Alvin Law

Alvin Law challenges his audience members to examine their current perceptions of themselves, other people and the world around them so they can then overcome the same obstacles that Alvin was able to overcome – not how to live and function with no arms, but how to be a successful, compassionate, positive and engaged human being that leaves the world a better place than how they found it.

Born with no arms as a result of the drug Thalidomide, Alvin was adopted by a family who taught him to use his feet for hands – and who by doing so gave him the gift of freedom. Alvin’s mission is to spark a worldwide Attitude Revolution. Attitude Revolutions happen because people are inspired, from within themselves, to practice cultivating a more proactive and effective outlook on their lives. Alvin knows, and demonstrates to his audiences, that attitude is not about touchy-feely platitudes or ‘thinking positive’ – attitude is how we look at and interpret life overall. It is a skill that can be learned, and that must be practiced. It is a tool that can be used. Most importantly, it can’t be imposed upon people – it has to come from a genuine place.

Alvin uses his story to challenge audiences to rewrite the negative stories they tell themselves about themselves; to stop feeling like victims in their lives and get proactive; to stop making excuses and start making choices. His fusion of storytelling, musical performance and down-to-earth humour connect with his audiences at an intimate, intense and individual level. Over 7,500 organizations on five continents have used Alvin to ignite, engage and transform their people.

In addition to being a professional speaker, he is a trained broadcaster, fundraiser, award-winning musician and bestselling author. He has earned the designation of Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), an honour possessed by less than ten percent of professional speakers worldwide. In 2009, Alvin was inducted into the Canadian Association of Speakers (CAPS) Hall of Fame.

He has appeared on countless telethons and media features, and has been the subject of two award-winning television documentaries. He has played a direct role in raising over $175,000,000 for charity.

Alvin Law Speaking Presentations:

There Really Is No Such Word As Can’t

Focus: change management, culture, accountability;
Format: opening or closing keynote;
Alternate titles: There’s Always Something You Can Do; When Amazing is Your Normal

In this presentation, your audience will learn how to adapt to and embrace change, and recommit to their role in your organization. There are no buzzwords or jargon here - just Alvin using his story and his life to model adaptability, resilience and drive, and inspire your people to stop seeing problems, and start seeing possibilities. By the end, they will see themselves as champions who can make the company and its people more successful, and be excited to jump in and take ownership of their role in the process.

The Attitude Effect

Focus: leadership, for leaders, personal leadership
Format: opening or closing keynote

You’ve probably heard of The Butterfly Effect - a principle of chaos theory which states that a butterfly flapping its wings in New Mexico, at the right point in space and time, can cause a hurricane in China. It might take a while, but the connection is real. It’s an interesting way of expressing the fact that seemingly very small actions can have drastic effects.

The Attitude Effect works the same way. A team leader, manager, supervisor or C-level executive with a poor attitude tends to pass it on to employees and co-workers, lowering morale and creating a negative work environment. And employees tend to pass it on to customers...who then decide to take their business elsewhere. To put it plainly, a leader with a bad attitude can have a drastic effect on the productivity and profitability of the entire company.  +

The good news? Our attitude is the one thing we have complete control over. We can’t always choose what happens to us on a day to day basis, but we can choose our attitude. And when a leader adopts and practices good attitude habits, it ripples throughout the entire organization. Productivity, innovation, engagement, quality, service and customer loyalty can skyrocket when you have a positive company culture.

In this presentation, you’ll learn how to make The Attitude Effect work for you. You’ll learn how your interpretation of business and personal stresses impact your work, your attitude and your co-workers, and how to be aware of and re-interpret your attitudes on a day-to-day basis. This presentation won’t teach you how to do your job - you can hire an MBA coach for that. What it will do is demonstrate how practicing good attitude habits helps you become the type of leader people are excited to work with, and give you the tools you need to practice The Attitude Effect at work and in your personal life. (No mantras, group hugs or sing-alongs… promise!)  --

Yes, You Can: 5 Steps to Successfully Overcome Anything

Focus: team-building, employee engagement, employee appreciation/motivation
Format: opening or closing keynote; half-day workshop; breakout session

No matter who we are or what our job title is, one thing is true: we are all the leaders of our own lives. We are all creative problem solvers, and we all have unique value we bring to our personal and professional relationships. Thing is, we don’t always remember this about ourselves...or about our friends, family, co-workers, employees and team members. Caught up in the day-to-day grind, it’s pretty easy to forget. +

Personal leadership? Responsibility? Resiliency? They are attitudes. And these attitudes can be learned by anyone. They can become habits we practice at work and at home, in our personal and professional relationships. And they can become tools we draw on to successfully face, and overcome, any challenge.

Combining lessons from his remarkable life of being born without arms with his unique insight into personal and workplace challenges, Alvin has developed a series of proven strategies for enhancing and sustaining attitudes of leadership, responsibility and resiliency both on the job and in your personal life. You’ll learn how to apply these time-tested techniques to spark your creativity, recognize your value and the value of those around you, and step into your natural role as leader in your own life. --

Alvin Law is represented by K&M Productions for speaking engagements.

For more information, Alvin Law's speaking schedule & booking Alvin Law, contact us.