To most observers, the transformation that a motivational speaker can effect on a person seems like an apotheosis -- something divine, unaccomplishable by mere mortals. Top executives of major corporations think of a motivational speaker as able to read people and coax or cajole them to perform better in their chosen fields -- and thereby improve the effectiveness of their company as a whole -- but no one seems to be able to pin down how this change occurs.

An effective leadership speaker will cause people who listen to speak in terms of 'waking up', or the speaker having 'reached into my soul', and inspire the speakers to 'put their all' into their endeavors. Such a consultant will put forth workshops and presentations that change those who experience them on a profound mental and emotional level.

When an assignment is completed effectively, efficiently, and profitably, it is because the motivational factors behind that assignment have been properly evoked. This can and does happen by accident or coincidence, but it is the job of the professional motivator to ensure that it can happen on demand.

Quite often, a company's managers create a negative emotional atmosphere within their workplace for reasons that vary from personal failures to a perceived prejudice on the part of their superiors. These negative vibes create a motivational vacuum that is all but invisible to upper management, but can ruin a company's effectiveness. The motivational consultant's job is to overcome these unknown emotional hurdles and achieve an upbeat atmosphere capable of effective work.

The motivational speaker isn't teaching his listeners anything that they don't already know. Rather, his goal is to 'retune' his audience to be more attentive to their latent talents and ingrained abilities. By offering a variety of methods to develop and measure one's inner spirit, and thus enhance one's overall level of motivation, a leadership speaker can inspire a person to view -- and tackle -- his problems from a different perspective.

The most effective motivational speakers are able to get an audience of thousands to stop focusing on their problems and start focusing on their opportunities; to see the nadirs of their lives as the prequels to the zeniths which will follow. This causes the audience to view 'tomorrow' as a source of hope and success rather than dismay and drudgery.

Such leaders never trivialize or deny the problems facing their audiences, but re-frame them as prospects for positive change. By making this change in the minds of the audience, the motivational speaker changes very little in the listeners -- but he creates the ability in each individual for that person to change himself...and therein lies the true miracle.

John Hersey is a successful business owner, published author and motivational leadership speaker. John writes one of the most recognized leadership blogs in the business world: http://www.JohnHersey.com/blog