Traits & Characteristics of a Great Keynote Speaker
There are 5 traits that make up for an amazing keynote speaker and they include:
1.) They are Sherpas, not googlers 2.) They are givers, not takers 3.) They are obsessed with details 4.) They are connectors 5.) They are humanists
- The best keynote speakers live the life that they share on stage. They are not simply googling other people’s experiences, they are sharing their amazing journeys. This makes their presentation powerful, and authentic.
- Great speakers are givers when they are on stage they’re delivering authentic value, and the presentation is never about them it’s about how they can share ideas that will positively impact the audience before them.
- Great speakers are obsessed with the details of understanding every aspect of the organization they’re speaking for and the audience that is willing to share an hour of their life listening to their message. They obsess over how they can deliver actionable, novel insights that will have an amazing impact on their audience.
- Great speakers are also connectors and their goal is to connect ideas to the audience in a way that the audience can understand how they can take that message and apply it in their organization or life. Connection is an incredibly important part of the DNA of a great keynote speaker, as they need to make sure that their message is not just relevant, it also has to be incredibly valuable. Studies show, that the major reason an audience member is unhappy with the speaker, is that they felt as if the speaker didn’t understand them and delivered a presentation that they viewed as irrelevant. Making connections between the needs, problems, and opportunities of the audience is a key attribute of great speakers.
- Great speakers are also humanists; they realize that the mechanics of their presentation is only important to the extent that it has a meaningful, invaluable human impact.