075: Devon Harris | Motivating an Entire Country - The Story of The Jamaican Bobsled Team

The greatest gift Devon Harris, Leader of the Keep on Pushing Foundation, ever received was the belief that a positive attitude and a never say die philosophy would carry him farther than he could imagine. It’s with this attitude, that Devon became part of the original Jamaican Bobsled team that competed in 1988 and inspired the movie Cool Runnings! At the heart of Devon’s message are the lessons he has learned of the power of persistence over obstacles in order to live one's best life. His book, Keep on Pushing brings this message about how everyone can keep on pushing and working for their dreams every day of their professional as well as personal lives. Let’s dive right into Devon’s incredible story and learn the keys to communication that motivates entire countries!  In this Episode: [00:01 - 07:00] Opening SegmentI introduce and welcome Devon HarrisOriginal Jamaican Bobsled team Importance of authenticity and motivationsDevon gives some background about joining the Bobsled team Started training at the age of 15 Anyone can become an olympian with an extraordinary desire Becoming part of the team while being part of the army Just kept trying  [07:01 - 19:55] Communicating with Authenticity; Selling the DreamDevon gives insights into the communication needed within an athletic setting Speaking the same language The challenges faced Passing on the vital information Tailoring the information to different individuals Tips on being a good listener Having a loose agenda Listening with your heart not just your earsGive up trying to be impressive The importance of context The Keys to being a great leaderEndeavor to put yourself in the other person’s shoe We all want to be treated as a full person Communicating your persistence to other people Selling the dreamWhat you can and can’t influenceIt requires diplomacy Keeping up the team spirit You have to train and develop the other person [19:56 - 31:50] Motivating an Entire CountryDevon talks about the value of diversity and how to drive it Nature is not homogenous Taking cues from sports The person who can get the job done Driving social mobility Recognizing that different people have the ability to contribute The benefit of the hope of opportunity How Devon identifies with disadvantaged peopleMotivating people on a mass scaleInspiring people through a story Writing the book instead of reading it The importance of authenticity Something about him/herDevon talks about leadership from his army daysPrepare and practice; put the work...