I get this question a lot. An awful lot. All. Of. The. Time.
I’m a meeting planner so I work with a lot of speakers. But I’m also involved in professional organizations and help to plan those events. That means working with even more speakers. And, I give back through helping with community events. More speakers.
I have worked with phenomenal speakers who are always professional, always on top of their game. And, I have worked with speakers that were really just average (I’m being kind). What usually strikes me is that those speakers who always bring their A-game are the ones who I can tell never stop learning, growing, and adapting. And, they are the ones who I respect as strong business leaders too.
When I read “The Top Fifteen Things to Quit Now If You Want to Be a Better Speaker”, I wasn’t just absent-mindedly nodding in agreement with every word as I read. I was exclaiming “yes, that!” at virtually every line. So, from now on, whenever I am asked what I am looking for in a speaker, my reply will be “Read this article, commit every word of it to memory, and then we can have a productive conversation.”