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A motivational speaker is a
speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** In ...
who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. Such speakers may attempt to challenge or transform their audiences. The speech itself is popularly known as a pep talk. Motivational speakers can deliver speeches at schools, colleges, places of worship, companies, corporations, government agencies, conferences, trade shows, summits, community organizations, and similar environments.


Early motivational speakers

One of the earliest known motivational speakers and credited for what was considered his revolutionary work was
Ralph Waldo Emerson Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803April 27, 1882), who went by his middle name Waldo, was an American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, abolitionist, and poet who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. He was seen as a champ ...
(1803-1882) an American essayist, poet, and philosopher.


Techniques and theories

The two main theories for why motivational speakers may need to be externally searched out if to fill the need of content theory or the process theories. The content theories were created by different philosophers, such as
Abraham Maslow Abraham Harold Maslow (; April 1, 1908 – June 8, 1970) was an American psychologist who was best known for creating Maslow's hierarchy of needs, a theory of psychological health predicated on fulfilling innate human needs in priority, cu ...
,
Clayton Alderfer Clayton Paul Alderfer (September 1, 1940 - October 30, 2015) was an American psychologist and consultant known for further developing Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Biography Born in Sellersville, Pennsylvania, Alderfer obtained his BA in psychol ...
, Frederick Herzberg, and David McClelland. They focus on the inner workings and think of an individual and what will energize, stop behaviors, and keep it sustainable for long-term needs. These theories awknowledge that every individual is unique and has different needs in order to motivate them. The process theories focus on the explanation and analysis of different people and what will energize, stop behaviors, and keep it sustainable for long-term needs. Brought into perspective by Victor Vroom, B.F Skinner, Ruth Kanfer, and
Albert Bandura Albert Bandura (; December 4, 1925 – July 26, 2021) was a Canadian-American psychologist who was the David Starr Jordan Professor in Psychology at Stanford University. Bandura was responsible for contributions to the field of education and to ...
, it addresses the needs of learning and expectancy and realizes that individuals will make choices based on reward and compensation. Speakers try and show their audience about the positive outcomes that can happen in life and focus on the possible opportunities rather than the limits that people set themselves to.Hussain, R., Alam, Y., & Zahid, M. S. (2022). ‘Awaken the Giant Within’: Linguistic Explorations into the Art‎ of Delivering Motivational Talks. ''Jahan-e-Tahqeeq'', ''5''(1), 60-70. Using positively connated words rather than negative ones and gives charasmatic verbal and non-verbal social cues. Using their posture, eye contact, body language, facial expressions, and by dressing appropriately they can engage with the audience in a non-verbal way. They can change the tone of their voice, speech pattern, accent, and pitch to emphasize and show emotion behind what they are saying.


References

{{reflist Popular psychology