Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer
Thursday, September 30, 1999

Speaker urges motivation

By Erika Helm
Staff writer

Effective leaders must evoke enthusiasm and passion to accomplish their goals and motivate their staff, said motivational speaker Denise Ryan. Without the two, success cannot be achieved, she said.
Ryan spoke Wednesday morning at the Leadership Principles for Volunteer Organizations workshop at Methodist College. She is owner of FireStar, a firm specializing in helping businesses motivate their employees. The workshop was sponsored by the Association of Symphony Orchestras of North Carolina. The nonprofit organization promotes cooperation among orchestras throughout the state.
About 20 volunteer members of orchestra organizations in North Carolina participated. Topics ranged from getting your team on target to getting organized. Ryan spoke of the importance of becoming motivated and passing that motivation to others. Obtaining this enthusiasm involves defining a purpose in life.
Ryan told the story of how she was a sales manager for a group of pawn shops. But one day she pondered what people would say about her at her eulogy and questioned when she would start doing ‘‘wonderful things.’’She realized fear of failure was stopping her from reaching her goals. Fear of poverty, criticism, ill health, losing love, old age and death interfere with others from going after their goals. Those fears, Ryan said, should be put aside. Instead, Ryan encouraged the audience to focus on setting ‘‘big, audacious goals.’’ Leaders must believe, if they are to achieve goals set at work or in an organization, Ryan said.“(Staff) have to look into your eyes and know you believe in the vision and you believe in them,” she said.It’s like a fireball, she said. “If you believe, then others will believe,” she said.Belief must carry over into action. “You have to make decisions,” she said. “You have to move. ... A little bit of action is like a tiny snowball coming down a mountain.”Ryan offered these suggestions: Give staff members an environment where they can blossom. Coach them. Support them. Give them praise and recognition. Don’t put out their spark by criticizing them, she said.Ryan told the story of how a group of people were encouraged to come to the edge but were afraid if they did they would fall. When they finally made the decision to venture to the edge, they were pushed. But they flew, she said.

“You can do that to all the people you work with and lead,” Ryan said.. “You can teach them how to fly.”

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