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Speaking and Conference Testimonials John Amaechi spoke at our national sales meeting and even though sales people are notorious for being quite cynical and hard to impress, John had an amazing impact on us all! He is a very interesting and thought provoking person and left us all feeling very motivated. His honesty and integrity was a breath of fresh air! I interviewed John Amaechi for The Nation magazine and found him to be the most engaging, politically incisive person to come out of the world of sports in years. I sat down with an ex-basketball player, and by the time the interview was over I felt like I had been sitting with a statesman. Someone who in the years ahead has the capacity to lead women and men toward a more just future. He is an ex-athlete who I believe has the capacity to make a far more indelible mark on the history now that his playing days are complete. When you glimpse John Amaechi, one may imagine a man who has it all. Rather, John truly earned his success by overcoming many self-doubts, setbacks and obstacles made by others. He is inspirational not by claiming to be a hero or a role model, but by being brazenly truthful. His values are universal: love of family, contributions of his time and attention to young people, as well as his gifts as a teacher and writer. His speech was incredibly moving and touched so many people in the room - the delegates responded tremendously warmly to all that he said. It just couldn't have been better. John is a truly inspirational speaker, but he also has a very special quality that provokes much deeper reflection. He created questions in my mind that have remained there and challenged me almost every day since. I found John to be one of the most inspirational speakers I have ever heard. He really spoke from the heart and I was not only moved by his presentation but also motivated to take positive steps of my own. The broad issue of diversity in the workplace is not often brought to the attention of public policy professionals in the European technology sector. They spend their days trying to persuade European politicians and legislators to take decisions that make Europe a more vibrant market for their companies’ products and services, to fuel business growth. This group of highly-qualified, highly-charged senior executives didn’t quite know what hit them when John Amaechi challenged them to stop and think about their own role in changing behaviour, in enabling a richer, more socially, racially, sexually diverse population to contribute to the success of a company. John has been called inspirational before, and that is not loose hyperbole. Clearly mastering his knowledge and understanding of what sets people apart, of our differences, he skilfully read his audience and triggered a process of individual reflection and collective realisation of the responsibility we all bear, and the ability we all possess to effect lasting positive change. I have never received so many unguarded and enthusiastic notes and e-mails of thanks for arranging the opportunity. Given the seniority of the people in the room, it is reasonable to say that if just one person’s outlook on embracing diversity was influenced by John Amaechi, then hundreds will be affected. |
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