Motivational Speakers: Expert or Fraud?
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.
