In many ways, the evolution of women in society has come a long way. 100 years ago, women were finally granted the right to vote but nonetheless faced countless other obstacles to their independence and their ability to grow, at least in a professional sense. Even in the speaking industry, female motivational speakers, coaches, or consultants might have seemed radical at one time or another.
Thankfully, many of these roadblocks have since faded. And although there’s still work to be done, there’s arguably never been a better time for women to become speakers or to advance their speaking careers. Want evidence? Look no further than Mel Robbins or Michelle Obama. Both of these women built speaking into their primary professions. Then, they turned it into one of their most well-known skills.
But new opportunities bring new challenges. To make it as a female motivational speaker today, you need to know how you want to present yourself and the message you want to deliver. Plus, you need to have the right array of top-notch qualities, both professionally and personally.
With that in mind, let’s break down examples from some of the best female speakers out there. That way, you can learn from their skills. Who knows? Maybe next time we publish a list like this, we’ll be highlighting you!
They tell stories exceptionally well.
The second thing successful female motivational speakers do is master the art of storytelling. It’s no great secret that storytelling is a crucial part of speaking and, in a larger sense, thought leadership. It can persuade audiences to act, compel them to change their views, or educate them on complex topics while still making them memorable.
According to neuroeconomist, author, and speaker Paul Zak, achieving these ends comes down to two key elements of a story: tension and resolution. To hear Zak tell it:
“We discovered that, in order to motivate a desire to help others, a story must first sustain attention – a scarce resource in the brain – by developing tension during the narrative. If the story is able to create that tension then it is likely that attentive viewers/listeners will come to share the emotions of the characters in it, and after it ends, likely to continue mimicking the feelings and behaviors of those characters.”
In other words, if you, as the speaker, are able to build tension in your storytelling and maintain your audience’s attention, they’re more likely to absorb your message and leave your presentation inspired to act on it.
Consequently, in your own speeches and presentations, don’t merely aim to inform your audience. Aim to enthrall them. If you share your information as a story, you won’t just educate them but also inspire and motivate them. Win, win!
They’re passionate about their message
Third, the greatest female motivational speakers are always exceptionally passionate about their message. In many ways, passion may sound like an obviously necessary component of a good speech, but it’s also a tricky line to walk.
How can you show your passion and energy without seeming overexcited or manic, for instance? How can you share the arguments you’re passionate about without being pushy or argumentative? And, above all, how can you communicate why you’ve stayed passionate about your message for an extended period of time?
These questions are just a few of the angles to consider when preparing for a motivational speech, regardless of your gender. It’s also imperative that you tie your answers into the two topics we covered previously, namely the storytelling aspects of your speeches and your own authenticity. That way, your audience can see a clear path from who you are to what you believe to why they should believe it, too.
In short, as author and speaker Nicholas Boothman stated in his 2002 book, “It’s much easier to be convincing if you care about your topic. Figure out what’s important to you about your message and speak from the heart.”
They know what they’re talking about.
In addition to passion, the most successful female motivational speakers can back up their rhetoric with evidence. Like arguing in a debate, the best speeches incorporate evidence from at least one of two sources to make their case.
The first source is credentials. Because each speaker has their own unique approach to public speaking, it can be hard to compare speakers and even harder to argue that one is better than another. In fact, in most cases, neither is “better” than the other. They’re just different and each better than the other for specific events or industries.
That’s where credentials come in. In recent years, more and more speaking associations and industry organizations have offered certifications to help speakers stand out from the crowd. A few of the most common include the Certified Speaking Professionals (CSP) and Council of Peers Award for Excellence (CPAE) from the National Speakers Association and the Certified Virtual Presenter badge from eSpeakers.
That said, none of these awards are absolutely necessary to be a great speaker, and the second source of “evidence” can almost always outshine them. I’m talking about experience. It can be personal or professional, but many event planners won’t care if you don’t have a badge or certification to your name. Instead, they’ll want to know you have real-world experience with the topic at hand and so can empathize with their audience.
Obviously, the importance of each of these factors depends largely on the event and the planner in question. When building your own speaking portfolio, just remember to highlight at least some credentials or experience (or both!) to show why you’re an expert. Then, as you learn what matters more in your focus industry, you can give that area of evidence more of your time and energy.
They’re not afraid to be empathetic.
The fifth thing you’ll see among successful female motivational speakers is a simple one: empathy. For many new speakers, it can be tempting to lean into a stereotypical “persona” of speaking. There’s the “drill sergeant” persona, for instance, that presents their message bluntly, so as to not waste any time. On the other hand, there’s the “educator” whose speeches are like a lecture, extended in time and soft in tone.
But regardless of the speaking persona you build for yourself, it’s critical that you include an element of humanity. If you’re speaking to salespeople whose numbers are down, share an experience of your own, where you were struggling to sell your products or services. If you’re speaking to an audience that’s looking for direction, share a memory of when you felt lost.
Essentially, whatever you’re speaking about, the goal is to empathize with your audience. By expressing your familiarity with their emotions and their experiences and by being vulnerable about your own shortcomings, audience members are more likely to connect with your message and remember you after you leave.
In short, with your own speeches, remember that a good speech doesn’t have to be full of commands and instructions. The best ones also include how the speaker can relate to the hardship their audience may be experiencing. That way, everyone in the audience knows they’re being listened to, just as they’re listening to the speaker in return.
They give credit to those that inspire them
Sixth, the best female motivational speakers – really, the best speakers, period – are humble. We’ve all seen speeches in which the speaker seems to focus on themselves too much. You might have heard the “humblebrag,” where they offhandedly mention something that flatters them. The other common one is oversharing the “evidence” component of a speech that we covered earlier.
On the flip side of that, however, is the ideal speaker, one that balances their credentials and experience with humility. These speakers share their applicable experiences, including those that show them at a point of weakness. They own up to their mistakes, admit that they’re still working to improve, and give credit to the people that helped them get where they are.
Ultimately, the best speakers are always looking to get better, including sharing the speakers and thought leaders they look to for inspiration themselves. Likewise, as your speaking business grows and you achieve some level of fame and fortune yourself, remember to show your audiences your gratefulness for it. It’ll make you and your message appear more approachable. Plus, to make mistakes and to change is human! Showing your flaws is only going to make audience members want to connect with you more.
They don’t shy away from tough topics
The next trait of successful female motivational speakers is similar to the first one about breaking rules. For many female speakers, besides being instructed on how to look and speak, they’re also encouraged to avoid certain topics, mainly for the sake of comfort. In fact, for many years, hard-to-hear topics like sexual assault, systemic racism, or drug addiction were not just avoided but flat-out ignored, even though they’re undeniably important.
In these cases, the best female speakers would say, “I’ll share what needs to be heard, not what’s most comfortable”. Each of the aforementioned topics – not to mention the countless other issues affecting our world every day – is definitely worth talking about, and if you have a related story or viewpoint to share, even better! Even if a subject seems a bit risky, I can almost guarantee that there is someone out there that wants or even needs to hear about it.
With this in mind, when planning your speeches or presentations, go after what you’re passionate about, not what others tell you is “appropriate”. It can be one of the topics mentioned above. Alternatively, your main focus can be a common topic balanced with your own raw and vulnerable experiences. Whatever your take – and regardless of whether or not everyone is comfortable with it – remember that you can’t make everyone happy, and sometimes the tough topics are the ones the world truly needs to hear more about.
Their presentations are clear and concise
The eighth thing successful female motivational speakers do is keep it short and sweet. Unlike this blog, some of the most impactful speeches have been remarkably short.
The Gettysburg address, for instance, was famously only about three minutes long. However, within those three minutes, then-U.S. President Abraham Lincoln was still able to rally the Union troops onwards to win the American Civil War. I think we can all agree that’s a lot of punch in a small package.
Likewise, the great speakers of every gender know that a speech doesn’t have to be an hour and a half long to make a mark in the audience. It doesn’t have to incorporate visual aids, audience participation, or interactive elements. And, most importantly, it doesn’t have to be overly wordy.
When in doubt, I always recommend remembering the following quote by Einstein: “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough”. In other words, you’re an expert in your field with valuable knowledge and experience to share. Don’t feel pressured to “glam” up your arguments with extra words, activities, or flash. Just keep it clear and concise, so the audience is compelled to pay attention and able to leave with a higher level of understanding. That’s what matters most.
They balance education with humor
Speaking of humorous speakers, I mentioned above the importance of speaking frankly rather than by “sugar-coating” hard-to-hear messages. But, when speaking – and especially when speaking about tough topics – it’s also important to balance education with humor.
From a social standpoint, it’s no secret that the most sought-after speakers tend to be ones that make us laugh. In a previous SpeakerFlow article, for example, we shared ten of the most popular motivational speeches as well as what aspiring motivational speakers can learn from them. Among these examples were commencement speeches by Jim Carrey and Matthew McConaughey. For both of these cases, these men may have been chosen originally for their fame but ultimately stole the show with their ability to make the audience laugh.
Conversely, from a scientific standpoint, humor has even been proven to improve memory. In recent years, multiple studies have even cited the use of humor as a significant factor in whether or not their subjects were able to recall the adjoining educational content.
In the end, the key is to remember no one likes to hear “You could be better if…” but everyone likes to laugh. Balancing jokes with education makes the latter more memorable. Plus, it’ll make you more relatable and approachable in the eyes of your audience. Plus, it’ll make them more likely to pay attention for the duration of your presentation.
Their visual aids are eye-catching but simple
Tenth on our list of tips from successful female motivational speakers is the use of visual aids. Like most experiences, the more senses you engage during a speaking presentation, the better your audience members tend to remember your content. During a group event, like church, for example, you might listen to someone speak before joining together in song. At a lecture, you might follow along with the professor’s notes using a notebook or worksheet.
By combining auditory and visual content, specifically, however, you not only boost audience engagement in the moment. You also, by preparing a visual presentation, give audience members something they can take home with them to remember it by (assuming you offer to share your slides, of course). This is because humans naturally remember visual information better than spoken words.
Their speeches are well-practiced but not memorized
The eleventh thing successful female motivational speakers master is arguably the most important: comfort with their speaking abilities.
If you’re like me, public speaking is no easy feat, and even if you can fake it on stage, long presentations are exhausting. A large part of the time, to avoid this outcome – and try to quell some of my nerves – this means memorizing my speech. I can’t mess up if I know it word-for-word, right?
Wrong… well, kind of wrong. Memorization is all well and good. But, if you choose to memorize your speech, it’s important to make it look like you didn’t. Below are a few tips to work into your presentation:
Take lots of pauses. Speaking abnormally fast makes you appear less confident.
Don’t be afraid of messing up. Everyone does it, so if you stumble over your words, just pause and laugh it off. Then, move on.
Be mindful of your body language. Showing confidence in your speaking material is as much about how you carry yourself as it is about your language.
Vary your cadence and tone. In a normal conversation, you wouldn’t be monotone. You’d emphasize important points with volume or speaking speed. The same should be true for the important parts of your speech.
All in all, it’s easy to get bored when you can tell someone’s said the same thing a thousand times. If they speak naturally, it’s more engaging and they come across as a greater authority. In your own speeches, keep this in mind, so you can come across as confident and authentic every time.
They provide actionable steps for their audience
Last but not least, the greatest female motivational speakers always remember that actions speak louder than words. No matter how inspiring or revolutionary a speech may be, the key is to provide audience members with concrete examples and takeaways, so they can leave the event with a plan of action. Otherwise, the speech is just a bunch of words and wasted time, for them and the speaker.
For example, if you’re speaking live (in-person or virtually), include a reminder at the end of each section. Then, at the end of your speech, repeat the reminders you covered. That way, your audience has a list of sorts at the top of their mind as they leave the event.
Additionally, if you’re recording a speech that will be presented at a later date, consider providing post-event resources (i.e. actual lists of action items). This can be a workbook, a one-page PDF – whatever suits the length and topic of your presentation. When in doubt, consulting with the event organizer is always a good idea, too.
In the end, even if you’re inspired by a speech, the best way to show it is to follow through. For your audience members, the same is also true. By giving them detailed “to-dos,” you ensure they make the most of their experience with you.
