What are the most effective ways to create a motivational speaking program for a multigenerational workforce?

2 Define your objectives

Once you have a clear picture of your audience, you need to define the objectives of your motivational speaking program. What do you want to achieve with your program? What are the specific outcomes or results that you expect from your program? How will you measure and evaluate your program's success? Your objectives should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, an objective could be: "To increase employee engagement by 10% within six months by delivering a series of motivational speeches on the company's vision, values, and culture."

3 Craft your message

The next step is to craft your message for your motivational speaking program. Your message should be clear, concise, and compelling. It should also be relevant and relatable to your audience. You can use stories, anecdotes, examples, or data to illustrate your points and connect with your audience emotionally. You can also use humor, metaphors, or analogies to make your message memorable and engaging. Your message should have a clear structure: an introduction that grabs attention, a body that delivers the main points, and a conclusion that summarizes and calls for action.

4 Deliver your speech

After you have prepared your message, you need to deliver your speech effectively. You need to consider the format, the venue, the timing, and the technology of your speech. You also need to adapt your delivery style to suit your audience. For example, you may need to use more visuals, interactive activities, or social media for younger generations, while you may need to use more formal language, authority, or testimonials for older generations. You also need to use your voice, body language, and eye contact to convey confidence, enthusiasm, and sincerity.

5 Engage your audience

One of the most important aspects of motivational speaking is to engage your audience throughout your speech. You need to make your audience feel involved, interested, and valued. You can use various techniques to engage your audience, such as asking questions, soliciting feedback, encouraging participation, or creating a dialogue. You can also use social media, polls, quizzes, or gamification to create a more interactive and fun experience. You should also be responsive, attentive, and respectful to your audience's comments, questions, or concerns.

6 Follow up with your audience

The last step is to follow up with your audience after your speech. You need to reinforce your message, provide additional resources, and solicit feedback. You can use email, phone, or social media to stay in touch with your audience and remind them of the key points and actions from your speech. You can also provide them with links, articles, videos, or podcasts that support your message and help them learn more. You should also ask them for feedback on your speech, such as what they liked, what they learned, and what they would improve. You can use this feedback to evaluate your program and improve your future speeches.