John Blumberg
Author and Certified Professional Speaker on Leadership
Travels From
Illinois
John Blumberg Speaker Biography
John Blumberg CSP, speaks with organizations who want to strenthen their core values and turn their people into better leaders. He is a certified speaking professional and author. He has presented keynotes and workshops in nine countries on three continents.
John Blumberg’s presentations are designed to inspire a turning point both personally and professionally. His energized and animated presentation style brings to life meaningful and memorable content that penetrates the surface hardened by the speed of our everyday lives.
The National Speakers Association has recognized John with the designation of Certified Speaking Professional. It is the highest earned designation in the speaking profession and is held by less than 10% of the members of the International Speakers Federation.
He is a past-president of the National Speaker Association’s Illinois Chapter. He has been recognized by his speaking colleagues in NSA-IL with the Nick Carter Award for relentless enthusiasm for the speaking profession as well as the Wordsmith Award for excellence on the platform.
John Blumberg started his career as a CPA at Arthur Andersen, but shifted his focus from numbers to people and spent 14 years in human resources, including worldwide recruiting responsibilities for Andersen. In 1996, he left behind a career, firm and position he loved… to follow his dream into the world of professional speaking.
The background beyond his speaking…
John brings together the unique combination of the business insight of an Accounting Degree and CPA with the human insight of 14 years of human resources and worldwide recruiting roles. John’s messages are not simply conceptual theory from the classroom… but rather practical insight from the trenches of our business world. He then blends together the experiences of his 13-year journey as a professional speaker.
John knows the impact beyond the bottom-line…
John knows just how much the bottom-line depends on trust, courage and focus. In fact he knows it goes beyond the bottom-line… and into the very survival of an organization. Although John left an 18-year career at Arthur Andersen in 1996, he has felt the heartbreak of seeing the efforts of building a 90-year legacy implode in just 6 weeks. It is an experience that will break your heart… and ignite your passion. What John shares will change the way you will want to lead.
John personally understands risk, change and transition…
In 1979, John initiated his first of many relocations to Arthur Andersen’s Houston office. He continued to work as a CPA in the firm’s Audit Practice. In 1981, John enthusiastically re-focused his energy in the firm from numbers to people. It was through this redirection that he realized his gift for touching the lives of people in a demanding workplace. John served in several positions of increasing responsibilities over the next 14 years as he relocated from Houston to Albuquerque, to Phoenix and finally to Arthur Andersen’s World Headquarters in Chicago. In 1996, beyond his many relocations, at one of the highest points and most fulfilling times of his career, John chose to leave behind a professional firm and position he loved… to capture his real dream in professional speaking. It was a risk, change and transition… all bundled together!
John understands adult education…
John developed and delivered many of Arthur Andersen’s highest rated courses. His successful involvement in these education programs made him uniquely qualified to help direct the firm’s worldwide Training Advisory Board for Practice Management Services. This Board was responsible for providing training to over 20,000 of the firm’s employees. He also led the development of the firm’s experienced hire orientation program, titled Transitions. It proved to be one of the most successful HR initiatives and highest rated programs in the history of the firm.
John understands “meetings” that create value…
John has been in the role of the meeting planner. Working with both small budgets and budgets of thousands of dollars, he knew what was lost if a meeting didn’t work… if it didn’t deliver value. His answer? Simple. Don’t create a meeting. Instead create an experience! Today, his keynote presentations build from that same theory … a theory that worked for him, as he repeatedly created outstanding ratings and truly memorable “meetings” throughout his career.
John understands communication and delivery…
His involvement in worldwide initiatives gave him the opportunity to frequently use and develop his knack to communicate and capture the hearts and minds of his diverse audiences. He soon realized his real love and talent came from the platform. His audiences agreed… and for years asked why he didn’t capture his talent in a professional speaking career. For the last 13 years, John has brought his energy, enthusiasm and talent to do just that… combining practical business insight and the human spirit!! He has spoken with audiences from young to old in numerous cultures around the globe including Europe, Asia, Australia and throughout the United States.
The Power of FOCUS
Becoming a Leader of Substance
The most significant issues that plague our business world today reach beyond technical issues, efficient methodologies and even global reach. They are people issues … issues of the human condition in a world of rapid change and uncertainty. John’s powerful leadership keynote will position individuals and organizations to re-ignite the very core virtues of trust, courage, focus … and hope.
Building from our insight of living in a world of rapid change … we slow down to explore the inside of becoming a leader of substance. It is a call to meaningful leadership, regardless of position, that leaves a legacy in the lives of co-workers and in the culture of organizations. Beyond leadership as a position … it is a way of thinking for everyone in the organization. From the context of a solid foundation, this presentation will have participants reaching back and dreaming forward … with a result of laser focus.
For some organizations, it is a message of inspiration … and for others, a wake-up call for their very survival. For everyone … it will be an experience they won’t soon forget!! It is about leadership … with focus yet flexibility, with strength yet a need for others, and with courage yet vulnerability.
GOOD to the CORE
Building Value With Values
So just how well do we know our own core … as an individual or as an organization? Never before have we seen such a catastrophic impact of not knowing and living our core values. Never before have we been more vulnerable … or had a greater opportunity to live as we were meant to be!
This keynote presentation builds off of John’s just-released book, GOOD to the CORE. This powerful presentation challenges participants to genuinely look at the core within them and their organization. It moves beyond the assumptions of being a values-based individual or organization into the accountability of knowing what you truly value. Johann Von Goethe said it best, “Things that matter most should never be at the mercy of things which matter least.
”GOOD to the CORE is about what matters most … with a strategy to insure it is not at the mercy of what matters least! GOOD to the CORE rips away the veneer to reveal the truth about our ultimate benchmarks … personally, professionally and organizationally! This very keynote just may be the message you need if you are not quite sure of the condition of your core.
Silent Alarm
Creating a Refuse-to-Snooze Attitude
In the last decade, shock waves have trembled the foundations of our business community, government, professional sports and even our spiritual hallways. But in the midst of it all … our mission seems to be just to get back to normal. We don’t want to wake-up. Our alarm has been ringing. But we keep hitting the snooze … again and again.
Silent Alarm holds no punches. Silent Alarm isn’t about changing the world. It is about changing ourselves by becoming a focused student of the subtle lessons of life. Beyond a presentation, Silent Alarm is a wake-up call! Unlike most organizational programs, our focus is not on what you do, but on who you want to be. The potential for real change begins the moment we begin to change ourselves.
Silent Alarm is a powerful call to action to bring meaningful change to the depth of our relationships, the motives of our mind and the way we choose to look at our journey at work and in life. It is about bringing substance to our surface-level lives … in the way we lead, in the way we love … and in the legacy we leave behind.
The Culture of Service
Developing a Genuine Mindset to Serve
A culture of genuine service is about skills … but it is first about a mindset. Moving beyond the skills of “servicizing” (just automatically going through the motions of service) John’s keynote presentation on The Culture of Service digs beneath the surface-level typical mechanics of “service” and penetrates into the motives of our mind, heart and soul.
Service comes alive in an environment that encourages it and rewards it. We often talk a good game when it comes to service, but few organizations truly master it. Speed, change and the endless capabilities of technology all contribute roadblocks as well as opportunities to serve customers and clients. Our ability to serve lies deep within us and has little to do with our circumstance. It has everything to do with our response.
Through stories, examples and a few suggestions, John moves beyond education and sets the stage for transformation. Genuine service ultimately costs you nothing to deliver … yet costs you everything if you don’t. In the end, genuine service isn’t about your customer. It is about finding fulfillment in delivering who you were meant to be!
Pure Instincts
Striving with The Kolbe Concept™
John has been certified for over 15 years to present the Kolbe Concept. A simple, yet complex, index of just 36 questions provides the insight … and John’s experienced presentation style brings the insight to life!
It is amazing to see how the results of one simple index can forever change the way your see yourself and the way you work with others. Upon signing-up for Pure Instincts, each participant takes the Kolbe Conative Index online (in just about 25 minutes!). They receive their customized report in this fun and very informative session.
John’s presentation demonstrates, through live and credible examples, just how powerful and predictive this Concept can be. You not only get a chance to focus on your own personal instincts, but also learn how insightful this Concept can be in creating teams of predictable synergy and success. This short investment in time can provide immediate enhancements in productivity and fulfillment at work and at home. It is guaranteed to provide each participant a richer understanding of themselves and a greater appreciation for the natural talents of others.
