I like to think I have one of the best jobs in the world – motivational keynote speaker. That’s the speaker who either starts a conference or closes it and speaks to all attendees. The role of a keynote speaker is literally to set the tone for the conference or event.
The goal of a motivational speaker is to help people change, either professionally or personally, or both. Motivational keynote speakers are there to be a cheerleader. “You can do it!” But they are also hired for other reasons:
Motivational keynote speaker
First of all, a motivational keynote speaker is there for the employees. Corporations and organizations hire a motivational keynote speaker to give something back to the employees or to give them a boost in their regular routine. Sometimes it’s to entertain them for doing a good job. And sometimes they need special knowledge that the outside speaker has. My number one point about innovation is that you need to get ideas from outside of your industry. If you keep getting the same ideas from your own employees you will miss out on fresh, exciting ideas that you’ve never been exposed to before. And it’s those fresh, exciting ideas that will spur your creativity.
Improve morale
Motivational keynote speakers help improve morale in a company. Poor morale in a company is caused by things like lack of job security, poor management, lack of clear communication, lack of respect for employees, unrealistic expectations, etc. Having a motivational speaker come in for the day is a way of breaking up the monotony and boosting morale. Not a charts and graphs academic who stands behind a podium, but more of a fun coach and cheerleader combined.
Motivational speakers help to restore a belief in the organization and in their fellow employees. A good motivational speech will help to boost confidence and help employees remember why they are still at the company. It helps them remember what it is that they like about their job. A boss could tell you that all day long, but when it’s coming from an outside source it’s a new unbiased perspective. A good speaker is like a mentor on a bigger stage.
Reconnect you with your passion
As a self-employed person I live my passion every day. If you’re a business owner and don’t genuinely love what you do you’ll have a very hard time staying in business. I’ve worked plenty of jobs that I wasn’t thrilled about. But when I did work for other people if I didn’t have a passion about my job it really showed in my work. I imagine it’s the same way with most people.
Remember the Tom Hanks movie “Joe Versus the Volcano?” Hanks plays an ordinary guy who works a job he hates with no real purpose. He seems to have lost his soul to the grind of everyday life and his job, which he hates. Then one day a doctor tells him he has an incurable brain cloud and only has a few months to live. He then meets a billionaire who offers him a chance to be a millionaire for a few weeks if he’ll just sacrifice himself into a volcano to avoid having a tiny island go extinct. Suddenly Joe has a purpose! It’s not just about the money.
Purpose in work is the sense of fulfillment that employees gain from doing work that’s meaningful to them. According to research from Harvard Business Review states that nine out of ten people would rather make less money if they could do more meaningful work. A lesson from a motivational speaker might be that they can help you reconnect with their passion for their job. And they will help you to re-evaluate and reflect on your values.
Get employees out of a slump
All companies go through times of being in a slump or the failure of a new product or service. No matter how hard a team tires to make a project a success, sometimes they will simply fail. That can feel tough when you put so much time and energy into a project for it not to work out.
Motivational speakers will help you to see that failure isn’t the end. It can be used to grow as a person and become a more enlightened employee. This is really important if the company is in a slump or has been through an especially challenging time recently. There is always a way to get over the negativity and more toward something more positive.
Ignite their passion
If employees are just working for money and have no purpose it will begin to suck out their souls. As an employer you don’t want to end up with soul-sucked employees. Give them a reason to ignite their passion in their job. A good motivational speaker will help them reconnect with their passion and why they took the job in the first place. It helps them to become a better employee and a better person.
Leaders should be able to assess the culture of their organization and realize when employees are losing their passion. Failure to do that means the culture of the organization will continue to decline. Do at least a weekly review to find out where your employees stand and what is bugging them. Check in on their passion from time to time to make sure they haven’t lost it. It can be easy to look over this in the day to day running of a company. But it’s important to make sure you always have your finger on the pulse of what your employees are feeling.
Show passion yourself as a leader
Employees will be looking at a leader for guidance. If the leader shows passion for the company or project, it will get them excited about it. As an inventor and manufacturer I’ve hired my own employees. If I don’t have passion about the product my employees wouldn’t have passion for it. I believed in my product enough to work 2-3 jobs and max out my credit cards to start the business. I believed in it completely and I think it was one of the ways I was able to keep such amazing employees even when I couldn’t pay them as much as I would like. It was like I was my own motivational speaker and cheerleader in the business.
Provide a different perspective
My mom used to always say that I wouldn’t believe something she told me unless I heard it from someone else. That may be true. I’m not sure why but if you hear advice from someone other than your boss or your mother you will listen. As a manager you could tell them the same info over and over, but it would take an outsider to get it to really sink in. Sometimes an outsider can explain something complex in a different way. They don’t know your lingo and have their own way of presenting something. What might be an obstacle when asked by a manager, could turn into an opportunity when presented by a motivational speaker.
Each motivational speaker has their own background, experiences, and knowledge. This is usually different from the background and knowledge of the people you work with every day. They provide a different perspective.
Invest in your employees
Training is one way to invest in your employees. By having a motivational speaker at an event you are giving them training at the same time you are entertaining them. That feels less like work and more like play. It shows that you care about your employees and want to invest in their happiness. You want smart employees who are up to date on all of the latest trends and knowledge. Having a motivational speaker relay that information is much better than having them read about it in a book.
Recent studies have shown that rewards based on experiences rather than on material objects like a cash bonus are more effective at boosting long-term happiness levels in your employees.
Show your gratitude
Just the simple act of saying thank you and acknowledging your employees on a regular basis is a good way to increase productivity. Send thank you notes to those employees who are performing at a high level. A personal phone call or other signs of kindness will go a long way. Gratitude is contagious and will spread to other employees. Do it sincerely and often. Employees can sense when the gratitude is not sincere.
Sporadic re-enforcement
Sporatic re-enforcement is a good way to reward employees on a regular basis. This doesn’t mean giving them something all the time. They will come to expect it and be let down if you don’t give it to them. But if you give employees something sporadically they don’t know when it will be coming. For example, have a catered lunch for them occasionally. Give out gift cards every so often, like after an especially tough work schedule. Have their cars washed on a Friday afternoon for no reason. Or even the gesture of bringing in a massage chair therapist for an afternoon. This is something that should be done occasionally, but not all of the time. It also works for kids and spouses!
Bringing a motivational speaker in from time to time is a way to give your employees a break.
Teamwork and goals
A motivational speaker acts a little like a cheerleader to get your team fired up. The speaker can convey the goals you wish to instill in your employees. They can rally the team to be enthusiastic in achieving those goals. It’s better to have an outside, unbiased source do it. Motivational speakers bring a new energy to your team. Make sure you let the speaker know what your goals are and the points that need to be spoken. Articulate how you want your team to achieve those goals and if they have a timeline to get them done.
Your teams need to be rewarded for achieving their goals. That can be done with gifts, monetary rewards, perks and more freedom. Having a motivational speaker deliver some of these is a good idea. As a speaker I will often give out prizes for improv games and exercises. Sometimes it’s for individuals and sometimes I have groups work in teams and compete for prizes.
Helps employees reconnect
According to the latest Gallup report, 51% of employees are disengaged in the workplace. That’s a lot of disengaged people! 13% are actively disengaged, meaning they feel miserable at work and they spread that negativity to their co-workers. Those “quiet-quitters are costing up to half a billion dollars a year. A highly engaged workforce can increase profits by up to 21%. 85% are more motivated when communication is effective. That can happen if you have a good motivational speaker conveying that communication.
A motivational speaker will increase their confidence and empower them to work harder and smarter. It helps disengaged employees to reconnect and want to be a part of the team. A part of a winning team. They help you to believe in yourself and to believe in the team.It’s clear that hiring a motivational speaker is a good use of your time and money.
Your employees are your biggest expense and the backbone of your company. Keep them happy and you will reap the rewards in more profit, better growth and a better competitive advantage.
Hire a motivational keynote speaker
A motivational speaker like Julie Austin will help make your conference attendees more creative and innovative. Julie has been a motivational speaker for conferences such as Procter and Gamble’s International Engineering Summit for 1,000 engineers from around the world. She’s also been a motivational keynote speaker for companies like Northrop Grumman, Cognizant Technology Solutions, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, and Scripps Medical Research. If you really want to get your employees to think outside the box to come up with new, breakthrough ideas, hire inventor and innovator Julie Austin. Your employees will come away being excited about generating new ideas for your company.