The art of speaking is one in which the thoughts of one person can be transferred to that of another in a convenient and precise manner. A good speech, therefore, encourages people to behave in certain ways. Good motivational speakers like Selim Zherka keep their audience engaged at all times, by using story-telling, entertainment, humor, and more.
Selim Zherka on What Makes a Good Motivational Speaker
A good motivational speaker is someone who is able to take a sleepy room and motivate them to take action. There have been a number of motivational speakers throughout history, including people like Martin Luther King, John F. Kennedy, Winston Churchill, and Adolf Hitler. This list also demonstrates that not all motivational speakers use their gift for good, however, rather that they have always been around. Indeed, it is believed they were even around during Cesar’s times.
Good motivational speakers have a number of things in common. Those things are:
- Being credible, so that the audience connects.
- Being inspiring and passionate, so that the audience can follow what is being said and believe in it.
- Being sincere, which ensures the audience believes what is being said.
- Want to lead others.
- Being confident.
You can’t “learn” to hold motivational speaking. It is something that is simply within all of us. You may have to learn how to write a speech, and you may have to practice how you can deliver it. However, you either have the ability to deliver this speech, or not.
Of course, there is training available that can make you a better motivational speaker. Speaking publicly is certainly one of those training options. You can do this formally, by learning about motivational speaking, but you can also join clubs in which you can practice your speaking skills. You can also go to other motivational speeches and observe not just what is being said, but how it is being said. This is when you learn about word choice, register, vocabulary, voice modulation, gesture, and oration. Of course, you can also learn how to build a relationship, and what the place of humor is within a good speech.
Once you feel you are ready, you can also decide to join professional organizations that specifically focus on those who communicate professionally. Some have an academic focus, others a more commercial one. Some examples of groups that you may want to become a member of include:
- The NCA (National Communication Association).
- The AFA (American Forensics Association).
- The NFA (National Forensics Association).
Motivational speakers like Selim Zherka now have a place in almost every level of society. They come into schools to encourage children to work hard, in universities to encourage students to say no to drugs, in organizations to encourage staff to get behind the mission and vision of the organization and become more productive. Motivational speakers are vital members of our overall society and they have come a long way from the preachers they were in yesteryear.
