“Ultimately motivation is an inside job, but there are many things we as leaders can do to help others become motivated.”
That’s Mark Sanborn’s take on motivation. He acknowledges that it is up to the individual to choose to be motivated but unlike some, he doesn’t think managers, leaders, parents and others are without influence when it comes to motivating others.
“In 24 years of professional speaking, I’ve never called myself a motivational speaker,” Sanborn explains. “Often my clients call me a motivational speaker because that is the single most used description of a keynote professional speaker like myself. Speaking 70 times each year to sales meetings, association and corporate events, well–many consider that motivational speaking.”
“My goal is to educate, first and foremost. I give audiences actionable ideas they can use to improve their businesses and lives. But here’s the key to increasing motivation: it isn’t enough for people to know what to to do and how to do it if they don’t have compelling reason why they should do it. The reasons why are the source of motivation.”
“One of the hardest jobs of leadership is getting to know employees and understand what motivates each individual. Generic lists aren’t very helpful when it comes to motivating specific people.”
“In customer service, service reps need to understand as much as they can about the needs and desires–the motivation–of those they’re assisting. Knowing what is important to each customer is key to empathizing with and serving them well.”
“Of course the implications for sales professionals are critically important. You can’t match features and benefits until you’ve uncovered buying motives.”
Sanborn’s work with over 2400 clients has given him a broad and often unorthodox perspective about what it takes to master motivation.
Mark is the president of Sanborn & Associates, Inc., an idea lab for leadership development. Leadershipgurus.net lists Mark as one of the top 30 leadership experts in the world.
In addition to his experience leading at a local and national level, he has written or co-authored 8 books and is the author of more than two dozen videos and audio training programs on leadership, change, teamwork and customer service. His book, You Don’t Need a Title to be a Leader was a Wall Street Journal bestseller. In it, Mark explains how to create an army of lions where every employee knows two things: first, when is it appropriate to lead and second, how to do it.
He is a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame (CPAE). Mark’s YouTube channel features videos recorded both live (in his keynote leadership presentations) and in studio that teach how to lead, or lead better. He also writes a leadership blog.
Mark’s book, The Fred Factor: How Passion in Your Work and Life Can Turn the Ordinary Into the Extraordinary is an international bestseller and was on the New York Times, Business Week and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. His latest books include You Don’t Need a Title to be a Leader: How Anyone, Anywhere Can Make a Positive Difference and The Encore Effect: How to Achieve Remarkable Performance in Anything You Do. His newest book, Up, Down or Sideways: How to Succeed When Times are Good, Bad or In Between was released in October 2011.
Mark is a past president of the National Speakers Association and winner of The Cavett, the highest honor bestowed by that organization. In 2007 Mark was awarded The Ambassador of Free Enterprise Award by Sales & Marketing Executives International.
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