Motivational speaker Chad Hymas was my guest for this interview. He’s a friend and a colleague and although we are peers I’ve always looked up to him.

Not surprisingly Chad started by offering me a huge compliment. Which set off the start of the conversation because I was really interested to talk about emotional and social support with Chad. When I am a keynote speaker my clients asked me always to discuss the people side of business. And my main topic is social and emotional support as it relates to performance and bottom line growth.

And here Chad Hymas hit the ground running by giving me… The podcast host… emotional and social support! How cool is that!

I’ve seen Chad do this to others and his influence can be felt across the room. When he beams his spotlight on you you feel it. And magically when he becomes his spotlight on others you still feel it. It’s just a warm beam of sunshine.

I asked Chad if he was aware of this skill. I assumed he was but I wanted to learn more. 

Chad basically confirmed my suspicion; it’s a total skill but it’s not something he considers to be a skill.  I suppose other people might use this type of tactic to manipulate the people they are with, to sell more or Ledbetter or whatever. But Chad just speaks from the heart and this type of support it’s just natural for him he doesn’t see it as a tactic.

It’s a good reminder that complements acknowledgment and affirmations are good. But if they seem practiced or in authentic they mean nothing. I challenge you to watch the video again to watch how Chad makes things like this seem so effortless and absolutely Personal and from his heart. It’s a master class on emotional support.

Be Kind To Yourself. 

Chad and I also talked about being kind to oneself. In a very vulnerable portion of this conversation Chad discussed how hard it is for him to be kind to himself when he deals with the physical frustration of having a body that is 95% numb. Chad is a very devoted family man and husband and admitted that sometimes he’s hard on himself because he’s unable to do things that he would like to do. His accident has just prevented him from doing many of the things he wants to do. And he’s hard on himself he beats himself up. He is not going to himself.  

So he has a coach to help him remember how important this is and how to do it. He works every day at getting better not just as a business person or a speaker but as a husband and father and human.

I loved this portion of the conversation and loved Chad for being so open. All of us struggle. All of us have doubts. All of us wonder if we are good enough. And to know that this man who makes things look so easy regarding social and emotional support… Knowing that he struggles to was somehow soothing and comforting. I joked during the interview if there was any doubt that I love to chat before hand that portion of the interview sealed the deal.

Chad talked about texts he sent regularly to his children. He just tells them he’s proud of them and expand on that a little bit. What really interested me was that he does not tell them he loves them; he demonstrates of love through his actions… And through that text. I’m going to totally steal that idea. Thanks Chad.  

Emotional Support of Other Motivational Speakers

The timing for this podcast was perfect because I got to tell Chad about a recent experience. I was headed to one of my motivational keynote speeches… Which is a big deal because so few of my jobs have been in person due to Covid… And I was talking about my plans for this audience. My plan was to embrace my inner Chad Hymas. And what is meant to me, as I explained to Chad, was that I wanted to focus on just being present with the audience. Chad is so great at just being with the audience and making his personality and presence the most important thing, and recognizing that his material was important but secondary. I wanted to do that.

I told Chad that I cannot be Chad Hymas but that does not mean I cannot learn from him! 

They Will Do Things for Others…

It’s hard for me not to talk business with Chad. But with Chad business and life are always overlapping. He talked about how his job on stage as a keynote speaker is not necessarily to work with the people in the audience. It’s to let the audience understand that the real power is when they go home and influence the people in their lives. Their workmates and their families. He said “people will do things for others they will not do for themselves.”

Wow. That’s a powerful thought. So often as a motivational speaker we are hired to somehow fire up any given audience. But to recognize that the best way to fire up an audience is just to remind them how influential they are… How significant they are… It’s the only thing we really need to do.

Chad and I talked about so many things… And I think we could have gone on for hours… But there is one last thing I want to summarize in this article. Chad is frequently building up others. And he usesthis technique to build up himself.

I know Chad would never publicize this but he was frequently called to talk to or interact with people who are going through difficult change. Whether they have become paralyzed through an accident like Chad was, or or dealing with other very difficult issues Chad knows he could help because of his very unique experience.

He told a story where he visited a dying man in the hospital who was completely depressed… Enough so that he did not want to see any family not even his wife in the hospital. He wanted to die lonely. He felt like a burden and that he was not worthy. Chad was able to visit him and just explain that Chad fully understood what it’s like to feel like a burden, to feel that you’re not worthy, and do not fully love yourself.

Long story short; that night the man invited his family into the hospital where they brought in his favorite foods and broke bread and or a family together. I might be a magician but Chad knows how to do real magic.

It won’t surprise you to know how motivational speakers really rely on each other. We teach each other and learn from each other and console each other. We encourage and complain and learn together. This job is very unique and there just aren’t many people who perform at a high-level as motivational speakers. So my friendship with Chad has always been precious to me.

What I learned from Chad is really difficult to articulate. He is a master on stage and fully understand the techniques strategies and crafts of being a motivational speaker. But I don’t think those techniques are what make a speaker great. It’s something else. It’s the X factor.

 It’s an ability to connect and be vulnerable in a way that pulls your audience in and makes them feel that what you have to say is relevant.

Chad Is on of the top motivational speakers for sure.  I’m lucky we are pals. 

Thanks Chad!  Let’s do this again!!!