Frequently Asked Questions – Motivational Speaking
What Is the Role of a Motivational Speaker?
A motivational speaker delivers speeches that aim to inspire people to reflect and subsequently change their behavior or take specific action. Their ultimate goal is to inspire positive change and spread new ideas to promote a change in lifestyle, mindset, or everyday actions. Motivational speakers can also drive positive change within an entire organization or wider society.
Who Was the First Motivational Speaker?
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) was an American philosopher, poet, and essayist who is also one of the earliest known motivational speakers.
How Can New Motivational Speakers Practice Their Public Speaking Skills?
Excellent public speaking skills are vital for professional motivational speakers. Listening to public speaking audiobooks and podcasts can be helpful, although practice is the most effective way to develop public speaking skills.
Practicing delivering a speech in front of a mirror is a good way to assess facial expressions; prospective speakers could also record themselves and watch the footage back to identify areas that could be improved, such as intonation or body language.
Joining a public speaking group could also be beneficial, allowing individuals to get lots of practice speaking in front of an audience while also gaining invaluable feedback.
How Long Does a Motivational Speech Last?
Most motivational speeches last between 60 and 90 minutes, although the length will vary depending on the topic. The typical speech duration allows the speaker to deliver the points they wish to make, without being so long that the audience’s attention begins to wander.
Typically, a motivational speech will incorporate anecdotes from the speaker’s own life, a wider context, and the tangible actions that listeners can take to create positive change, solve a problem, or overcome obstacles.
What Is the Best Way to Structure a Motivational Speech?
The most effective motivational speeches have a clear beginning, middle, and end – this is the way that audiences are used to consuming information. The beginning of the speech should introduce the topic, while the middle of the speech should expand on this. The end of the speech should summarize the key takeaways.
The speech must provide an actionable strategy that empowers the audience to make lasting change by outlining the obstacles noted at the speech’s beginning; this strategy should be simple enough to follow on a daily basis and deliver results if followed.
Where Do Motivational Speakers Deliver Their Speeches?
Motivational speakers may deliver speeches at a wide variety of venues, including colleges, schools, places of worship, corporations, companies, conferences, trade shows, government agencies, summits, and community organizations.