Motivational Speakers

One of the blogs I follow posted a delightful review, somewhat cynical, but certainly humorous, of a motivational speaker.  It was difficult to resist smiling.  I'm reminded of motivational speakers of the past.

My favorite motivational speaker was Lou Holtz the former Notre Dame football coach. The company I worked for was a big financial supporter of that college.  Mr. Holtz was brought in to help motivate our executives.  I was not invited.  He had a canned presentation, perhaps including a book, in which he pontificated that you needed to separate your people into two groups, eagles and ducks.  Attendees were required to start naming people, not at the meeting, who belonged on one list or another.  My name ended up on the 'duck' list.  Someone also added the office manager, employee #2 in the company, a close confidant of the owner to the duck list.  This caused heated conversation.  The speakers opinion was that everyone could have their own opinion.  The business owner wanted everyone to agree on his allocation of duck and eagle designees.

Paul Wellstone was a former university professor who became a progressive Minnesota U.S. Senator.  Unfortunately he died in a small plane accident.  His campaign was highlighted by his travels around the state in a green school bus, the creative idea of one of our organizations later speakers/advisors.   Attending several of our planning sessions he was noted (and ridiculed) for his mullet haircut.  Nothing of what he said is remembered.  We did have a squishy football or something that we would throw to someone if we wished them to speak or comment.  Throwing accuracy was never a strength for me.  Attempting to get it to a co-worked I whipped it hard, missed my target and smacked someone unintended in the face.  The consultant was later convicted of fraud and spent five or six years in prison.  Now he works in the basement of a restaurant writing Tweets or something.

Steve Covey's "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" was a major best seller.  I bought a copy missing the back cover for $1.  While it's been ten or more years since I read it I recall not of the habits.  It did motivate me to note on my list of books I should write something like "The Seven Habits of Less-Than-Effective People."  The speaker was not Mr. Covey but a gentleman claiming to be part of Covey's speaking bureau and certified to teach the methods.  He never showed up for the second of a multi-day presentation.  Apparently like all good consultants he simply photocopied all the materials, not paying whatever he was supposed to to Mr. Covey.  Thinking hard I guess we may have covered two of the seven habits in that first session but I don't remember them either.

Daytimer's were the key to organization for many people before we became hooked on computers and smart phones.  I remember there was even a Daytimer store at Rosedale, a large Twin Cities regional mall.  You could buy all sorts of covers, inserts, replacement supplies and calendar pages for this paper based system.  The speaker talked for three hours about the effectiveness of the system.  No time for questions.  We were all expected to get on the Daytimer system.  When the office manger, the duck mentioned earlier, came to me and asked what I needed to order I asked if I could have the leather-bound version.  "No."  Pleading that the leather-bound version would make me feel better served no purpose was met with a final "no."  The duck actually became a bit of a friend although I always referred to her as "dragon lady" behind her back.  The conversation was closed when I commented that I did not think the Daytimer system was not going to work for me.  She indicated that I would need to talk to the President.  This was one of many Gilbert moments.

Beck Weathers (sp?), a physician, failed in his attempt on a Mount Everest summit.  I don't remember if it was high-altitude sickness, lack of conditioning or extreme conditions but he was left high on the mountain when he could no longer continue.  That is standard in high-altitude mountaineering.  Everest is one of those ascents that is a high-priced carnival.  Knowing a bit about Everest and mountaineering in general I was pre-disposed to not listen or care about this guy's story.  He spent the night in the "death zone" without oxygen, assumed dead by everyone.  Somehow in daylight he got to his feet and descended unattended.  He did lose most or all of his fingers, perhaps some toes (likely all ) and his nose.  That's tough for a physician.  He became a motivational speaker.  The cynic in me really kicked in on this one.  Mountaineering is tough and I understand people who want to go and those that don't and I understand what preparation is needed and predictable sources of failure.  I don't want to sound like Donald Trump but I just was not interested.  Motivation, encouragement, challenge and reward is simply much different in the office or cubicle than it is on a 6000 meter hill.  Frankly it's a lot different than motivation or discipline on Lou Holtz's astroturf, too.

Over many years our (their's) organization was a big United Way supported.  Each year the campaign began in the same manner.  A United Way loaned executive would compliment the people and discuss the mechanics and schedule of the campaign.  The featured speaker would be someone who faced life challenges and benefited from an agency funded in whole or in part by United Way.  Finally our own employees, on the "United Way Committee", would explain how we were going to "have some fun while doing some good."  I really cannot comment on all of those.  Two stand out.  One was the President of Target talking about his quest to play all the great golf course of the world.  I don't know what that had to do with giving.  The other was a speaker from PPL.  This organization served the inner-city population, focused on teaching people how to work.  Try to wear decent clothes.  Show up on time.  Work when you are supposed to work.  Be polite.  Show up the next day.  Learn to be a decent human being.

PPL essentially said that they were not a big recipient of United Way funds.  They had some businesses that their clients worked at, learning basic work skills.  These businesses made some money and funded the program.

It seems that the skills to success are pretty simple.  Some people don't have those basic skills and need organizations like PPL.   Creating a culture of success certainly involves motivation and continual inward and outward observation and process improvement and correction.  I'd just skip the ducks and eagles and anyone publishing books that no one will remember.  Personally I like organizations that have small celebrations on Friday afternoon and impromptu as appropriate.  Have Joan Jett come and play a set.

This is simply my opinion, but I'm generally self-motivated.