Five Crucial Questions to ask Professional Keynote Speakers when Considering one for your Internal Management Event.

You are organising an internal management event and you are considering hiring a Professional Keynote Speaker. You feel they can
add value to your event and you even have a few Speakers in mind. However, you are not yet sure who to choose and how to select the best Speaker.

Here is a list of five  crucial questions to ask when interviewing Professional Keynote Speakers so you can select the best one for your internal management event.

The purpose of this article is to give you five crucial questions to ask when interviewing Professional Keynote Speakers for your internal management event. So you can make the right choice for your event.

Q1: What is your definition of a successful speech?

The first question to ask the Speaker is about their definition of a successful speech. This question gets the speaker to focus on, and clarify, the ultimate purpose of their speech. Their answer should not be about their content, or the speech itself, but rather about what the speech does. For example, it aligns your teams, it creates a shared vision, it sets the tone of your event, and/or it ultimately grows your business.

See our article for more insights: What is the Real Purpose of a Keynote Speech?

Q2: Why is this outcome important for you?

The second question to ask the Speaker is about the reasons behind why they do what they do. This will give you an insight into their motivations, their drives, and their ambitions. It will highlight their beliefs and assumptions. It is important to understand, and relate to, their ‘why’ because this is what is behind all their content.

See our article for more insights: Why do I need a Keynote Speech at my Corporate Event?

Q3: What will be the tone of your speech?

The third question to ask is about the mood, feeling, or tone of their speech. This question gets the speaker to focus on their style and attitude of speaking. This is a very important question because it highlights their values, which need to be aligned to your (company) values. If their tone is aggressive, dismissive, or quarrelsome, it is very unlikely that they will connect with your audience. Instead, look for values that reflect empathy, confidence without arrogance, and a desire to listen and learn.

See our article for more insights: Never Hire a Keynote Speaker who Motivates by Fear.

Q4: How will you present?

The forth question to ask is about how they are going to present. What you are looking for here are insights into how they are going to increase the engagement and comprehension of your audience. Because how a Speaker says something is always more important than what they say. How a Speaker presents in what distinguishes a good Speaker from a great Speaker.

See our article for more insights: How to choose the best Keynote Speaker.

How a Professional Keynote Speaker says something is more important than what they say.

Q5: What topic will you speak about?

Finally, you can now ask them about their topic and the content of their speech. As you have seen in question four, the topic of their speech is not the most important thing. That is why it is the last question on this list. It is essential that their content is relevant, refined, and refreshing, however, if it not presented well, or presented with the wrong tone, it will not connect with your audience.

See our article for more insights: What is the Best TOPIC for a Keynote Speech?

In summary, to understand the Purpose, Why, Values, How, and What of a Professional Keynote Speaker just ask these five crucial questions when considering hiring one for your next internal management event. These questions will give you all you need to know about the Speaker so you will know which one is the best fit for your event.

For more insights on how to choose the best Keynote Speech, and a detailed report on how to align a Keynote Speaker with your Vision & Strategy, download Risk Report on hiring a Keynote Speaker for your corporate event below.