If you are looking for an effective motivational speaker there are many things all top American motivational speakers have in common including:
Strong Sense of Self
Knowing who they are is helpful for motivational speakers as it allows them to exude confidence. Someone who can walk across the stage and command respect has to have a strong sense of self. It allows for their personality to ring true and stand out. It provides confidence in order to instil confidence in the audience.
Optimism
Optimism is the best motivator of them all. It provides a sense of hope when hope is lost. It is a positive take on even the most negative situation and allows people to see the light at the end of the tunnel. A motivational speaker is usually hired to address an audience that is going through some sort of down swing. It could be a morale issue with a sales team, following hard times with a business or even address a group with specific issues such as following a divorce, the loss of a loved one or even personal illness or job loss.
Connection
A speaker who is motivated will be able to connect with their audience. Someone who takes the time to look at their audience and determine how to reach them helps. Connection can be made through a number of approaches from humor, to shock and “I’ve been there” to forming trust.
There has to be something about the speaker that makes people feel like they could be friends with them. There is a trust facto as well as a sense of humility despite the confidence. Being able to relate personal stories also helps form a connection such as stories of alcohol or drug abuse to motivate addicts to quit or stories about hitting rock bottom and finding financial freedom for financial experts.
Personality and Voice
A motivational speaker has to have a good voice to persuade and draw attention. It should resonate with people and make them feel captured and enthralled. It just takes a listen to Martin Luther King to see how a voice can persuade. As well there must be personality and drama to a voice that intrigues people and keeps an audience interested. Pacing, inflections, rising and falling all help to engage an audience.
Top American motivational speakers succeed through their honesty, experience and optimism allowing them to influence and entertain.
