“Once upon a time, I dreamed that I was a butterfly that fluttered to and fro. Suddenly I woke up, and there I stayed, myself again. Now I don’t know if I was then a man who dreamed that I was a butterfly, or if I am now a butterfly dreaming that I am a man”. ~Chang Tzu
Many public speakers use the title ‘Transformational Speaker’, as a way of informing their potential audiences about what they do and how they do it. Aside from having an impressive-sounding title that tries to differentiate transformational speakers from motivational speakers and inspirational speakers, what does the term “transformational speaker” mean and how are they different?
If we can fairly assume that the job of a motivational speaker is to motivate and an inspirational speaker is to inspire, is it safe to assume that the role of a transformational speaker is to transform? If so, what does that mean and how will they do it?
A Google search returned 1100 results for the exact term “Transformational Speaker”, but after many long searches, I did not find a clear definition of the title. That’s not to say at all that there isn’t a clear definition, just that it’s not very obvious. With as many speakers as there are using the term, I would have imagined the opposite.
Because I am a transformational speaker, I am very interested in how others in my field are using that title. The purpose of this article is to explore the meaning of the title ‘Transformational Speaker’, what such a speaker would do, as well as why I make the claim to be a Transformational Speaker.
So, if we have to start from scratch somewhere, let’s start here… The Oxford English Dictionary defines ‘transformational’ as “relating to or involving a marked change in form, nature, or appearance.”
Based on that definition, we should be able to assume three things about a transformational speaker.
First, they are, or can be, part of a marked change. It is not a small change, but a potentially dramatic, drastic or marked change.
Second, change can take place in a wide variety of ways, from the form/appearance of a thing (outer form) to the nature of a thing (intrinsic characteristics of a person or thing). This means that transformation can occur on many levels or manifest in many ways.
Third, according to this definition, the ways in which transformation can occur can be located on a spectrum, from superficial/external (external form, shape, and appearance) to deep/internal (intrinsic nature and quality).
For example, a wave in the ocean has an outward shape and appearance, which is the shape of the wave that allows us to see it. On the other hand, the intrinsic nature and quality (water/wet/fluidity) of a wave is deeper in the sense that it is the common essence of this wave and all waves. An outward transformation of the wave would imply one of size/appearance/shape. An intrinsic transformation of the wave would imply a change of its nature, such as the realization that it is made of water and not separate from the ocean (if that were possible).
With the breakdown of the above Oxford definitions and my own 15-year exploration of how and why transformations happen, I’ll propose the following simplified definition for ‘Transformational Speaker’:
A transformational speaker is one who attempts to bring about a marked change in the form, nature, or appearance of a human being.
Now that I have defined the transformational speaker at least in a preliminary way, I will share with you why I call myself a transformational speaker.
Having studied the World Wisdom Traditions for 19 years, I have been exposed to various methods of sharing knowledge that attempt to point to deeper truth, greater wisdom, or illicit transformation. This means that I have been privileged to meet a variety of perspectives (ways of seeing) and practices (ways of being) that have had the effect of transforming my fundamental understanding of who I am and what is real.
Of the ways I have been introduced to these understandings, none are more powerful and Life altering than direct human contact with the source of an understanding. Having studied a variety of transformational approaches that have a strong ‘spoken word’ component, such as Dzogchen, Hypnotherapy, Zen and Guided Meditation, I am familiar with the transformative power and potential of words as they emerge from clarity, presence and The amplitude.
A transformational speaker uses all dimensions of experience: eyes, posture, gesture, movement, presence, meaning, conviction, affect, radiance, emphasis, rhythm, tone.
A transformational speaker, because he is awake and connected to the deeper dimensions of experience, can speak from and AS those dimensions of experience.
From here, the transformational speaker can invite the audience into their own depths, exposing deeper and subtler aspects of existence.
A Transformational Speaker is at home in the depths of Life, always swimming in the deep understanding that ‘I Am Alive AS Life’, and it is from here that you are welcomed back into your truest expression of who you are. Welcome home.