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Ten Tips for Giving a Great Keynote
Screw the speech, be yourself, and let it rip
Actors want to direct. Directors want to produce. And consultants want to deliver keynote presentations. And why not? The pay is good. It doesn’t take much time. And it’s a lot less heavy lifting than most consulting gigs.
Easier said that done, however.
Delivering an impactful keynote is not as easy as it looks. If you want to get into the game, begin by reviewing the following guidelines to see if you have what it takes.
1. Be in Tune with Your Purpose:
If you’re going to hold an audience’s attention for more than 10 minutes, you’ve got to begin by holding firm to your purpose… your calling… what gets you out of bed in the morning. If it’s missing, all you can ever hope to deliver is a speech — which is not what people want to hear. If your purpose is clear, you’re home free and won’t need a single note card.
Mark Twain said it best: “If you speak the truth, you don’t need to remember a thing.”