3 Things Every Leader Should Ask Themselves Before They Book a Keynote Speaker
Booking a keynote speaker shouldn’t just be a line item on your event checklist. The decision should be treated as an investment in your people, your culture, and the future of your business.
Building a high-performance organization starts with who you are every day for your team. You set the vibe, you set the stage for how people are treated, and you ensure that the people around you are valued, trusted, and inspired. That same standard should guide you when choosing who will speak to your team, because their words will echo in your culture long after the event is over.
The right speaker can energize your people, shift perspectives, and create momentum that lasts long after the event ends. The wrong one? They might sound great in the moment, but leave little behind once the applause fades.
Whether you’re working with a speakers bureau, collaborating with an events professional, or doing your own search for the perfect speaker, the choice you make will have a lasting impact.
And these three questions will help you book not just a motivational speaker, but a catalyst for real change.
Why Booking a Keynote Speaker Should Be a Strategic Decision
The best keynote speakers don’t just tell stories, they shape the way your team thinks, feels, and works together. They have the ability to spark resilience, ignite collaboration, and create a shared sense of purpose that extends far beyond the walls of the event venue.
When leaders treat this choice as a strategic investment rather than a quick booking, the impact compounds. A thoughtfully chosen speaker can help reinforce your company’s values, cultivate double vision (the ability to understand others’ perspectives, fears, emotions, and motivations), and bridge the gap between leadership strategy and day-to-day execution.
It’s not about filling a time slot. It’s about using that moment on stage to move your team forward in a tangible way.
How the Right Speaker Can Spark Real Organizational Change
When the message truly connects, it can transform how your people approach challenges and opportunities. The right speaker can be the turning point that shifts your team’s mindset from “Me Thinking” to “We Thinking”, helping them embrace and accept responsibility for success and failure as a team.
Think of it this way: the most impactful keynote speakers don’t just tell you what works. They’ve led in moments where the stakes were high, the pressure was real, and performance wasn’t optional. These are individuals who have navigated high-pressure environments where trust, adaptability, and openly sharing strengths and weaknesses made the difference between failure and breakthrough.
Because they’ve lived it, their stories carry an authenticity that theory alone can’t match. They embody the resilience, leadership, and relentless commitment they’re asking your team to embrace.
Common Pitfalls of Booking Without a Clear Strategy
Too often, leaders book based on popularity or personality alone, without considering how the content connects to the realities of their team’s work.
Without a clear strategy, you might end up with a keynote that entertains but doesn’t move the needle.
Instead, approach the decision like any other strategic initiative: define the outcome you want, ensure the speaker can deliver on it, and choose someone whose style, experience, and message resonate with your culture and future direction.
Question #1: What Do I Want My Team to Feel, Learn, and Do After This Event?
Before you start browsing speaker options or scrolling through social media, pause and ask yourself: “What do I want my team to feel when they walk out of that room? What should they take away and put into action? And who is the right person to inspire me and my team to build and protect the most valuable asset a high-performance team can have: a hundred percent solid bedrock of trust, loyalty, and respect for and from my team members?"
Getting clear on this helps make sure your keynote does more than just entertain. It drives real impact.
Defining the Desired Impact Beyond Applause
It’s easy to get caught up in the energy of a great speech - the laughs, the cheers, the standing ovation. But if your team walks away pumped up one day and back to business as usual the next, the event missed its mark.
Think about what real change looks like for your group. Is it building deeper trust? Getting people to communicate more openly and build mutual respect? Or maybe it’s helping them learn to see challenges versus roadblocks, as opportunities for growth?
Pinpointing this upfront gives your event real purpose.
Aligning Speaker Message with Company Goals and Culture
The best speakers don’t just deliver a generic speech. They know how to connect with your team’s unique story, understanding your values, your challenges, and what makes your people tick. When a speaker truly gets that, it’s no longer just a presentation. It’s your team’s presentation, crafted around their setbacks, successes, and a shared vision for what’s ahead.
Real-World Takeaways vs. Temporary Inspiration
What separates a great keynote from a forgettable one is whether your team walks away with something they can actually use. Real tools, practical strategies, or new ways of thinking that don’t just inspire in the moment, but stick around to change how people work day after day.
Question #2: Does This Speaker Offer Real-World Experience or Just Stage Presence?
A speaker who sounds great on stage is a plus, but when the real challenges hit, your team needs more than polished words. They need someone who’s been in the thick of it, someone who’s pushed through tough times, rolled with the punches day in and day out, and learned to leave their ego at the starting line.
They understand that building resilience is about knowing how to create a new win out of an old lose, and know how to inspire and mobilize your team toward that vision.
Why Lived Experience Matters More Than Polished Scripts
People can tell when a story is genuine versus when it’s been memorized for the spotlight. When a speaker has truly lived the lessons they share, it holds a credibility that theory alone can’t match. The struggles and triumphs feel authentic, making the message resonate in a way that sticks long after the applause.
The Difference Between a Storyteller and a Change-Maker
There’s a big difference between someone who entertains and someone who transforms. A storyteller may capture attention for a moment, but a change-maker shifts how your team thinks, works together, and tackles problems.
They leave your group better equipped to act, not just inspired for a day, teaching them how to integrate various talents and skills, and start seeing themselves as an important part of a high-performance puzzle.
Evaluating a Speaker’s Track Record of Inspiring Action
Don’t just rely on standing ovations or glowing reviews. Ask your events professional or speakers bureau for proof of real impact - stories of teams that changed course, improved culture, or moved the needle after hearing this speaker.
Question #3: Is This Speaker a Fit for My Audience - Live, Virtual, or Hybrid?
No matter how powerful the message, if the delivery doesn’t fit your team or event format, much of that impact gets lost. The best keynote speakers don’t just bring great content, they tailor their style and energy to connect with your people, whether live, online, or somewhere in between.
Matching Tone, Delivery Style, and Format with Your Team’s Needs
Every group is different. Some thrive on high-energy, fast-paced talks, while others respond better to a calm, thoughtful approach. A skilled speaker adjusts their tone and delivery to match your team’s vibe and expectations.
Considerations for Remote or Hybrid Teams When Booking a Speaker
Virtual and hybrid events come with unique challenges. You want a speaker who can engage a room full of people and also keep remote attendees just as involved. The ability to hold everyone’s attention across formats is key!
What to Look for in Speaker Customization and Flexibility
Your team isn’t generic, so your keynote shouldn’t be either. Look for speakers who take the time to understand your culture, goals, and challenges, and who tailor their presentation to fit. That personalized touch makes all the difference.
Bonus Tip: Don’t Just Book a Keynote Speaker - Invest in a Catalyst
Booking a keynote speaker should be more than just checking a box on your event plan. The best speakers don’t just give a great speech and walk away. They kickstart a conversation that sticks, creating momentum that lasts long after the event ends.
Why the Best Speakers Inspire Ongoing Conversations, Not Just One-Time Events
A keynote can light a fire in the room, but what really matters is what happens after. The speakers who make the biggest impact leave your team thinking differently weeks and months later, encouraging ongoing discussions and actions. They plant ideas that keep growing, helping your team keep the energy and focus alive.
Leveraging a Keynote as a Launchpad for Long-Term Growth and Development
Think of the keynote as the start of something bigger, a foundation for training programs, leadership development, or team initiatives that build on what was introduced on stage.
It’s a chance to set a tone, introduce new ways of thinking, and spark real change that helps you and your team learn how to move more quickly with your collective strengths and weaknesses.
Questions to Ask to Gauge a Speaker’s Lasting Value
What kind of support do they offer after the event? Are follow-up workshops or coaching available?
Can they help tailor ongoing programs that keep the message alive in your culture?
Do they provide tools or ways to measure how their message impacts your organization over time?
Picking a speaker who is invested in your long-term success means you’re not just getting a speech. You’re gaining a partner in your culture’s growth.
Ready to Book a Keynote Speaker Who Delivers More Than Just a Speech?
Robyn Benincasa is more than a storyteller, she’s a catalyst for lasting change. As a World Champion Adventure Racer and San Diego City Firefighter, Robyn has faced some of the toughest physical and mental challenges imaginable, bringing unmatched grit, resilience, and real-world leadership lessons to every stage.
Recognized as a CNN Hero for founding The Project Athena Foundation, which empowers survivors through team-based endurance adventures, and ranked among MSN’s Top 10 Business Speakers in North America and the World’s Top 50 Keynote Speakers, Robyn delivers keynotes that teach your team to act as one.
She doesn’t just motivate, she helps teams build stronger connections, embrace challenges, and strive to take everyone across the finish line together - teaching them how to adapt, overcome, and win as one, all while equipping them with the Four Ps of Commitment: preparation, planning, purpose, and perseverance.
Whether your event is live, virtual, or hybrid, Robyn’s message is designed to energize your team and spark meaningful action that lasts.
If you want a keynote that does more than entertain, one that truly moves your team, reach out today and bring Robyn to your next event!