To celebrate March 
as Women’s History Month, and because #makeithappen is so energizing, this blog will break down the secrets of how a female motivational speaker can inspire and lead as only she can. Any manager or team member—male or female—can inspire others to their greater potential by using these tips to prepare well and connect with your audience.
Two Secrets to a Great Speech
I prepare for a speech the way that I prepare to negotiate: with great preparation and understanding of my audience. These two steps help build a memorable connection with the audience.
1. Set the stage with great preparation.
An invitation to speak is like a visa to visit a new country. To thrive there, you must understand the people, language and customs. You must do your homework to know your audience’s stress points—where they most need support, where they have the most at stake, where their greatest benefit can come from the simplest change. Achieving this level of understanding is what I call “360 Degree Awareness”—your vision extends into what is important to your audience.
This data helps pinpoint your most valuable message. Zoom in on what your listeners most want and what they most fear, and tailor your talk to those internal forces.
2. Find common ground with your audience.
No matter how well you know your audience, there is a common enemy to a successful speech. Fear is the reason most people feel more comfortable listening than speaking publicly. It’s easier to imagine bombing than succeeding. It’s easy to let the “what if’s” take over.
Fear evaporates when you find common ground with your audience. It’s not you vs. them; you are both on the same side. The audience has three issues with any speaker: Do I like you? Can you help me? Do I trust you? One great way to answer in the affirmative is through stories that establish your authority and understanding of what your audience is up against. When your audience can see that you have a clear picture of their struggles, and you can offer concrete steps to help them succeed, that’s a powerful connection.
Through empathy, a speaker often can invite an audience to connect deeply to her message. Any speaker increases confidence by knowing that the audience will benefit from what she or he has to say. The message is about them, not you.
Your Game Changer Takeaway
To successfully motivate others, you don’t have to speak to hundreds of people. A female motivational speaker knows that her actions speak the loudest. She must demonstrate that she cares through nonverbal cues as well as her words. The successful female motivational speaker draws from the same source as any other high achiever: a deep well of passion. As Helene Gayle, the inspiring leader of CARE points out, great passion will lead you to huge impact—no matter where you speak from or who you speak to.
Molly Fletcher helps inspire and equip game changers to lead well and with purpose. Her book, “A Winner’s Guide to Negotiating: How Conversation Gets Deals Done” (McGraw-Hill, 2014), draws on her decades as a sports agent and negotiator on behalf of pro athletes, coaches and broadcasters. Sign up here for our newsletter.
