A common concern is finding a motivational speaker who can speak to a group made up of diverse subgroups (i.e., sales, administration, accounting, etc.).
It is true that in large groups if one subset gets the most accolades or attention( and the rest of the group feels excluded), it can create dissonance and poor evaluations.
However, with a few techniques, a skilled keynote speaker can bring the group together around a shared purpose.
Interestingly, most meeting planners say their meeting delegates are really unique. Also, each subgroup is unique. The truth is different groups (and subgroups) have a uniqueness to them, but many audiences face many of the same struggles. You need to find a keynote speaker who can delve into the issues that matter the most to the group as a whole.
Hire a keynote speaker who can take a general topic like stress and relate it briefly to each of the subgroups in the audience. These examples help them feel included. Another technique is to highlight what brings a room together; the commonalities that bond with the group.
Still, another tactic is for a speaker to interact with different subgroups throughout the talk to help unite them. When you have a manufacturer from Michigan in one corner of the room share his views to manufacturing representatives in Texas and Florida, on the other side of the room, you see the place start to bond. These wide connections happen best in a meeting or networking venue and can create relationships that catapult their business.
To find out if a speaker can or will do this, ask them what techniques they use to engage diverse groups. If they have no techniques or insist all members of the audience are the same, their talk may be too generic or their not skilled to engage the room
Also, check out a motivational speaker's demo video to observe audience interaction, customization and overall energy.
It never hurts to hire several diverse motivational speakers. One that is inspirational, one industry keynote speaker, female motivational speakers, and perhaps a celebrity speaker.
If you don’t have the budget to hire several speakers, find a happy medium.
If you have a diverse, contentious group, humor helps decrease tension and create a powerful shared bond, so consider hiring a funny motivational speaker.
