Here’s my advice: if you want to improve anything from your relationships to your career to a specific skill or tactic, get help. Ask your peers. Ask a mentor. Hire a teacher or coach. Get help from people who already know what you need to understand. But know that this type of improvement takes guts.
Let’s face it: your people know what to do when it comes to how to treat other people, but they don’t always do it. They don’t need more information or training—they need motivation. This is where I can be helpful: closing the gap between what they know and what they actually do.
Most of us have heard the theory that it takes 21 days to develop a habit. But in reality, it takes more than 21 days to create consistency for those things we really DON’T want to do. So, how can you motivate yourself to get beyond those 21 days to generate more positivity in your life?
We now present the third in a series of videos called…
For those of you who would rather read than watch, here is the transcript:
This is Brad Montgomery, of www.bradmontgomery.com with the third in a series of top mistakes people make when choosing or hiring a motivational or inspirational speaker.
One of the mistakes people make is that they’re thinking we really need an energy boost for our convention or our meeting, so we want it to be funny. Okay. That’s a good idea. But the mistake is they end up hiring somebody who is very funny but has no relevance to business or government or whatever your association is. They don’t connect their humor to what they are trying to achieve with their organization. Huge mistake.
We found a few posts, videos and stories from Brad’s past, and thought it would be fun to re-publish them here. So pour yourself a cup of coffee, put on some classic rock, and check out this classic blog post from a decade (ish) ago.
So, here’s the deal. If you want someone to be really, really funny—like comedian style—like really funny and you want a completely solid business message—if you want the message to be completely relevant with what you and your organization are trying to achieve—it is possible. You just have to make sure you’re asking the right questions and make sure you book the speaker who can deliver both. Like me. I can do both. I’m very proud of that.
I don’t mind telling you I started out as a comedian. I didn’t use to be able to do both. And then I’ve authored a couple books and worked for a few hundred clients and I’ve interviewed all these people. And I get the concept of really delivering the meat but at the same time making sure that they’re laughing all the way through.
So, if you’re looking to book a funny, motivational speaker, that’s a great idea. Just make sure that they’re not just funny. Make sure that they also have a complete, concrete tie-in to whatever it is you’re trying to communicate to your people.
I’d love to be part of your team. You can contact us through the web site at www.bradmontgomery.com . Give us a call and tell us what you’re trying to accomplish with your meeting or convention, and we’ll do our best to see if we can’t help you get there. Have a great day.
Looking for a motivational speaker for your event? Contact me here
Employees leave their jobs for many reasons. Sometimes it’s because of the money, but most of the time it’s not. Proper compensation is excellent, but managers and business owners should understand that employees need more than financial growth. Let me explain to you the four reasons good employees leave.
Why do we do what we do? This question has boggled psychologists for decades. Up until now, there is no clear-cut answer to this million-dollar question. Theories are the best bet we have at the moment, from B.F. Skinner’s operant conditioning to Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
The Nature of Motivation
But although this field is still up for debate and research, one thing is clear: motivation is the reason we do what we do. Its literal meaning, after all, is the desire to do something. Be it waking up early in the morning to jog or working overtime on a weekly basis, it is what keeps us going. Without motivation, we will have neither the desire nor the energy to do something we deem productive.
At its core, motivation has three key components. The first element is activation, in which the person decides to initiate the action. After activation comes persistence, which signifies the effort the person exerts to overcome obstacles and fulfill the goal. The last component is intensity – the amount of vigor spent to achieve the goal.
Where the motivation comes from is a different discussion. Psychologists say that motivation can either be intrinsic or extrinsic. The former comes from within, meaning you actually want to do the action. Personal gratification is the keyword here. The latter is all about the external factors that drive us to complete an action, from tangible rewards (e.g. money, awards) to social recognition.
Psychology, Productivity, and Your Workforce
So how does the psychology of motivation relate to business? It’s fairly simple. Without motivation, any company would stagnate and eventually go bust. A business depends on the people under its employ, which means that the performance of the staff members dictates how well the company competes with the rest of the market. Without its staff fulfilling basic and crucial tasks, there would be no running enterprise to begin with.
Now, think of a situation where the workers have no motivation whatsoever to finish their job. The company won’t meet its goals, and there would be no way for the business grow. Should this trend continue, the business will crash.
For this reason, it is important to ensure that your workforce has the proper motivation to do well in their respective jobs. This is where Brad Montgomery and his team steps in. As one of the top motivational speakers in the country, Brad has the skill to bring out the best in your employees and make sure that they continue to perform excellently in their roles.
Contact us today for more information about Brad’s services.
Inspiration is everywhere, and nothing motivates people better than something to aim for. We think that what we do here isn’t really about motivating people to do the things they need to get done, per se. We help them find the reasons they need to motivate themselves. This is probably a more effective approach, since it allows people to find the answers for themselves.
Finding Motivation in Strange Places
Motivation is notoriously difficult to find, especially considering the prevailing attitude about it is that it’s the one that’s supposed to find you. This is a passive approach that takes forever to fulfill, and the ones waiting for motivation to hit usually never recognize it when it does.
Make no mistake, motivation can be found; it only takes a bit of imagination with regards to the places where people can look. Most people will snicker at this, but the bathroom is one of the most underrated places for people to motivate themselves. It sounds weird, but hear us out, there are some valuable motivational lessons that we can learn in the john if we paid enough attention.
Appreciate the Little Things
Take note of urine color the next time you take a pee break and congratulate yourself if it’s clear. This means you’re properly hydrated. The devil is in the details in most everything we do. If we don’t stop to acknowledge the small things we’re doing right, we’ll never be happy even with the big things.
Give Yourself Small Goals
Do you know those small mint things they put in urinals? Don’t you ever want to see that thing melt away? That’s what one of our correspondents tried to do. He went to the bathroom every chance he could pee in the same urinal, just to melt the little mint completely.
Did he accomplish anything by sticking to this quest so religiously? Many would argue that he didn’t, but it misses the point. The fact of the matter is, this man gave himself a goal, and he pushed through with it until he succeeded. Work is almost always small tasks that slowly build into bigger ones over time. Stick to the small goals and you’ll slowly chip away at the big prize.
This isn’t the usual advice most motivational speakers give their audience (maybe for good reason), but these off-beat lessons need sharing. If you’re looking for a speaker that’s not afraid to go to new places to help motivate your company, contact us today. We’ll surprise, excite, and do whatever it takes to stimulate your workforce.
Although introverts make up half of the population, most of them still have to thrive in an extrovert-oriented world. In the workplace, an employee’s ability to lead should not only be characterized by their charisma and likeability. As an organization that cultivates employee confidence and productivity, we believe that with the right supervision, introverted employees can shine in the workplace.
In her book titled “Quiet Influence: The Introvert’s Guide to Making a Difference,” Jennifer Kahnweiler gives us an insight of how introverts can leverage their strengths to become highly effective movers of society.
Who Are the Introverts in the Workplace?
Most recruitment officers would go for candidates who are outgoing and charismatic. By doing this, they have closed their doors to those who might have been better assets to the organization. Introversion is simply a temperament or a preference.
A common negative trait associated with introversion is shyness. In fact, not all introverts are shy. They just happen to be quiet. Workplace introverts are those who do not ask too many questions during orientations and meetings. They are the ones who work quietly, do not engage in small talk and leave the office on the dot to avoid interaction.
How Introverts Can Shine in the Workplace
Quietness is not entirely negative. Introverts value their solitude, which means that they have a higher degree of self-awareness. People who are more self-aware tend to be more sympathetic and compassionate towards other people. Though they may appear passive and apathetic at times, they are actually more pensive; thus, careful and wise with their words and decisions.
Introverts reveal their talents and interests in in-depth conversation and focused dialogue. To inspire introverts to lead, managers should give them tasks that will most likely bring out their creativity. Research links creativity as a common trait among introverts. They tend to be more productive if an activity or a task brings out the inner artist in them. It will come as a surprise that the person whom everyone perceived to be submissive is actually the one to break the status quo and inspire innovation.
Introverted employees usually shy away from public speaking. As an organization, you should not just let them stay in their comfort zones. Give them opportunities to shine and put their skills and talents to good use. Contact us today and help groom them to become effective and confident public speakers and leaders.
You have a great team of employees that constantly exceeds your expectations. They seem to be enthusiastic and motivated, as well as passionate about the work they are doing. The only problem is, they are leaving one by one. They are sending you resignation letters, and you do not have an idea how to stop it.
It’s sad. When employees seem to have one too many bad days, they may be thinking of leaving their job behind. Employee retention these days is more than just about making employees happy in the present. It is also important to consider their happiness and satisfaction for the long term.
Here are a few reasons why employees are packing their bags, and insight on what you can do to keep this from happening:
No Career Growth
It is extremely important for employees to have the ability to grow in their career path. This is why employers need to ask team members about their own goals and expectations. It is always important to find out the skills they want to sharpen or acquire. It is also advisable to offer leadership training and mentorship programs.
When you give employees the tools they need, they will be motivated to achieve their professional goals. They will also be motivated to come to work and contribute to the company’s success.
No Success Contribution
Employees want to know that their work affects the company. The bad news is, team members are just compensated for their performance, and not how they contribute to the organization’s overall success. It can be disappointing to know that they are just part of the process and not the result.
It always makes sense to give employees a share of the profit or reward them for their contribution. This will help make them feel like they are truly an important part of the organization, rather than just replaceable staff members. Profit shares, if feasible, will strengthen relationship with employees.
No Promotion Within
When employers do not promote from within, employees may feel the need to leave their jobs to advance at another company. If you have a new management position, you don’t always have to hire outside. It is always better to promote a top performer to save on time and resources spent on training someone new and unfamiliar with internal processes.
There are plenty of ways to inspire staff members. Brad Montgomery knows that employees need the right motivation to be happy and satisfied. As a trusted motivational speaker, he can inspire employees and help strengthen bonds within an organization. Contact Brad today and find out how he can inspire and motivate your employees.
Self-motivated employees are the most productive in the workforce. Managers are willing to give them more latitude and freedom with their work because of their productivity. However, this type of employee is difficult to find because several factors have to come together for this to happen. You, as a leader, have the power to instill a self-driving attitude in your employees by developing their intrinsic motivation.
Develop Intrinsic Motivation in Employees
An employee’s intrinsic motivation is their inherent drive to face new challenges and discover new possibilities—something that ties with their social and cognitive development within and outside the office. Social context situations such as rewards or feedback about work lead to experiences of competence and accomplishment. On the other hand, negative feedback does the opposite effect to a person’s intrinsic motivation.
Small things like thank you notes, acknowledgement of contributions and more latitude in work gives an employee confidence and sets the foundation for building intrinsic motivation. Before you start praising and rewarding your workforce, they must also display competence.
Autonomy must accompany competence for an employee to see that their behavior follows self-determination by intrinsic motivation. For this to occur, there should be an immediate contextual support for both. As a manager, you must meet the needs of your workforce to keep them motivated. You accomplish this through appropriate compensation, bonuses and other forms of material rewards based on performance. Other ways include; creating a culture and environment conducive for work and providing them with more than just monetary benefits.
Brad Montgomery Motivator Extraordinaire
Brad Montgomery is a motivational speaker for people who matter the most. Brad believes that your best assets in the organization are your people. He coaches companies and people about the various strategies to improve productivity and deliver results. He helps you motivate your workforce to find potential leaders and create an environment driven to succeed.
Contact us to learn more about the services offered.
