Debra Searle

SEARLE: I want people to know that they are capable of so much more than they have ever dreamed. I have rowed the Altantic single-handed, founded 3 businesses and sat on the board of a charity with members of the Royal Family. None of that would have been possible had I always stayed within my comfort zones.

SEARLE: Before each event, I ask my client to fill out a pre-event questionnaire online. This covers lots of the basics about the event, but also goes into a bit of detail about what the business’s biggest challenges are and how I can help their team to embrace the current challenges.

I’ve been fortunate enough to speak to all kinds of industries over the past ten years – from finance, to healthcare, to education and retail. I’ve even spoken to the National Association of Funeral Directors! Once I’ve read through the questionnaire, I do lots of Googling to make sure I am up to date on the latest industry news, and it’s normally then that I start tailoring my speech, figuring out what anecdotes resonate most with that particular audience.

A couple of weeks before the event, I then have a call with my client just to ensure that my speech is completely en-pointe with the conference message.

Finally, I try to arrive on the day as early as possible. It’s often during those introductory speeches by the CEO or MD that I really get a feel for the organization, and sometimes I even pick up the industry-specific language and acronyms which I use in my own speech to ensure that my message resonates as much as possible with my audience.

I’m a stickler for detail, but I love to know that I’ve done a good job. I want to leave the stage knowing that the audience is inspired and equipped for their return to the office.

SEARLE: So many! I’ve also been fortunate enough to be invited to Buckingham Palace numerous times, and thanks to my position on the Board for The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (a youth awards program), I know a few members of the Royal Family quite well. My sister and I even have a selfie in the Buckingham Palace toilets!

Another highlight was when I was doing a keynote speech for Microsoft in the Maldives, and they asked if I would like to go scuba-diving with their team – amazing!

SEARLE: I’ve spoken to over 800 conferences worldwide, with audiences ranging from school children to royalty, from call-center workers to CEOs, so I can say with confidence that all kinds of people benefit from my message. Crucially, an audience has to be ready to make steps to change. My aim is that, through my story, people will be inspired to step outside of their comfort zones and go on to achieve amazing things.

SEARLE: At the moment, I love talking about gender balance in the workplace and challenging the stereotypes that we have around what it means to be a man or a woman. In fact, the more I research the topic, the more determined I am to join with others to make a positive change. I love that it’s not seen as a “women’s issue” anymore.

SEARLE: At one speech I did for an engineering company, a huge hulk of a man who was covered in tattoos came up to me afterwards. My unconscious biases kicked in big time, and I assumed that he would have hated what he heard. Not so! He actually told me that he had been moved to tears and challenged to act – he didn’t want his daughters and nieces to grow up in a world where they had to face sexual harassment and discrimination because of their gender. I was blown away by his honesty, and it gave me a real appetite to speak to as many people as possible about how powerful it is when we speak out against prejudice.

I also still love talking about my Atlantic row. It truly was the adventure of a lifetime, and it’s formed who I am today. I love to see people inspired to achieve their dreams through my story. There’s no feeling like it.

SEARLE: I entered the world of corporate speaking completely accidentally! While I was rowing the Atlantic alone, little did I know that my twin sister had been fielding phone calls from the press and TV stations all over the world.

I was still celebrating with my family in Barbados when Vodafone invited me to their annual conference as the keynote speaker. When the lights first went up on the stage, blinding me so that I couldn’t even see the audience, I was so scared! I mentally pushed myself – ‘Come on Debra, you’ve just rowed the Atlantic, you can do this!’ – and I did.

From there, it just snowballed, and I have been on the speaking circuit ever since. I love the huge variety of people I get to meet doing my job, and it’s such an honor to be a part of each company’s community for a day or two.

SEARLE: I think being able to laugh at yourself is the key to enjoying life! Songs such as “You Get What You Give” by the New Radicals were a key part of my motivation strategy while on the Atlantic, so during my speeches I will often be found leaping around the stage dancing or sharing anecdotes about my Christmas dinner, which comprised of a chicken flavored Cup-A-Soup (it was the closest I could get to turkey!)

I’m so interested in the science and psychology of motivation, but as human beings, we engage so much better with stories rather than dry information. All of my “mind tricks for success” are linked to psychological theory in some way, but by applying practical strategies to real-life situations, audiences are far more likely to remember and use the strategies in their own lives.

SEARLE: I’ve had HEAPS of encouraging feedback over the years, and I’m often touched when delegates email me in the months and years following my speech to tell me how applying some of my “mind tricks for success” have helped them to achieve something great. The success I’m most proud of is the Arctic Challenge, which I mentioned earlier. Tens of thousands of people followed our team’s social media campaign, and 62% of those stated that the Arctic Challenge project had caused them to have a conversation about gender equality.

It’s so encouraging to know that I am speaking to the business leaders of today and tomorrow. A recent client from the financial services industry wrote to me and said,

“The feedback, both last night and today, has been incredibly positive and has inspired much reflection on both the enormity of your achievements and the relentlessly positive attitude you portrayed….I now have 60 or so leaders choosing their attitude!”

What more could I ask for?!