Setting Stage
A dozen articles
in well subscribed newspapers, few in a magazine, an adequately followed blog,
the two-star veteran tag, couple of television appearances, about four decades
in olive green and benevolent acquaintances get me occasional invites to deliver
‘motivational-talks’ and key note addresses. My seemingly extempore speeches
are deliberately audience -specific and well researched. At home on stage, I connect
with the audience early into my talk. The post-talk interactive session normally
runs longer than my talk. Long Q&A session indicates better audience
participation. I feel rewarded.
With Malice
Towards None
Ability to fan
passions and stir emotions, an art, is essential for effective public speaking.
Recreating battle scenes and crisis situations helps audience experience the otherwise
un-experienceable. Stories of real-life heroes, commoners overcoming
insurmountable personal adversities with sheer grit, narrated well, rain goose
bumps. Standing ovations, cash in that envelope, a few more invites and the heady
feeling, rewards are instantaneous. Impact of such oratory, unfortunately, is often
limited to the confines of the premises. It rarely permeates beyond tympanums. It
seldom yields credible results.
With malice
towards none, gripping histrionics apart, it is
all “sound and fury signifying nothing”[1]. Motivational
talks are just ‘feel-good’ occasions, poor investments in time and energy. I am
loath to accepting such roles, as I feel much like the sower in the parable[2].
The Story Tellers
There are generally three
types of professional motivational speakers. Most amongst them are story-tellers.
They regale audience with real life stories or those which sound real. Some of
them, could really be interesting. They bill the host depending on their well-crafted
reputation and how well they are marketed. Resourceful networks assure them of venues.
Age notwithstanding, who
doesn’t like a good story? Our own individual existence find meaning in scripting
spectacular stories[3].
Story tellers certainly
entertain, rarely motivate.
Domain Experts
The second largest group
consists of those who leverage hierarchy. Though a few do spellbind audience with
their domain expertise, most of them assume expertise. In it by virtue of their
position, they are the least interesting amongst the tribe of ‘professional motivators’.
They could be educative. They seldom motivate.
The Heroes
Least in number, yet the most
authentic amongst motivational speakers are those who have themselves triumphed
over insurmountable adversities that destroy lesser mortals. Unbeatable winners
in real-life battles, they may neither rival histrionics of storytellers nor
would be domain experts, but walk the red-carpet straight into the audiences’
heart during introduction. They conquer even before a single syllable is
uttered. Irrespective of their oratory skills, they are effective speakers.
They
genuinely inspire, may not necessarily motivate.
The Trend
Sensing how heroes sway
audiences, story tellers and experts have started becoming heroes, weaving in
stories of personal tragedies and triumphs. It makes great theatre but neither
motivates nor inspires a discerning audience.
Motivation
and Motivators
Interestingly,
root and product of motivation is motive! Motivation kindles fires within to achieve
something or reach somewhere. It is a psychological element that helps
propel an individual from an existing state to a desired state. It helps raise
orbits of thought and action and forges congruence between the two.
Motivation fuels motives and
motives strengthen motivation. To start with, the two coexist in a fragile and
delicate relationship. Preserved and persevered, the duo becomes a
self-propelling tornado that, blows away gnawing self-doubts, overcomes challenges
and adversities and launches individuals to unbelievable destinations.
Unfortunately, when it comes to
motivation, food for one could easily be poison for another. The truth is,
motivation is uniquely individualistic and has to be sustained by the
individual. There can be no better motivator than the individual himself
(herself), for the fire must be kindled and fuelled within. Everybody else are
facilitators or masquerading as motivators.
Group Therapy[4]
Motivation is possible through
tailor-made facilitative associations. While it is best achieved in
‘one-on-one’ sessions, such sessions duly altered can also be administered to groups
involved in collaborative efforts. With each individual cocooned in their own
aspirations and anxieties, broad brush treatments through motivational talks yield
no worthwhile outcome. Simplistically put, treating individuals operating at
different levels of Maslow’s hierarchy with broad spectrum motivational
nutrient is effectively useless. This is why impact of even the most inspiring
of motivational talks remain fleeting. Inspiring
speeches can inflame passions and create mass hysteria. But that is not
motivation. Motivation can rarely be achieved
over public address systems. Yet, many organisations satisfy itelves with
motivational talks.
Facilitation
Before charting destinations,
it is incumbent for motivators, self or facilitators, to first
assess where exactly the individual is and where the intended destination is.
It is like planning a journey with well-defined milestones. A truthful
assessment of capabilities and resources can help draw up realistic
destinations and time plans. Facilitators with skills to hear the unspoken and
see the hidden can help, individuals transform themselves, and groups, forge
productively.
Motivation and Movements[5]
Mass political movements and
revolutions in history seem to be brought about by people who were ‘collectively
motivated’. Natural to arise at this point, is the question, “Aren’t
mass movements expressions of motivated groups?”.
The answer rests in the characteristics
that differentiates ‘instigation’, ’influence’ and ‘motivation’ from one
another. All mass movements have commenced with one or a few intensely
motivated individuals driven by ideologies or reason. Intense motivation is
a torch that enlightens its surroundings. By virtue of character they influence
those around creating a following which eventually becomes a movement.
Followers definitely are influenced but may not be motivated.
Resistance is a natural
product of peoples’ subhuman existence. Realisation of such an existence is
brought about by individuals motivated intensely enough to bear the consequences
of spreading realisation and seeding resistance. Rank and file swell under
their influence willing to tread any path under influence of the motivated. Indian
Freedom Struggle is a classic example.
The motivated autonomously pursue
chosen destinations, though they too would be influenced by ideals, ideas,
events and people.
Motivation in Organisational
Context
Motivation in the context of
organisations is limited to individuals and groups within the organisation.
Activities to enhance ambient levels of motivation often get relegated to being
exercises in utilising allocations where as it can be engineered to provide credible
returns. Well-designed outcome-based activities, though more difficult to
organise than motivational talks, promise returns on investments.
Note of Gratitude
Gratitude is due to
Dr Abraham Kuruvilla, very
respected and humane counsellor who spends considerable time in helping people
with multifaceted issues.
Ms Anniey, for parting with
pearls of wisdom from her deep understanding of human psychology.
Ms Dhanya Susan, the IIT ian for
her analytical application.
Mr Manoj Koshy the ever experimenting
entrepreneur at San Francisco for shaping my thoughts on life’s purpose.
[1] "Tomorrow
and tomorrow and tomorrow… It is a tale told by an idiot full of sound and fury
signifying nothing” (Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5, Shakespeare William)
[2]
Parable of the sower. (A biblical story)
[3]
Discussions with Mr Manoj Koshy, the compulsive entrepreneur on purpose of
human existence.
[4] Long drawn
discussions on hues of motivation with Ms Anniey
[5] The
long animated discussions with Ms Dhanya Susan
