Motivational Speakers and Speeches

There are two kinds of speeches by motivational speakers that can evoke strong emotional reactions and leave you breathless: one that is given by an inspirational keynote speaker that prompts you to take immediate action, and one that’s so badly executed it makes your jaw drop.

Both kinds of speeches deserve your attention. Both can teach you what to do and what not to do when you go out and face an audience. In my talks on developing executive presence and cultivating leadership skills, I give managers and executive’s advice on speaking to groups. I always advise them to learn from what doesn’t work as well as studying what does.

Here are five key things you can learn from a really bad speech:

1. Don’t mumble or speak too fast. 

   Some speakers mumble while others go through their speech like they’re running a marathon. Good public speakers, especially motivational speakers, have a knack for speaking at just the right speed so their message is clear, precise, and easy for the audience to absorb and understand.

2. Maintain eye contact. 

   The worst thing you can do is avoid eye contact with the audience. I’ve seen some bad speakers who look almost everywhere else: the presentation screen, the podium, their shoes, or the ceiling. If you’re looking somewhere else, you convey to your audience that you’re not really interested in them.

3. Avoid excessive movement. 

   Pacing up and down the stage or making nervous movements distracts your audience. Their listeners fixate on trying to keep up with the speaker’s actions, so they miss what the speaker is actually talking about. Don’t get me wrong – actions are great, but they need to make sense. Animate your speech by walking calmly and making a few key hand gestures at the right moments.

4. Practice, practice, practice. 

   Most of us have walked out of a speech thinking, “That needed some practice.” Practice is what differentiates amateur speakers from seasoned professionals. Professional motivational speakers make their speeches so effortless and flawless that they almost sound unrehearsed because of their natural speaking style. This gives them the innate ability to connect instantly with the audience. A bad speech is one that the speaker struggles to get through and has lots of pauses, “ums,” and “ahs.”

5. Don’t read from your notes. 

   Speakers that constantly flip through long pages of notes look boring and unorganized. You don’t need to memorize your entire speech; writing down key points on note cards is fine to help you stay on track. Just don’t read from them constantly. Refer to the points casually, spending more time maintaining eye contact and interacting with your audience. Model confidence to show them how to exude confidence themselves.

If you want to be a breathtaking, inspiring, and downright brilliant public speaker, all you need to do is adhere to these simple rules. Attend seminars and conferences and listen to motivational speakers and speeches by professional motivational speakers like me to find inspiration and brush up on your own public speaking and presentation skills.

Do you need an outstanding keynote speaker? Joel Garfinkle has delivered more than 1,000 speeches, workshops, and seminars across the country and globally to some of the world’s most well-known companies, including Cisco, Oracle, Kohl’s, Wells Fargo, Deloitte, and many more. Book Joel Garfinkle for your next corporate convention or seminar today!