Hiring a Motivational Speaker for a Financial-Services Leadership Team: 4 Things to Consider

Posted on: 27 July 2016

Senior executives and business leaders often turn to external talent to help motivate their senior management teams. A motivational speaker can bring a new perspective that commands top managers' attention, but it's important to bring in the right sort of speaker. If you are thinking that you will hire a public speaker for your senior financial-services managers, consider the four following things that will help you choose the right person.

The balance between entertainment and message

A motivational speaker can boost morale and inform and excite your senior executives, but you'll also need an element of fun and entertainment to deliver a meaningful message. A motivational speaker can often adapt to different audiences, but the client needs to define the right balance. Talk to different speakers before you make a final decision to decide how you want to find the balance between fun and information, and carefully consider the personalities and styles of the people in the room. 

Inappropriate subject matter

Motivational speakers don't generally use profanities and adult humor, but you may have subjects that are off-limits, particularly in financial services. The financial-services industry is subject to various regulations related to financial conduct, so a motivational speaker may need some insight into matters that are off limits or too sensitive to discuss in this way. He or she will sometimes rely on the hiring client to define these matters.

Relevant subject-matter experience

Your senior team will have deep-rooted experience in financial skills ranging from risk analytics to pricing and actuarial processes. You're probably hiring a motivational speaker to broaden thinking and develop softer skills, but some subject-matter expertise in the financial industry is still useful. This knowledge can help the speaker relate specific scenarios and ideas relevant to the roles your people fulfill every day, and this can then bring the speaker's content to life.

The value of a referral

There are plenty of motivational speakers available on the market. You can often view video samples of their work online, or you could decide to hold interviews, but personal referrals and recommendations are also particularly useful. Reach out to colleagues in the financial-services industry to get names of speakers with proven experience in the field. A personal referral is often a more effective way to shape the content, too, as you can refer directly to a specific speech or session that people in your network tell you about.

Motivational speakers can help educate, motivate and inspire senior managers in financial services, but it's important to find a good fit for your people. Talk to a range of corporate speakers to find the right person.

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