Posted by Jody Urquhart on Tue, Feb 21, 2012 @ 11:33
A vision of the ideal employee would always lend itself towards total engagement and inspiration.
Below are 3 essential ingredients for employee engagement:
1)Values Integration.
The strength of your values is what holds an organization together. Corporate values and culture need to be clearly defined and incorporated in hiring, training, and day to day management.
I was a health & safety inspirational speaker for a safety event last june where they spent the balance of the event talking about their corporate safety values.
The health & safety committee presented inspirational speeches on enabling a Safety culture. Safety is so highly ingrained in their culture that it consistently shows up in every aspect of the work. Safe work practices are evaluated, reassessed and communicated every day.
2)Gain momentum.
People and performance pushes forward enthusiasm by immersing people in your culture. Build energy and enthusiasm through continual values reinforcement. The health and safety inspirational speakers talked openly about near misses and deviance reports. Being transparent about your values is critical. If deviation from corporate values is pushed beneath the carpet, momental will be stalled.
Regular celebration, recognition programs and inspirational speeches about progress made will serve to keep the momentum.
3) Reassess.
As organizations and people evolve so will corporate values. When implementing new policies, procedures or hiring new personnel, always assess the values integration. The Health & Safety Inspirational speakers posed the question, How do new procedures include our safety values? Their inspirational speeches outlined how every procedure must be congruent with corporate values.
Download our Inspirational Speaker Top 10 Morale Boosters Here
Posted by Jody Urquhart on Mon, Feb 20, 2012 @ 08:00
I was a generational guest speaker for HR professionals last week where we discussed the virtues of Generation Y parenting. Gen Y out numbers the baby boomer generation by over 1.3 Million people. This generation will have a strong impact and their parents will remain very involved.
After the motivational talk, A delegate shared a story where she issued a Gen Y employee an unfavorable performance review. The next day her mother came in to discuss it. The mother was adamant that the HR manager was destroying her daughters self esteem and unfavorably impacting her future employment prospects.
Below are some of the qualities we unveiled relating to Gen Y parenting:
Overinvolved.
Many HR Managers are dumbfounded at the involvement parent have in their Gen Y offsprings' lives. It goes to show how values between generations have evolved and are often worlds apart.
Baby Boomer parents are very concerned with building their kids self esteem and it have created a very self expressive generation.
Gen Y has grown up getting a lot of attention from their parents and expect the same thing at work.
Friends with their Children.
For many baby boomers and Generation X , a parents primary role was as an authority figure. Today, Generation Y are more often close friends with their parents, they actually hang out and want to spend time together.
Must Give out Trophies.
Boomers want their children to win, all the time even when they lose. Gen Y is a very self confident generation and have been accused of having an air or entitlement at work.
Because their parents and teachers stroked their ego even when they lost or didn't put in their best, Gen Y often feel they deserve recognition and praise for just showing up.
Generation Y is an incredibly savy and productive workforce. The most important ingredient to their success is training, coaching and building down to earth, realistic expectations for work accomplished.
As a guest speaker for the HR Professionals, I learned that every leader is frustrated and wants to pull out their hair from time to time. Younger generations have such diverse values from there own, and yet they raised this generation!
See our blog, Guest Speaker for CUPA HR Conference.
Check out the Generational Motivational Talk, Managing Millennials.
Posted by Jody Urquhart on Wed, Feb 15, 2012 @ 12:33 PM
On March 8, 2012 I am a health care inspirational luncheon speaker for the CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting. This event sponsored by Dr Martin L. Stone is a Medical Student Educators' luncheon.The audience will mostly be comprised of OBGYN physicians who are also medical teachers. They split their time between clinical rotations, teaching medical students and residents and program administration.
The theme is Embracing Transition in Healthcare. In this industry one of the biggest changes are much needed alterations to the Flexner Report, which lays out guidelines to medical eduation in the United States. This report came out in 1910 and has just recently been revised( A lot has changed since 1910!). The revisions are laid out in a new publication called: Educating Physicians, A Call for Reform of Medical School and Residency.
Four changes that medical educators can look forward to are:
- Standardization of Learning Outcomes
- Integration of Formal Knowledge and Clinical Experience
- Development of Habits of Inquiry and Innovation
- Focus on Professional Identity Formation
These four core changes cover physician knowledge, skills and behaviour.
Other changes in the industry involve changes to Limited Duty Hours for medical residents. Now residents hours are limited to 80 hours per week, where it used to be upwards of 100 hours per week. Also a very relevant change in this industry involves Electronic Medical Records.
To prepare to be a healthcare inspirational luncheon speaker, I interviewed several medical student educators. I found one of the themes to be around educating younger generations, how they learn and harnessing their work ethic.
Increasingly younger generations are very tech savvy. One physician I spoke with referred to the computer as the third person in the room, between the physician and the patient. The all important computer can sometimes get in the way of compassionate human contact.
Younger generations also want immediate gratification. When learning, Gen Y's want to know how everything directly relates to them right now. This "me"generation is much more self centered while healthcare has always traditionally been very compassionate and patient centered.
I am really looking forward to being the healthcare inspirational lucheon speaker on one of my favorite topics, This Would Be Funny, If it Wasn't Happening to Me!
Posted by Jody Urquhart on Tue, Feb 14, 2012 @ 03:50 PM
One day your star employee seems content and well adjusted, the next day he hands you his resignation. Huh? Was he a good actor pretending to be content- but beneath the facade he was plotting his escape plan?
These days it is harder and harder to tell. Truth is, especially younger generations may remain completely committed to the job but still be searching out other opportunities on the side lines.
I was a leadership speaker for an HR Conference; my motivational speech outlined the 7 Signs an Employee will Resign: Watch for these tell tale signs... if employees:
- Come in late, leave early or take extra longer breaks
- Complain more often
- Suffer Low Workplace Morale or Refuse to take part in Team Activities
- Have Changes in Work Quality
- Seem Distracted and Disengaged
- Are looking for outside opportunities ( learning, events, etc)
- Start to phase themself out or line up an exit strategy
As a leadership speaker for the HR Conference, the audience agreed that when Apathy goes unchecked it takes a massive toll on overall workplace morale. It pays to take notice and regularly check in on employees to guage their satisfaction.
Review work performance and make sure that the pay, benefits and hours are competitive. Know that employees today continually reassess their employment choice.
Leadership Motivational Speeches to Boost Workplace Morale
Posted by Jody Urquhart on Mon, Feb 13, 2012 @ 02:04 PM
I was an inspirational speaker for an educators conference. One of the other education guest speakers shared startling statistics that recesses in schools across north America are being cut back or eliminated.
The education guest speaker's studies revealed that as recess breaks are eliminated kids grow increasingly agitated and are unable to sit still and pay attention. The situation looks even bleaker as kids today go home and watch tv or play video games; instead of going outside and playing with friends.
All this pent up energy thwarts growth, increases aggression and potentially leads to problem children popping pills. Just yesterday a friend of mine cancelled our kids play day because she started her son on attention deficit medication. During the drugs adjustment period she is instructed to decrease her child's interaction and play time.
I think limiting play time and discouraging interaction is a big mistake. As an inspirational speaker for the education conference, I was spouting off about how Play does wonderful things for your well-being.
Having fun releases endorphins and naturally decreases stress levels. It also creates distance and perspective, builds relationships and social skills. All critical to a childs growth and development. The education guest speaker suggested that kids that don't engage playfully with others will develop a deep seated fear of failure.
Discover How Play Helps Us Learn, Here
Posted by Jody Urquhart on Thu, Feb 09, 2012 @ 12:00 PM
I was recently an inspirational speaker at a healthcare conference. The other canadian keynote speaker was funny man, Brent Butt - former star of Corner Gas.
Although I missed Brent's motivational talk, I heard he is a very funny (canadian!) keynote speaker.
The meeting planner suggested they started hiring a celebrity inspirational speaker to boost attendance 10 years ago and have continued this tradition ever since.
We discussed the pro's and con's of hiring a Celebrity Motivational Speaker.
The Pro's
- Well known celebrity speakers can spark interest and boost attendance
- Celebrities can create a buzz before the event
- A prominent celebrity may be easier to get a corporate sponsor for
The Con's
- Celebrity speakers can be very expensive from $30,000 or more
- Celebrities may be famous but this doesn't translate into a high impact motivational talk. Audience Expectations are high and if the motivational speaker doesn't live up to this high standard- audiences will be disappointed.
- With Celebrity speakers, audiences will have questions ( what was it like to win a medal? was the competition tough? what kind of training) etc...). If these questions aren't answered, the audiendce may feel unsettled.
- Every year it gets harder to raise the bar and continue to get celebrity motivational speakers especially on a budget.
Posted by Jody Urquhart on Wed, Feb 08, 2012 @ 03:22 PM
4 AM is usually when the cab picks me up to go to the airport to fly out and give another motivational talk.
On this trip, I am away for nearly two weeks. As the cab pulls away from the curb, I am going through my list in my head- did I bring my passport? Shoes? Books?
Caught up in worry about the details of the trip, I whistfully comment to the cab driver that I will miss my son. He laughs as he tells me his story.
Baccoo moved to canada from Nigeria 3 months ago. His wife had a baby less than a week ago. He cannot afford to fly home to be with his daughter and wife but sends them money every week.
Wow, that gave me some perspective. While I am concerned about being away from my son for 10 days, he says he may not see his daughter until she is 18.
Baccoo has embarked on an incedible journey, moving across the world to a strange city where he knows nobody, with the hope of building a better future for his family. I imagine him working everyday longing for his family.
I mentioned Baccoo during my motivational talk, where many delegates suggested they know of others who are displaced, struggling and far from their families.
Major life events have a way of waking us up and giving us a new perspective. Just ask Baccoo.
Inspirational speaker, Charles dickson once said, these are the best of times and worst of times. It all depends on your perspective.
Even in the worst of times.
More Inspirational Speaker resources can be found here
Posted by Jody Urquhart on Mon, Feb 06, 2012 @ 02:30 PM
Motivational speakers are often accused of teaching what we most need to learn.
You may be surprized to discover that a speaker doing a motivational talk about finances actually does a poor job of managing her own finances.
The quote, Those who can't Do- Teach, applies.
To teach what you don't have a full command over? Does this make you a fraud?
Not when you consider that the highest form of learning is to teach. When we set out to teach others, this requires internalizing learning at another level.
We are all life long learners. To constantly disect and try to understand your topic builds momentum, depth and character.
Education should be liberating. It should be about releasing what is already inside us. Most of what we teach, we already at some level know, but we need reminders.
Fraud of Expert? I believe the difference is motivation and intent.
I know an inspirational speaker who presents motivational talks about being a warm and authentic communicator. Yet to know her personally, you would find her harsh and indirect. When I listen to her motivational talk I am interested, yet slightly put off. The difference here is she is teaching what she doesn't seem to want to do herself.
Most motivational speakers talk about soft skills like communication, humor, stress relief and more. Nobody ever masters these skills, they are always evolving and inspirational speakers use their craft to do it.
Posted by Jody Urquhart on Fri, Feb 03, 2012 @ 10:02
Recently I listened to an old recording of motivational speaker Dr Murray Banks.
In a speech he has delivered over 5,000 times, he compelled audiences to see things without the comfort of illusion. His inspirational speech compelled the audience to look around and see that many people survive in a cloud of vague discontent. Hmm, how inspiring.
He went on to suggest that evolution made us alert, tense, and never satisfied.
Motivational speaker, Dr Murray Banks suggests these 4 things that every human being continually strives for:
1) To live, to be healthy.
2) Prestige, recognition or power.
3) To be Loved.
4) Money and Security.
I add that most people have a desire to have fun (and not just girls). In fact if we were having fun then we would enjoy the pursuit of all 4 of the above even more.
Dr Banks inspirational speech suggested that most of our mental processes are automatic habits. Some of these make us happy and others make us miserable.
Too much stress burns out neurons that allow us to experience joy. Increasing the amount of fun we experience naturally decreases stress and creates a more vibrant existance.
I believe that humor, fun and play creates a natural contentment. Not one that we strive for and ultimately relieve ( and the motivation ceases) but an overall contributor to well being.
Motivational Speaker, Dr Murray Banks is currently in his 90's and occasionally does his inspirational speeches on Cruise Ships.
Posted by Jody Urquhart on Thu, Feb 02, 2012 @ 12:55 PM
On February 24, 2012, I am an inspirational speaker for the National Hearing Conservation Association at the Astor Crowne Plaza / French Quarter
New Orleans, LA.
This upbeat and diverse group of hearing conservation advocates is made up of Audiologists, nurses, industrial hygenists and more.
What binds this group is their passion for preventing noise induced hearing loss. Daily they fight the battle to get people to value and protect their hearing. Interesting that a group of hearing conservation advocates would plan a conference in New Orleans around Mardi Gras!
Like most industries hearing loss prevention has evolved. Some of the notable changes in this arena involve labeling. Most labeling standards have outgrown their relevance as they were written in the 1970's. Currently they are being revamped.
Some of the ratings that are being altered:
NRR is the Noise Reduction Rating. This rating attempts to measure how much noise you are capable of reducing, often through ear plugs.
PAR is the Personal Attenuation Rating. This Rating measures the noise attenuation for the individual user.
In recent years, the industry has also gone through some major consolidation. There used to be 6 or 7 major players where now there are only 2 or 3. Today, the two major players in the hearing prevention industry are Honeywell and 3M.
To prepare to be an inspirational speaker for the NHCA, i asked several delegates, what can you do to prevent hearing loss in the workplace?
The consensus is that awareness is key. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) usually involves ear plugs that must be catered to the ear canal of the user. Technology in this area has also evolved. Ear plugs now have the capability of enhancing situational awareness whereby they decrease background noise but can still hear and communicate with others.
Other ways to reduce the impact of loud noise at work is to obviously get futher away from the noise, turn it down if possible, build a wall or a " box" to surround workers in a noise free zone. Another technique is called Auditory Rest, where temporary relief from noise can help people recover from any temporary damage.
As an inspirational speaker for the NHCA conference, my motivational talk is called The Nerve to Serve... Say Hello to Humor & Goodbye to Burnout!