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Speaking in public is an extremely delicate activity that involves being exposed to immediate evaluation and entering quite a high-pressure interaction. There might be some benefit of a doubt in first contact, but presenters are quickly challenged to connect and engage with the audience in non-trivial ways if anybody is to pay attention. While reactions can range from enthusiasm to rejection, not everyone has managed to master the art of bringing about the desired effect in listeners. In a business context, where standards of excellence and relevance are particularly high, good speakers are subject to extreme scrutiny and expected to deliver impact. Keynote speakers, with their principal role at conferences, meetings or other events, are routinely called in to outshine others and leave a lasting mark on guests. Many fail to do it and it never takes longer than mere minutes to tell great keynote speakers from mediocre ones.
One early indicator is their ability to establish a meaningful bond with the audience, be it through humor, style or temperament. Importantly, what lies at the root of this skill is not so much specialist knowledge, but softer talents that contribute to creating a positive and wanted presence. Long before the expert gets into talking about professional details, there is plenty of potential to start building the right kind of atmosphere, shaking hands, talking face-to-face, trading anecdotes. With only bare content, essential talks that everybody tends to look forward to often turn into heavy-going, dispirited lectures.
What is closely related to it is the ability to explore the assets inherent in the live setting. Professionalism shines through the way presenters use voice, gesture and other available tools to grab attention. Watching them do their job should leave you with a feeling they are just the right person, at the right time, in the right place. Their confidence and competence should empower and inspire, rather than overwhelm, listeners. Their message should be clear, but thought-provoking to stimulate reflection and debate. Ideas from the speech should do no less than reverberate in and out of the auditorium long after their speech is delivered.
Communication skills are also highly indicative of greatness. Outstanding presenters do much more than just the talking. Before, during and after their speeches, they let no opportunity of improving their message pass. In practice, it involves working closely with the organizers to make sure their presentation is designed to fit the program. It also means having a keen ear before and during their talk in order to energize and engage with listeners, possibly bringing in their relevant comments into the speech. Finally, keynote speakers are not expected to vanish without a trace soon after their performance as their job is far from over. In some ways, it only begins and great public-speaking professionals realize the importance of carrying the message further.
It is a good idea to watch for signs of greatness in public speakers whenever you hear them address their audiences. Such quiet testing may come in handy next time we need an outstanding presenter to garnish your events.
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