John Hersey Leadership Blog

Any company that cares for its personnel and recognizes their value as the moving force behind its business’ success, especially during hard times, will definitely invite a motivational speaker to boost their pride and knowledge.

By planning a seminar for your employees, you are surely working towards improving your company’s productivity, sales, and image.  In past years, a company’s worth was thought to be on the equipment it possessed. Today, people are a company’s insurance for success so, instead of upgrading equipment, the leadership team should be working on upgrading its staff’s performance and quality of life.

Yes, motivational talks not only improve performance, skills, and motivation, but they also improve the way in which the individual perceives his life and the world around him.  Through these talks, you are demonstrating that you care about the person behind the job title. Employees feel valued, and in turn, it makes them value your company much more.  This is why it is important not only that you hire a motivational speaker but that you hire the right one.

But, how exactly do you hire the right speaker to benefit you as much as your staff?  Here is how:

1.    Research locally
Due to budget, and even more so if you are making this a regular practice, you should research local motivational speakers, because they mean savings in travel, lodging, and professional fees.  However, NEVER sacrifice quality to practicality.

2.    Look for referrals
Good motivational speakers are widely known in certain industries.  Make sure you ask your colleagues and acquaintances for referrals, and go into several motivational speakers’ websites to read the testimonials.  The best way to find the best is by listening what others have to say about him.

3.    Do not judge by the website
Remember that websites are a source of information that reach many people, thus, they tend to be ‘general’.  Most motivational speakers tailor their presentations to fit a company’s specific needs and are open to new ideas and proposals, so it is imperative that you talk to them personally in order to know exactly what they can do for you, your staff, and your company.

4.    Ask what other things they offer
Some motivational speakers who also happen to be authors may offer their books at a special price or as part of the deal.  They may also add one or two free coaching sessions after the event.

5.    Ask if they can provide a breakout session for a lower cost
Since the speaker is already on site, sometimes you can talk him into delivering a short breakout session for a different group in the company after the main event, for a much lower cost.  The speaker’s main goal is to satisfy his clients and give added value, thus, flexibility is the norm.

6.    Ask for permission to record the event
In this way you can make it available for new employees and use it, when pertinent, in future events or for specific training sessions.  You can even invite some clients over and show them the material so that they can experience your staff training vision and mission, reinforcing your image and professionalism.

7.    Maybe you can pay the speaker with your product or service
You may not be able to negotiate the whole fee, but perhaps part of it.  If you work or own a hotel, restaurant, or spa, the speaker may want to exchange some of your services for his.

Thinking about your staff’s wellbeing and professional growth is a priority if you want to succeed in today’s business world.  No more are business and life two separate things. Nowadays, one complements the other and are intrinsic to mutual success.  Consider this the next time you are thinking about ways to boost your people’s inspiration, and let the motivational speaker do his job.

Become the Leader Your Company Needs. Get My 6 FREE Leadership Videos Here: www.JohnHersey.com

Sophocles once said: “It can be no dishonor to learn from others when they speak good sense”, and leaders know that’s true.  The best-kept secret of leaders is that they all have had at least one mentor who has taken them far ahead in their success.  It could take decades to become successful in a given field, however a mentor can help you get there much faster.

Through his experience, advice, and support, a mentor can help you avoid the most common mistakes when striving for success; he helps you get over the most difficult of problems, and teaches you shortcuts to reach your goals.

You can get a mentor at any time during your career; the thing is that you should get one, because he will prove immensely valuable in helping you build leadership skills like decision making, strategic thinking, planning, coaching, and managing people.  Mentors are also great sources of wisdom, they will teach you lessons on persistence, determination, on surrounding yourself with the strongest people you can find, on the truth about the business- the first sale triggers it all, on what fights are worth fighting and are yours to solve, and on the importance of quality in every sense, to name just a few.

You may not know what you have to learn next to get you higher up, but someone who has already been there most certainly does.  The choice of the right mentor can decide your future.

And, how do you get a mentor?  Identify within your field four successful leaders who have retired within the past two to five years.  Write these four persons a short letter expressing your genuine respect for their careers, and mention specific achievements that have inspired you.  Following, ask for advice on your career.  Invite them to lunch or ask for a quick call, but don’t offer them money for their help… not yet.  Most probably, one of them will accept your invitation and will take the time to talk to you.  If you like each other, you have found a mentor.

You should work on a list of the goals you want to work with your mentor.  What do you want from him?  What is it that you have to learn?  What can he teach you?  You should monitor your progress so as to get the best out of your time with him.

You and your mentor have a learning relationship.  He is your learning coach and you should be able to talk to him freely, because you trust him and his advice, feedback, and support.  He will help you focus on your goals and direct you towards success faster.

Your mentor will tell you which skills are most valuable in your field, and will advise you on business opportunities and different ways to succeed; however, he will not tell you how to do your job.  He is there to guide you, give you feedback, and share his experience, but you will have the last word as to what to do in a given situation.  He will not have all the answers, but he can advise you to the best of his knowledge so that you can find the way.

The relationship with your mentor must be cared for.  You have to acknowledge his value and reward him for it.  Remember that in the long run, your career will be very much affected, in a positive way, by his support.  Thank him regularly for his help and time, tell him what you have learned from him, and finally, offer to pay for his advice.  You should pay him what you feel is appropriate and what you can afford, but never less than what he thinks is fair.

You can also get more than one mentor, and it will skyrocket your experience.  With multiple mentors, you can compare points of view and ideas from various experts, as well as learn what is definitely one of the greatest secrets of success: that your ideas may not always be the best.

Become the Leader Your Company Needs. Get My 6 FREE Leadership Videos Here: www.JohnHersey.com