Skillfully utilizing humor and the power of the story, John Alston is an internationally known keynote speaker and award-winning author who has traveled the world infusing knowledge and inspiration to 3 million people with his message of extraordinary performance.

For more than 20 years, John has been recognized as a premier presenter of keynote speeches delivering as many as 150 presentations per year to corporations worldwide including numerous Fortune 500 companies such as General Electric, Sara Lee, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, General Motors, U.S. Steel, Corning , Bank One, Sprint, and the U.S. Army and Marines.

John's trademark approach enables people, regardless of their workstation, to transcend mediocrity by empowering them with facts, tools, and skills to excel in the new Millennium marketplace. Ho-hum workers are transformed into insatiable achievers as John teaches the most important skill of all-learning to operate oneself more effectively. Morale skyrockets, personal accountability becomes more than a "buzz" word, and the bottom line is positively impacted as John lays out principles to alter how employees think, approach life, and meet challenges such as.

-Work hard and smart at what counts
-Unlock hidden potential in yourself and others
-Reduce stress on the job and at home
-Build stellar relationships personally and professionally
-Change work climates by adjusting the "attitude thermostat"

Bringing unparalleled energy and insight to every meeting, John emphasizes character, integrity, and common sense as the cornerstones of his presentation. Why? John's time-tested credo is that happy, fulfilled, and motivated people become happy, fulfilled, and motivated workers. "You can be successful and be a good person," John encourages. "These are compatible values."

Even off the platform, John's insights captivate audiences through four books he's authored: Life is a Gift--Don't Trash It; Story Power-Talking with Teens in Turbulent times; Goodness Must Be Taught; and his latest, Stuff Happens (Then You Fix It!).

John offers impressive credentials having earned the designation of Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), which honors speakers in the top echelon of performance excellence. He was also awarded the coveted Council of Peers Award for Excellence (CPAE) in 2001.

John's education background is extensive and includes a bachelor or arts degree from Chapman University, and a master's degree in counseling psychology at California State University at Hayward. He's an active member of the Josephson Institute of Ethics Corps and founder of the American Institute for Stress Management. John invests in the lives of students by guest instructing at Canada College, Chapman College , and the University of California Extension.

John's expertise has also thrust him into the medium of television. He has appeared on the "Oprah Winfrey Show," and hosted two of his own one-hour specials on the PBS network.

This presentation is a reality check on getting things accomplished using innovative and creative strategies for accomplishing goals, refining your system, fulfilling your mission, living your values and affirming your intent to meet the needs of customers, clients, patrons, patients, students, colleagues and all the stakeholders in your organization.

The presentation contains three modules based on the assertion that "We are what we are - not because stuff happens but in spite of the stuff that happens." It’s not what happens to you, but how you respond to what happens to you.  It is about personal accountability and responsibility.

What could occur if you mastered the knowledge that motivates others to consistently provide extraordinary experiences? What if you learned how to do better and to feel good about it?

John addresses what is in the interest of your goals, vision and mission. Using humor, tenets, and real life experiences from his book, Stuff Happens and Then You Fix It, you’ll learn the three steps in changing your life: Vision, Passion and Purpose!

For any team, organization, municipality, state or nation seeking the attainment of any goal, extraordinary leadership is the key. It motivates followers. Without followers, you’re not a leader. Leading effectively is the key to thriving, surviving and succeeding in any endeavor.

You’ll learn how to:

- Teach others to cope with and manage change in an effective manner
- Lead so that others will follow
- Communicate skillfully using tact, diplomacy and finesse with people of varied interests, agendas and abilities
- Disarm difficult people
- Persuade and influence others
Establish rapport for strengthening relationships

In this presentation, John Alston provides seven strategies:

1. Adapting and adjusting perspective
2. Transcending stereotypes
3. Performance counts relative to identifying self-defeating cross cultural habits
4. Practicing the new and positive through with skill development
5. Getting feedback and applying it
6. Knowing and transcending interpersonal, cultural and experiential barriers of protocol and decorum
7. Communicating and taking personal responsibility