Wazzup Pilipinas!
There
are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of motivational speakers all over the world. In
the Philippines alone, there are seminars and workshops happening everywhere all
year round – helping people improve their career, health, finances,
relationships, business and even spiritual awareness.
If
you have attended a few of these seminars yourself, it is very likely that at
least one Filipino motivational speaker stands out from the rest. Do you have
one or two favorite speakers? What do you like about them? What makes them
remarkable or unforgettable?
Motivational
speakers come in different shapes and forms. Some speakers are loud and
cheerleader-y, infecting the audience with a rah-rah-rah attitude. Others are low-key
and subtle, still others are funny as hell.
In
my 15 years as a motivational speaker, I’ve had the chance to share the stage
with different kinds of motivational speakers in the Philippines, and have
observed what worked and what didn’t. Some of the speakers I’ve met have even
come to me for training when they find out that I’m also a voice and speech
coach. Having been exposed to the public speaking arena led me to the
realization that there is no ONE RIGHT
WAY to deliver a motivational talk.
In
a single seminar, one speaker can be super serious and the next speaker can be
extremely funny, and both of them could be equally remembered as great speakers
by the audience. One technique can work very well for one speaker, and can be
an epic fail for another. That’s why when I teach public speaking, I don’t
focus so much on the “form” – stand like this, talk like that, hold the mic
like this, etc. Instead I teach how to cultivate one’s PRESENCE onstage.
So
what separates a Filipino motivational speaker from a GREAT one? Great
motivational speakers speak with a H.E.A.R.T.