It's forty below zero, but Jeff Evans is sweating. He finds himself completely surrounded by ice as he makes his way across a series of metal ladders laid out horizontally and hastened together by a few strands of rope. The haphazard construction would be comical if it weren't for the crevasse below, which extends down into a darkness for thousands of feet. With each completed step there is a small moment of relief, followed by the terror of the next step.
The hundred conference attendees are glued to the video, but he pauses it to make a point.
"There are only three rules when it comes to this kind of climbing," Jeff explains. "Don't fall, don't fall, and don't fall!"
Finally, he reaches the far side of the gaping hole, with the relative safety of packed snow and ice. But his nerve-racking cross was the easy part. Now he needs to guide his friend Erik across the divide. Erik is not only a less experienced climber—he's blind. Jeff's job is to guide his friend, this blind man, to the top of the world—the Everest summit.
Looking around the room, I'm relieved to see everyone paying rapt attention. I had expected the worst. The attendees to this meeting had been through a long morning and a heavy lunch. It was possible that they wouldn't have the attention span left for a motivational presentation. But no one's focus wandered. Jeff finished his presentation with some stunning pictures from Earth's highest point, and the audience had so many questions that the session ran over.
Jeff is one of my favorite speakers because he evokes a response from audiences that few other speakers can achieve. By accomplishing feats that most of us can only dream of, he's able to use his stories and experiences to take audiences outside of their normal lives. This allows him to make points in a different way than they're used to hearing and create a lasting effect.
As hard as it is to find a good, affordable speaker, it's even tougher to find one who your attendees will still be talking about weeks after the event. I wanted to figure out why Jeff makes such a strong impression with the people who hear him, and how I could find those qualities in other speakers.
To Jeff, the success of his presentations is simple. "The idea of a blind guy climbing up mountains seems pretty ridiculous when you first hear about it. But, we knew it could be done, and we achieved it by simply staying focused on that. When people see what we did, and realize that we're just normal guys, they start to understand what they might be capable of."
"Believe it or not, climbing Everest with a blind man isn't a lot different than meeting a sales quota. In fact, in some ways it's easier. Everything that we deal with on the mountain is dangerous and immediate, so your attention doesn't wander. But when you have to work in the real world and deal with things like other people, deadlines and budgets, it's easier to get distracted. I try to remind people to stay focused and celebrate each small goal."
Here are a few things to look for in an effective speaker, trainer or motivator:
They use simple ideas. People don't need new ways of thinking. They need ways to take their existing skills and knowledge and translate them into real world success. Simple ideas and strategies help to create real and lasting improvement.
They've done something. People respond to achievements more than concepts. It's the old adage of 'actions speak louder than words.' If you can find a speaker who has had some real world success, your audience is more apt to respect them and pay attention.
They use humor. It's important that a speaker be engaging without being overly intense. Even a small joke can help break up tension.
Visuals are important. Complicated charts only confuse people, but a few pictures or video clips can help attendees feel like they were actually there with the speaker to climb a mountain, jump out of a plane or reach the finish line.
Matthew Sherwood is an Account Executive with Brooks International Speakers Bureau. You can reach him at 303-825-8700, or at matt@brooksinternational.com
You can watch Jeff Evans and Erik Weihenmayer compete in the PrimalQuest on CBS on January 10th. Call or e-mail Matt for information on booking Jeff for your next meeting.