Motivational Speeches
There are many things which distinguish motivational speeches from other forms and certain factors which influence whether a speech is effective or not
Motivational speeches aim to build confidence: The primary separation of a motivational speech from another form of public discussion is that it is delivered with the principal aim of building the confidence of the audience. Often the speech builds up to a point where the audience is so receptive of the message that it is easy to sell them motivational products such as videos or motivational cd’s. In many situations this is the true purpose of the speech, while some motivational speeches merely aim to motivate - perhaps to boost confidence and morale in the workplace or in a personal situation. Whatever the purpose, a good motivational speech is one that successfully builds confidence in the audience.
Positive messages and optimistic ideals: The audience is often showered with positive messages and optimistic ideals to change the way people think about the conditions they find themselves in and help them to see that there is always a way out of a seemingly negative situation.
Motivational speeches are usually loud and fast-paced: In order to quickly and efficiently alter perceptions many motivational speakers tend towards a loud and fast-paced delivery. For the speech to be effective it is important that the speaker maintains a decent volume, somewhere between shouting and talking. It is critical not to shout as this will scare off the audience, and talking simply isn’t powerful enough to successfully pour energy into everyone and ignite their personal motivation.
Interactivity increases the sense of security: When delivering a motivational speech it is important to create a sense of security among the audience. This is usually accomplished by creating an interactive discussion in which members of the audience speak about their negative experiences and the speech-giver uses persuasive tactics to convince the individual and the audience that there are positive aspects to take away from the seemingly negative experience.
No negative messages: In order to successfully motivate the audience the speaker may not convey any negative messages of any kind. Positive messages and ideals are used to motivate the audience and to sway their opinions. Thus any negative ideals will work against this attempt and the speech will fail.
Be prepared for pessimism: Many individuals are extremely pessimistic and will do their best to work against the speaker’s attempts at motivating the audience. It is important, therefore, for the speaker to be aware of this and be sufficiently prepared for any pessimism. If combated correctly it is even possible for the speaker to make use of the pessimistic individuals and their ideals to further motivate the audience and turn the pessimist into an optimist. This can be done by providing the pessimist with examples of how their ideals bring about negativity and showing them that positive ideals prevent negative situations and extract fruitful conditions from seemingly negative experiences.
Make everyone feel comfortable: Motivational speeches aim at swaying opinions in a positive way and this can only be achieved if all recipients of the speech are sufficiently comfortable. Interactivity, positive messages and making personal connections with everyone in the audience are good ways of making the entire crowd feel comfortable enough to accept the speaker’s message.
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