There is no such thing as a boring subject…only boring presenters. The same is true for safety meetings. In and of themselves, they're not boring. But there sure are a lot of boring presenters…
Think of when you've heard speakers who were passionate and had the complete attention of their audience. They're dynamic, compelling and downright captivating. The audience is leaning forward, hanging on their every word. Some people mistakenly think these people are just blessed with the ability to speak. Nothing could be further from the truth…
Last summer I spent a week with my son at Boy Scout Summer Camp. As a scouter of 39 years, many fond memories came back to me. The most dramatic was watching boys tell silly jokes, campfire stories, and perform amateur skits. What I remembered was being one of those boys over 39 years ago. I am sure I was as awkward as they were but I do know I loved getting a reaction from the crowd. I continued to learn and perform stories and skits. As I grew older I improved and learned much of what makes an audience laugh, cry and be moved to action. You see, many of the campfire stories I heard were designed to motivate boys to help others, take action and become leaders. Today I hear many people refer to me as a gifted speaker but I know that much of what I do I learned. I learned the way many people do - by trial and error. Which leads us to:
The fact is they learned it just as I did. The best news is that it is possible for you to learn it, too. The mere fact that you are taking time to read this is a testimony to your belief that you can learn and improve what you do. The big advantage you have is that you can learn from my study of communication and motivation for years and years since my youth. People in the investment world always refer to using "Other People's Money" to build their wealth. Well, when it comes to improving yourself as a motivator the same principle applies. Learn from "other people's experience".
In addition to what you learn from me, make it a point to watch other presenters who you think do a great job. Pay attention to how they present and what makes them interesting. For example, if you have a Pastor or Rabbi that delivers great sermons week after week… study their style. Take time to ask them what they believe keeps the audience involved and listening.
