the entire event. I have complete strangers approach me everywhere around North America to tell me they heard me speak, sometimes over thirty years ago and they still remember me, 98% of the time even saying my name. I can comfortably and honestly say I am one of the most memorable speakers in the business. I’m also in the Hall of Fame, so that should speak for itself!
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