Jim Harris Speaker Biography
Disruptive Innovation and Digital Transformation Keynote Speaker and & Business Leadership Expert
Jim Harris is a one of North America’s foremost management consultants, authors and thinkers on sustainability, disruptive innovation future trends, change and leadership. Association magazine ranked him as one of the nation’s top ten speakers.
Clients
His clients include Association of College and Research Libraries, (ACRL), American Library Association, Barclays Bank, Columbia Tristar Pictures, Deloitte & Touche, IEEE, Johnson & Johnson, MasterCard, Munich Re, the UK Cabinet Office, the World Future Society and Zurich Insurance. And his sustainability clients include IBM, Walmart, Cleantech, numerous governments, universities and colleges and property developers.
Affiliations
He is the Program Director for the Centre of Excellence in Sustainability and Innovation at the Schulich Executive Education Centre (SEEC) at the Schulich School of Business at York University.
Books
His most recent book, Blindsided! is published in 80 countries worldwide. Blindsided! is a #1 international bestseller and has been named one of the best business books of the year by a number of organizations. Soundview Executive Summaries selected it as one of the best business books sending a summary to 80,000 executives worldwide.
Mr. Harris’ second book, The Learning Paradox, was nominated for the National Business Book Award, and has appeared on numerous bestseller lists. Books for Business ranked it as one of the top 10 business books in all of North America. There are now over 40,000 copies in print. The Learning Paradox argues that “job security” as we knew it is gone. Individual and organizational security is now based on learning, changing and coping with uncertainty. Paradoxically these are what we as adults fear most! His is also co-author of national bestseller The 100 Best Companies to Work for in Canada.
Corporate Sustainablity
Mr. Harris was named one of Canada’s Clean50 – honouring outstanding contributors to sustainable development and clean capitalism in Canada. He was also recognized for his contribution to sustainability in Canada by being named one of the inaugural recipients of the Excellence in Corporate Responsibility Award in 2011 by Green Living Enterprises.
DAVOS
Every year he attends the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland with Corporate Knights Magazine to launch the Global 100 – the hundred most sustainable corporations in the world.
Jim Harris Speaking Topics
Thriving in the Era of Disruptive Innovation
Technology is changing faster than ever before. How can leaders keep up and keep their organizations relevant? In this thought-provoking talk Jim discusses disruptive innovation and why being at the forefront of technology is only the beginning of it. Netflix changed the way people watch TV. Uber changed the way people get around. Amazon changed the way people buy things. Jim looks at the forces that are disrupting companies and industries and presents strategies for preventing it.
Collaboration & Engagement
Who is in charge of Wikipedia? No one. And yet more than 100 million of hours of labour have been invested by volunteers in creating the content. Most people believe that companies use less than 50% of the skills and motivation of employees. With millions of baby boomers retiring from the work force over the next decade, new ways of engaging employees in collaborating will be essential for companies. How can organizations unleash more talent, creativity and innovation in their organization?
Creativity
Most organizations need to innovate – but no one wants to change! It’s the paradox of our time. A staggering 88% of CEOs say that innovation is essential to growth and profitability, but only 33% are happy with the results that they’re getting. But innovation doesn’t just happen on its own. Jim has worked with Fortune 500 companies worldwide, India’s top 200 CIOs and the UK Cabinet Office’s top management program teaching innovation, creativity and change. Why innovation is essential to for 21st century organizations.
Futurist: Trends that Are Changing Your Business
Since 1990 Jim Harris has been helping organization focus on the future. He was honoured to be the closing keynote speaker for the World Future Society conference which brings together the leading futurists from around the globe. He will customize his presentation for you organization and industry that will have people talking, thinking and acting differently long after your event.
Risk Management: Thriving in an Era of Disruptive Innovation
Jim Harris Books
The Learning Paradox: Gaining Success and Security in a World of Change
Purchase Book
Blindsided! How to Spot the Next Breakthrough that will Change Your Business Forever
Purchase BookJim Harris Videos
Jim Harris Speaker Testimonials
“Jim’s session was one of the most highly rated and I am certain that we will work with him in the future. What was particularly noteworthy was the accessibility and relevance of his material. Jim’s friendly, open style is critical in encouraging participants to take the material on board and shift their thinking.”
- Geoff Merchant | Centre for Management & Policy Studies, UK Cabinet Office
“In the fast-paced global business environment, the possibility of being blindsided by a competitor or new market entrant is very real, even for businesses that appear most secure. Jim Harris offers real-life examples that will cause the reader to stop, think and question whether he or she is doing everything in his or her power to avoid being blindsided. A must-read for all senior executives.”
- Clare Hart | President & CEO of Factiva, a Dow Jones & Reuters Company
“Having attended countless sessions over the years, I am very selective. I am especially proud that one of the best messages I’ve heard at MPI was delivered by a Canadian – Jim Harris.”
- Marjorie Hamilton | Past Intn’l President, Meeting Professionals International
“You initiated a shift in strategic thinking within our plant management.”
- Richard Jensen | P.Eng, GM, Manufacturing, CXY Chemicals
