Devon Harris

Featured Books

School Runnings: The Power of Teamwork in Schools

As the Captain of the Jamaican Olympic bobsled team, a graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England and a captain in the Officer corps of the Jamaica Defence Force, Devon knows what it takes to develop, inspire and direct a winning team under the most high-pressured circumstances. As a parent and a volunteer in support of children causes around the world, Devon is acutely aware of the level of cooperation and teamwork that is necessary not just to groom successful students but to develop productive members of society. In his customized keynote presentation, The Power of Teamwork in Schools, Devon draws on his wealth of experience to creatively challenge administrators and teachers to be at their best by having a clear vision, embracing diversity, and working as a cohesive unit. Devon uses his book, Keep On Pushing: Hot Lessons from Cool Runnings to bring specific ideas to the entire school community of administrators, teachers, staff, students and parents. He teaches how effective teamwork between administrators and teachers positively affect the student body and inspires them to do their best. Punctuated by humor, Devon's keynote will give audience members the practical tools they need to develop a first-rate classroom and school. *This program is also available as a half-day Workshop

School Runnings: Yes, I Can!

Based on the story of the first Jamaican Olympic bobsled team and Devon's popular children's book of the same name, administrators and teachers and staffers are encouraged to see beyond the challenges of their current situations to the possibilities that lie within each of them. In this program Devon skillfully draws analogies between his personal experiences and the challenges the audience is facing. His poignant stories of triumph over adversity illustrate Devon's belief that each person has the right to say "Yes, I Can!" to their dreams; to believe in themselves; to plan and work towards these dreams; to persist - despite any and all obstacles. By the time Devon is finished speaking each audience member will know that they have the obligation, the right and the ability to live the best life they can. This program is not only awe-inspiring and highly motivational; it leaves audience members with practical tools they can immediately apply to both their personal and professional lives.

School Runnings: Success Through Diversity

From the violent neighborhood of Olympic Gardens in Kingston, Jamaica to competing as a member of the only all- black team in the Winter Olympic Games, to the prestige of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England and the Officer corps of the Jamaica Defence Force, to being an immigrant and now a citizen in the United States - Devon's life experiences provide him with a unique view of how an individual as well as an organization can succeed by embracing diversity. Success Through Diversity allows the audience to see that everyone's unique perspectives and talents and their particular way of doing things give them something significant to contribute not only to their particular organization but to the entire community.

A highly customizable, entertaining program, in which Devon effectively shows how the process of pushing a bobsled is analogous to the success journey of life; how the process demands that in order for a team or organization to grow and change, EVERYONE on the team must embrace growth and change.

Devon’s presentation strongly affirms that to harness continuous success every part of an organization needs consistently high levels of:

• clear vision and purpose
• passionate personal effort
• teamwork, and
• the grit and persistence to "keep on pushing."

Devon illustrates his points by sharing the improbable journey that propelled him out of the violent ghettos of Kingston, Jamaica; to Sandhurst; to the Olympics; to international recognition (with the Disney blockbuster Cool Runnings). By enriching his inspiring story with humor, compassion, personal charisma, and real-life how-to guidance, Devon engages audiences from the moment he greets them to his final, distinctive Olympic bobsledder call for them to "keep on pushing!" The man and his message are very well suited for opening or closing keynote presentations.

Audience takeaways include:
• clarified vision
• invigorated individual and team purpose
• a new or renewed appreciation for synergy and collaboration
• permission to relentlessly pursue solutions for all challenges

A highly engaging, high energy, high impact program in which Devon Harris demonstrates how to develop a resilient mindset and improve performance in a fast-paced world, swirling in a sea of uncertainty.

The presentation provides a POWER BOOST for the audience as Devon shares lessons learned during his personal journey, going from ghetto struggle to graduate of the most prestigious military training school in the world.

He also shares the tools that he has seen at work with athletes in the Olympics — the same ones he used with his soldiers as an army captain to help them become mentally tough so that they no longer felt deflated or even defeated but confident and determined.

Devon shares the tools that he and other Olympic athletes and military leaders employ to stay confident and focused in the face of adversity, temporary setbacks, or defeat.

Audience takeaways include how to:
• take personal responsibility regardless of the uncontrollable event impacting them
• reframe an experience in order to reduce stress and feel empowered
• bounce back from setbacks, frustration, or the occasional out-right failure.

Leadership isn’t defined by the job title, expertise, or years of experience. It’s about developing the perspective, skills and personal style to get results that matter. Even "born leaders" don't know or portray all the right traits or decisions at the starting line. We are all works in progress who can transform ourselves into effective leaders and more vital and valuable resources to our organizations. Expanding on the idea that “leaders are made not born” and building on the lessons he learned as a military leader and Olympic team captain, Devon's program:

• focuses on individual development
• affirms that those empowered to manage, supervise or direct others can continuously learn, grow and change.
• equips attendees with the knowledge and skills to recognize their own strengths and weaknesses to •quickly become more adroit leaders
• presents proven techniques and methods that help leaders become more effective in guiding their teams to genuinely buy-in and reach their goals on or ahead of schedule.

Audience takeaways include how to:
• Inspire through authentic communication
• genuinely empower others
• become and stay a role model.