I’ve often wondered what it would be like to be a schoolteacher. Many people look at professional speakers and corporate trainers as teachers, but there is one critical difference between these two professions. That difference involves the students, and how to motivate them. In school, the motivation is rather simple:
- “Behave or you’ll be sent to the principal’s office.”
- “If you don’t pay attention, you won’t get a good grade.”
- “If you don’t get good grades, you won’t get into a good school.”
- “If you don’t get into a good school, you might not get a good job.”
In corporate world, the motivation is somewhat different:
- “Pay attention or, I’ll send you to… you won’t get a… uh, please pay attention!”
Once we leave the hallowed halls of our educational institutions, using fear as a motivator ceases to be effective. Those who choose to be on a stage, a training room, or a conference room, must survive on their own wit and ability to motivate the room.
Sometimes I actually wish a student would stand up, look me in the eye, and say, “I really don’t see a need for me to be here! What’s in it for me to learn this material?” Does that sound rude or inappropriate to you? I happen to think it’s one of the most important questions a student can, and should ask. Don’t believe me? Let’s look at the alternative.
You walk into a room of ten people. Eight of them really want to hear your message, and they can’t wait to listen to what you have to say. Two of them, however, are not happy to be there. Maybe they were forced to go to this meeting by their bosses. Maybe the last time they went to a meeting like this, the presentation was a mess and a total waste of time. Maybe they’re just fed up with going to meetings that are of no value to them whatsoever. These people do not walk in with signs saying, “Not Happy to be Here!” Although they’re not actually verbalizing this question, they are thinking to themselves: “What’s in it for me?” It happens to be the most important question never asked.
It’s a shame this was rarely, if ever, modeled in our countless years of education, but let me model it loud and clear right here. Every presentation – I repeat – every presentation, should clearly address the benefits of learning what is about to be presented. The presenter needs to answer this question: “What’s in it for the student?” What’s more, this explanation should come at the very beginning of the presentation.
There’s no need take students on a journey that will allow him or her to somehow discover the answer to this question. If someone doesn’t see value in what you are about to say, why would he or she care what you are going to talk about? Why should they care about who you are, or where your information came from, or what your agenda is? If someone sees value in what you are about to say, he or she will be locked into your talk.
This seems like a good way for all kinds of teachers to begin each and every class. Should teachers do this? Yes. Do the good ones do this? Yes. But in the real world of corporate presentations, when speakers have to manufacture their own motivation, we need to answer the student’s question, “What’s in it for me?” as early in the presentation as possible. It is one of the most important steps you can take to motivate a room full of attendees, and it will help you to nail the presentation!
WIIFM ~ the #1 radio station in the world! : ) Good article Rob!
Funny, when I learned to sell, that’s how I was taught to remember it. I just never connected it with public speaking before… but I do now! Great hearing from you Neil.
Love love love this…When I first started presenting, I thought HOLDING the “reason” until later in the presentation was proper. Boy, was I wrong. Now, I get right to it and I see many more people taking notes and engaged. If you tell people what to expect you will get much more out of them and is no confusion. Thanks for this great piece. Way to BLart it out Rob!
Interesting. As a writer, from time to time I like holding that W.I.F.M. back a bit, but not as a speaker. If we don’t answer that question right off the bat, nothing else really matters. Thanks for posting Doug.
A good BLArticle topic as usual, Rob–but as a parent and the son of two schoolteachers, I have to take issue with your characterization of motivation in school. Sure–fear is one way–but the absolute wrong way. Really good schoolteachers motivate by getting to the WIIFM in many different ways. Some of that can be tangible results. Some of it can be game-based. Some of it can simply be helping students achieve the joy of mastering new concepts or skills–but in the school classroom just as in the rest of life, positive motivation is much more effective than negative motivation…..
Great point Nick, and thanks for the reminder. The best teachers I ever had DID in fact provide W.I.F.M.’s and motivated me through value and not consequence. Unfortunately for me, that was the exception rather than the rule because I believe the teacher who does that has to be self-motivated. Glad you pointed this out, and always glad to read your comments.
Great one, Rob! I often relay to the groups I am training how many times, as a student, I asked myself “why do I need to know this? How will it ever apply to my life?” I rarely received an answer to this question and sat through many seemingly meaningless lectures. It wasn’t until I was working a construction side job in college that I learned why I needed to know, and apply, the Pythagorean theorem. If only my teachers had told me way back when…my basketball coach did!
Great thought for the week, Rob! In rhetoric — the art of persuasion — this is referred to as, “The Need Step.” As in, “Why would I need this?” It speaks to the responsibility of keeping the listener’s attention through relevance. I think at the heart of the issue is for the speaker to hold the audience at such a high level of regard and respect that the listener’s time and attention is treated with the greatest importance. After all, none but God knows how much time each of us has on this earth. When I think of the great teachers I’ve had, they’ve all exemplified this in their interactions, along with the ultimate connection of caring.
You, Rob, are one of the great practitioners of this!
Blessings,
Will
When I remind myself to ask from my client’s perspective, “what’s in it for me,” results always come quicker.
Rob, sounds like it could be the old ‘me’, ‘me’, ‘me’….vs….the ‘you’, ‘you’, ‘you’….message! Taking the ’emphasis’ off of you – the speaker……and placing it on your listeners….
….This is what’s in it for YOU….! This is how YOU will benefit! This is how YOU will succeed!
….instead of….’this is who I am’! ‘This is why I’m a great teacher’! Etc., etc.
JM
“C.T.”
GREAT thinking Robert, Thank ypu for sharing with us.
Warm regards from México,
Octavio.
Thank you for sharing this way of thinking Robert.
Warm regards from Mexico,
Octavio.
Love it. Just tweeted it out. Sometimes, the way NEED is presented is to do a quick run down of their world and what could be the elephant in the room… When heads nod yes, you know they believe you are “one of them”.
Thanks, my friend
Rob,
Another good BLarticle. To the point and on the money. Too many meetings and too little time to miss the opportunity to capture audience (vested)interest immediately !
Great Blarticle! Great advice.
Hi,
could not agree more. that´s what people ask themselves besides:
1) how much this person is trying to control me?
2) does he care?
3) if i listen, WIFM?
Rob, your a great simplifier! go for more! We have a lot of energy here – you can borrow some if you´re lacking it 🙂
First we hear from Mexico, and then Mika drops in from Finland! Someday I’m going to get to Finland and watch this energy you boast of firsthand. We’ll share a stage and have an energy face-off right in front of the audience. I think I fear for that audience! Thanks so much for adding your voice to the BLArticle® Mika.
What’s in it for me?
I am drilling this into my mind. Very true.
Excellent! Now, make sure you drill the answer to that question into those you are speaking to and as they say, “You’ll be cooking with gas!” Nice to hear from you Taura.