Dr. James Kelley, author of The Crucible’s Gift: 5 Lessons from Authentic Leaders Who Thrive in Adversity, brings a fresh perspective to leadership coaching and keynotes. His journey from a humble home in Portland, Oregon to earning his PhD and living near Dubai with his wife and four children is full of adversity.
James also has a keen interest in the adversity that shapes great leaders around the world. Whether it’s on his podcast Executives Afer Hours or giving a keynote speech at a conference, James loves to dive deep and share stories of how and why leaders need crucible moments to be a better version of themselves.
James believes that his unique journey filled with ups and downs, twists and turns, and a driving curiosity, equips him to bring great value to the world of executive leadership.
Dr. James Kelley Vroom Veer Stories
- The book idea was a combination of his life and his podcast interviews with about 140 executives
- Grew up in South East Portland the youngest of 3.5 children in a 900 square foot home and six people
- Didn't do many vacations; didn't do a lot; didn't have a lot
- Grew up in an Irish Catholic household; a touch of violence and not much Catholicism plus all the guilt–no weekly Mass
- Mom was a martyr and great at guilting
- As the youngest of 3 you learn by watching your older siblings get caught and punished; and learn ways not to get caught
- His family was kinda dysfunctional (like most maybe?); he doesn't communicate with his siblings; he does talk with some of his half-brother's kids
- He was the youngest by 5 years; so the older siblings didn't want to play with him; his parents were busy and exhausted; and he didn't have kids to play with; he became almost too good at self evaluation to the point of being overly self-critical
- Thankfully James' wife had a very self-confident mother who always found the good in mistakes; now when James looses his cool he points out (loudly) that mom is a better at communication
- His dad would give you a smack if they held the fork wrong; or didn't say “Yes sir or No Sir”
- When you make a child fell weak and insignificant; you destroy self confidence
- James realized now that his parents did their best with what they had; they didn't intend to screw him up
- Got into college because he played sports in spite of his 2.5 GPA out of High School
- His first year in college didn't scream “future Grad student” Sports took 25 hours a week; he also had a part time job; GPA was a 2.0 so he quit
- Went back to Portland to be with his then girlfriend (he was in LOVE!); had a job selling cars and was offered some “white powder”
- In the “white powder” moment he saw himself in two futures; in a orange jump suit in prison; or graduating college; so he called mom and said he wanted to go back to college
- So we went back to college in Dayton; and two years into that his Dad pass away at age 49
- The grief hit him very had; he dove head first into a drinking habit
- The only reason he graduated college was because his girlfriend at the time spent a lot time at the library studying and he wanted to be near her
- Sorta of drifted into a Master's Degree program in Chicago; was working a couple of jobs and constantly broke
- Moved to Portland and talked himself into a job that he was totally unqualified for
- 12 months into that job he had a complete emotional break down; his admin assistant found him as white as a ghost; shaking with the sweats
- Then he gets a DUI the punishment for which James credits for saving his life; out patient program (rehab) six months of 3.5 days a week 3 hours per class; six more months it was once a week for 3 hours; then a year of therapy
- It was really eye opening to see the power of addiction; he listened to many other men and women create a lie to serve their addiction; and he choose the path of accepting responsibility and really trying to learn something about himself
- What it is like to live in Japan for a year? Yes, you can sleep in a staircase and wait for the train at 5 AM
- Moving to a new country can help you get comfortable being uncomfortable
- Somehow through the power of a higher power; he goes to Australia and gets a PhD
- Teaches at a University in Philadelphia for seven years and gets passed over for tenure; he didn't fit the professor mold there
- Moved to the U.A.E. with his wife and four kids under all under 10 years old; they are going to school with kids from all over the world along with princes and princesses
Dr. James Kelley Connections
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