Kriss motivates

I am frequently introduced as a Motivational Speaker, which I always
rebut. I like to say I am not a motivational speaker, but I am an expert on
motivation. It seems semantics, but it is not. Motivational Maps, my product
and company, have developed a language and a metric for motivation. In a sense,
then, we are a ‘science’ of motivation, and not what I like to call ‘Ra-ra’
motivation – which is to say, a motivational speaker!

Why is this important? Well, in one sense it’s not. There’s plenty of
space for both approaches – key note motivational speakers, and the foot
soldiers who work out exactly what does motivate people, and what’s the tool
kit that can unlock motivation? But I guess I have been contrasting myself with
Ra-ra speakers for so long that they have almost become the enemy!

It was so refreshing yesterday then, at the HTI Leadership HQ in Coventry to meet the
great former athlete and now Motivational speaker, Kriss Akabusi. This came
about as Kriss was on a course run by my great friend, Mark Turner of
Motivational Maps Education: http://www.motivationalmapseducation.com/about-motivational-maps.asp
. I had the
opportunity to have lunch with
him and subsequently to interact for part of the afternoon session.

No surprise to learn how motivated
he was and is – and so much laughter – and a surprising lack of self-importance
for such a famous athlete. Yes, I would certainly use Kriss as a motivational
speaker at my next international conference! And who knows – since we haven’t
had one yet – but my South African colleagues say they want to host it in South Africa in
2011! The name’s there then. If you are looking for a motivational speaker –
try Kriss. Naturally, once he’s fired up your troops and everyone’s ready to
march, then call in Motivational Maps for the journey – but I would say that,
wouldn’t I?