This document discusses how leaders motivate and inspire others. It provides quotes that define motivation as getting people to want to do something, while inspiration urges people to act according to their authentic selves. The document then discusses common demotivators that leaders should seek to reduce or remove, such as lack of clarity or recognition. It suggests appealing to people's emotions and interests to motivate them towards short-term goals, while inspiration appeals to helping people fulfill their potential and make a contribution in alignment with their values.

1. Speak Like
a Leader
To Motivate
and Inspire
Christopher Witt
www.wittcom.com

2. Leaders motivate, inspire,
and influence others
to take the initiative,
work toward a common purpose,
accomplish tasks,
and achieve organizational objectives.
—The Army Field Manual on Leadership

3. Leaders establish
the vision for the future
and set the strategy for getting there.
They cause change.
They motivate and inspire others
to go in the right direction and they,
along with everyone else,
sacrifice to get there.
— John Kotter

4. “
Motivation is
the art of
getting people
to do what
you want
them to do
because they
want to do it.
”
- Dwight Eisenhower

5. “
If your actions
inspire others
to dream more,
learn more, do
more, and
become more,
you are a
leader.
”
- John Quincy Adams

6. Motivation
gives people incentives to take
action towards achieving shortterm goals.
Inspiration
urges people to act in accord
with their most authentic self.
To learn more about “How Leaders Speak,” go to
http://www.wittcom.com/how_leaders_speak_article.htm

7. To Motivate, First Un-demotivate
Identify those factors that demotivate…
 Rules
 Routines
 Procedures
 Practices
 Mindsets
 Relationships

8. Assume that people
start out motivated,
and that something has
demotivated them.

9. What demotivates
your people?
Photo courtesy of foilman at klickr.com

10. Common
Demotivators
 Lack of knowledge or ability
 Lack of clarity
 Lack of recognition
 Denial of self-initiation
 Overwork
 Favoritism
 Gossip / office politics
 Mistrust
 Miscommunication

11. More Common
Demotivators
 Being treated as disposable
or expendable
 Receiving inadequate
recognition and reward
 Bureaucracy and Red Tape
– Unproductive and
endless meetings
– Endless paperwork and
required approvals
– Insufficient training
– Failure to communicate
– Infrequent delegation of
authority
– Lack of a credible vision
- Harvard Business Review

12. How to Un-demotivate
1. Identify the demotivator.
2. Remove or lessen it, if possible and if
desirable.
3. Help people live with it, as necessary,
without feeling victimized…or to move on.

13. To motivate people, ask three questions.
1. What do you want them to do?
(Be clear, specific, immediate.)
2. How do you want them to do it?
3. Why would they want to?
“Because I told you
so” isn’t sufficient
reason…at least not
for adults.

14. What motivates your people?
Photo courtesy of AJU_photography at flickr.com

15. External Motivators
Money
Job security
Good working conditions
Good boss
Friendly people
Vacations

16. Internal Motivators
Interesting, challenging work
Opportunity to excel
Recognition
Self-fulfillment
Good relationships
Making a contribution
Self-determination

17. To Motivate People…
1.
2.
3.
4.
Tell them exactly what you want them to do.
Limit the time or effort that you’re asking for.
Appeal to their emotions.
Show them how their actions will benefit
them.
5. Share in the sacrifice.

18. Motivation
doesn’t last,
but neither
does a bath.
And you don’t
stop bathing,
do you?
- Zig Ziglar
Photo courtesy of Blackpit Shooting at flickr.com

19. Motivation
Inspiration
Motivation gives people incentives to take
action towards achieving short-term goals.
Inspiration urges people to act in
accord with their most authentic self.

20. Motivation
To see a motivational speech, go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwoXJernqCc
In the movie Patton, the general (played by
George C. Scott) , addresses his troop on the
night before battle.
His message is simple, direct, and immediate.
What does he want his troops to do?
To advance, never retreat, and kill the
enemy.
Why should they do what he wants them to?
Because if they don’t kill the enemy, the
enemy will kill them.

21. To hear an inspirational speech, go to
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/douglasmac
arthurthayeraward.html
General Douglas MacArthur was the Supreme
Commander of the Southwest Pacific Area
during World War II and a recipient of the
Medal of Honor.
In 1962 he spoke to the cadets at West Point.
His message was moving, personal, and
aspirational.
What does he ask of his audience?
To embody West Point’s code of “Duty,
honor, country.”
What does he offer in return?
The privilege of being an officer.
Inspiration

22. How to Inspire
• Be inspired.
• Lead by example.
• Show people that what they hope for is
possible.
• Tap into their dreams.
• Tell stories.
• Challenge them.

23. “If you want to build a ship,
don't drum up the men
to gather wood,
divide the work
and give orders.
Instead,
teach them to yearn
for the vast and endless sea.”
- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of The
Little Prince

24. “You must do the things you think you
cannot do.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
First Lady
Humanitarian
First Ambassador to the UN

25. Ideas in this presentation are drawn from the book…
“Few skills are more important to entrepreneurs than the ability to sell ideas... In Real
Leaders Don't Do PowerPoint, Christopher Witt offers solid advice, emphasizing the
importance of having a compelling message, making the whole event memorable and
ensuring that you – the messenger – are credible.”
– Fortune Small Business
Chris Witt of Witt Communications, LLC
chris@wittcom.com www.christopherwitt.com
Working with leaders who want to influence and inspire
audiences, and with technical experts who want to make
themselves understood by the rest of us.
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