Business speakers are capable of leaving an audience changed in some fundamental way from how they were before the presentation. That said, they’re not mages, and they’re not miracle workers.

You can’t expect even the best speaker to miraculously fix an organization that has major problems.

Even the most accomplished business speakers can’t singlehandedly turn around a faltering organization. If the people are burned out, tired of being led on by incompetent management, or are experiencing the throes of economic problems or other disasters, you can’t expect to bring in a keynote speaker and have everything be better afterward.

But if your expectations make sense, and you use business speakers along with smart planning and strategy executed under strong leadership, those business speakers can make an impact that lasts, helping catalyze real change and helping team members find the spark of motivation that will help them persevere.

Sometimes a Different Point of View Makes All the Difference

Sometimes businesses develop such an insular point of view that it’s impossible for the rank and file to see any other way of doing things. This can become problematic when the way they do things leads to diminishing results or competitors moving ahead. Business speakers with a radically different, yet applicable point of view can often be the thing that shakes people out of their complacency.

Seeing someone they wouldn’t normally see bring their own experiences and point of view to the stage can help pry people out of mental ruts they have dug themselves into – ruts that don’t allow for much in the way of inspiration or motivation. Employees who are jaded with the status quo and skeptical about a keynote speaker may find themselves unexpectedly turning the other cheek – and looking in a new direction.

Inspiration without Making Audience Members Feel Like Failures

Choosing business speakers should also be tempered by realism. Yes, it could be inspiring for your workforce to learn from the source what it’s like to be an astronaut, scale Everest, or execute a miraculous mission behind enemy lines. But there are situations where such a monumentally inspiring person unwittingly makes the audience feel like a bunch of unmotivated slackers who will never amount to anything.

If you’re struggling with an unmotivated workforce, or are in a troubled industry, you’re better off choosing a keynote speaker or business speaker who is inspirational, yet relatable. Someone who has had their share of disappointments and failures, yet who has persisted and overcome similar obstacles to the ones the audience members face.

An effective speaker is one who reaches people where they are and offers a new point of view.

Other Things Businesses Must Do for Positive Transformation

Business speakers can make the greatest lasting impact when the audience doesn’t just leave the venue and go right back to the way things were. Fundamental organizational transformation is also necessary. Be assured: organizational change will happen whether you want it to or not, and for it to be positive, leaders must be willing to work to make change positive.

Primarily, this means they must commit themselves to clear, regular, constructive communication throughout the organization. They must encourage the frontline team members, learn how to delegate well and trust their best team members. They should not squash social interaction among team members, but realize that social interaction is an emollient that helps all the moving parts of the operation keep from getting gummed up.

Finally, leaders must ensure that employees have access to the training and development opportunities they need to excel and advance. No one wants to feel like they’re stuck in a dead-end job with no opportunities for something better or more challenging.

Business speakers can and do make a lasting impact on businesses and other organizations. Most people who have been in a career for any length of time can remember at least one or two business speakers who made a lasting impact on them. They will have the most lasting and positive effect if they are chosen wisely, and if they are only part of an overall organizational commitment to positive culture transformation. In these cases, the results can be astounding.

In my career as a keynote speaker, executive coach, and cultural transformation consultant, I have seen business transformation from multiple angles. I’ve learned that no person can magically initiate transformation without commitment from others as well as outstanding leadership. If your organization is on the threshold of transformation and you’re determined that it will be a positive transformation, I encourage you to check out my speaking and training services. 

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