Jim Harris. Headshot of Jim Harris wearing a black suit over a white shirt, posing in front of a bright white background.

Jim Harris

AI, GenAI & Disruptive Innovation Expert | #1 Bestselling Author | 2024 Speaker of the Year (TEC Canada)

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Book Jim Harris, Business Strategy Speaker

About This Speaker

Jim Harris ranks among North America’s top thought leaders on AI, GenAI, disruption, and innovation. As one of the world’s leading keynote speakers, he delivers over 60 in-person and virtual presentations globally each year. Association magazine named him one of North America’s top ten speakers.

Jim actively leads strategic planning sessions for executive teams. His client list includes American Express, Barclays Bank, Canon, GM, IBM, SAP, Munich Re, the Top 200 CIOs of India, the UK Cabinet Office, Swiss Re, Walmart, and Zurich Insurance.

In February 2024, TEC Canada honored Jim Harris as Speaker of the Year. TEC, Canada’s largest CEO peer mentoring organization, forms part of Vistage—the world’s biggest CEO mentoring group with 45,000 members. The award highlights the impact of Jim’s presentations on AI, which audiences have called “mind blowing,” “riveting,” and “eye opening.”

Jim’s most recent book, Blindsided!, achieved #1 international bestseller status and appears in 80 countries. Soundview Executive Summaries selected it as one of the year’s best business books, distributing a summary to 80,000 executives around the world. The Miami Herald praised it as “Brilliant stuff!”

As a management consultant, Jim works closely with leading businesses, Fortune 500 companies, and organizations aiming to join their ranks. From 1992 to 1996, he represented the Covey Leadership Center and taught Dr. Stephen Covey’s renowned program, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

 

Videos

Speaking Topics: Jim Harris

The AI Revolution: The Most Transformative Tech of Our Time Creating Trillions of Value

AI is transforming business, government and society as a whole • We’re seeing AI applications with 10X to 10,000X increases in productivity! • AI will add up to $4.4 Trillion of economic value every year by 2030 • Many aspects of business, associations, government and society are being enhanced by this transformative technology. This fast-paced, dynamic session will focus on proven, practical strategies, tactics, and actionable tools. It will highlight dozens of AI and GenAI apps and case studies focused on improving customer satisfaction, dramatically shortening cycle times, increasing sales and cutting costs. It will highlight benefits for many different functions within an organization: sales, marketing, customer service and finance. In the US there are nearly 2 million job openings in health care alone. AI can save $386 billion a year if fully implemented in health care alone and while addressing the staff shortage. Jim’s sessions have been described as “mind-blowing,” “riveting” and “eye-opening.” The session will explore: • What are the implications for business leaders? • Where and how to begin? • What resources are available to begin your AI journey?

Leading in Turbulent Times: VUCA: Building Agility & Resilience

Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity (VUCA) – is the defining reality of modern business. For today’s executives, mastering VUCA is essential to navigating the turbulence and turning uncertainty into opportunity. The Age of Accelerated Change We are witnessing the fastest, most disruptive period in corporate history. Markets shift overnight. Technologies leapfrog decades. Consumer behaviors evolve in real time. The scale and speed of change are without precedent: On April 3-4, 2025, US markets lost $6.6 trillion in value following President Trump’s announcement of tariffs on 90 countries. Five days later, after the decision was paused, markets rebounded by $5.4 trillion – a staggering single-day recovery. On January 27, 2025, China’s DeepSeek unveiled its R-1 AI model, instantly disrupting global tech. U.S. high-tech firms lost $1 trillion in a single day. NVIDIA alone dropped $600 billion, the largest single-day market cap loss in US history. It took the airline industry 68 years to reach 50 million users. It took Pokémon Go just 19 days. These events aren’t anomalies – they’re signals of a world in permanent flux. Leadership strategies must evolve accordingly. The Executive Imperative in a VUCA Landscape For C-suite executives, this moment demands more than operational excellence. It requires visionary leadership, systemic thinking, and a willingness to experiment at scale. Key questions every executive team must address: • How can we adapt faster? • What systems will allow us to pivot, scale, and sustain momentum? • How do we build organizational resilience at every level? • How do we make bold, high-stakes decisions amid uncertainty? • What kind of leadership is required when there is no clarity? • How do we lead through crises (economic shocks, pandemics, geopolitical upheaval? • How do we keep our people engaged, aligned & inspired amid constant change? • How can we future-proof our business in the face of accelerating disruption? VUCA as a Strategic Advantage Leaders who understand the nature of VUCA don't just survive—they thrive. They create adaptive organizations, nurture courageous cultures, and lead with both decisiveness and humility. In a world where transformation is not optional, mastering VUCA is essential. Those who develop the capacity will outpace disruption—and shape the future of business. Associated Topics Geopolitics & Global Risk • Trade wars & tariffs (US-China) • Regional conflicts (Ukraine-Russia) • Sanctions & economic upheaval • Deglobalization • Shifts in global alliances • Supply chain Technological Disruption • AI and automation (GenAI, job loss fears) • Cybersecurity & ransomware • Quantum computing

Jim can offer customized, thoroughly researched discussions on:

- Blindsided! - Green is Green! - Leadership & Change Management - Innovation, Creativity & Change - Customer Relationship Management - Future Trends & eLearning - Creating Learning Organization

Jim also offers highly insightful workshops:

- Strategic planning and complexity - Creating Common Mission/Vision - Innovation, Creativity & Change

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