3. Pay attention to what excites them.

The best kind of motivation doesn't come from you; it comes from people themselves. When you’re having a conversation with someone, pay close attention to what they say and how they say it. Chances are, they are giving you clues on how to best motivate them in that moment.

I like to call these clues "keywords." They are words or phrases that stand out from the rest. Keywords are more charged when spoken. The person will lean in or sit up straighter. Their voice might get louder or more pointed. Their eyes might widen when they say their keywords.

For example, I was running a communication training session for a small group of company leaders. I could tell that one person was not receptive to the training. During our first break, I approached him and asked for his thoughts.

“Don’t get me wrong, the training session is great and all, but you've got to understand that there’s been a lot going on with the company and I just don’t see how this helps us move forward.”

When he said the words “move forward” his gestures and voice accentuated his point. After a little more discussion and keyword investigation on my part, I concluded that forward motion, progress and the future were big motivational triggers for him. He also hated anything that had to do with feeling stuck, reviewing past events or repeating himself.

Bingo!

I spent the remaining five minutes of the break making a case for how the training helped his company move forward, achieve their goals and even help his employees progress further within the company. After our brief conversation, he was extremely attentive and participatory the rest of the day. When you detect more energy behind certain words, latch on to them and use those keywords to help your motivational efforts.